Parts of a Parabola

Front

What is the axis of symmetry?

Back

The dividing line for a parabola that splits it into two mirror-image halves.

Front

Identify the y-intercept of the parabola.

Back

The y-intercept is the point where the parabola crosses the y-axis, represented as (0, y).

Front

What is the vertex of a parabola?

Back

The vertex is the highest or lowest point of the parabola, depending on its orientation.

Front

Does the quadratic have a max/min vertex, and does the parabola open up or down?

Back

A parabola can have a maximum vertex (opens down) or a minimum vertex (opens up).

Front

What divides the parabola into 2 perfect halves?

Back

The Axis of Symmetry.

Front

What is the standard form of a quadratic equation?

Back

The standard form is y = ax² + bx + c.

Front

What does the 'a' value in the quadratic equation indicate?

Back

The 'a' value determines the direction of the parabola (upward if positive, downward if negative) and its width.

Front

How do you find the x-coordinate of the vertex?

Back

The x-coordinate of the vertex can be found using the formula x = -b/(2a).

Front

What is the significance of the y-intercept in a parabola?

Back

The y-intercept indicates the value of y when x = 0, showing where the parabola crosses the y-axis.

Front

What are the x-intercepts of a parabola?

Back

The x-intercepts are the points where the parabola crosses the x-axis, found by solving the equation y = 0.