Parts of a Parabola

Front

What is a parabola?

Back

A parabola is a symmetrical, U-shaped curve that represents the graph of a quadratic function.

Front

What is the vertex of a parabola?

Back

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

Front

What is the axis of symmetry in a parabola?

Back

The axis of symmetry is a vertical line that divides the parabola into two mirror-image halves, passing through the vertex.

Front

What are x-intercepts?

Back

X-intercepts are points where the parabola crosses the x-axis, meaning the y-coordinate is zero.

Front

What are y-intercepts?

Back

Y-intercepts are points where the parabola crosses the y-axis, meaning the x-coordinate is zero.

Front

What does it mean if a parabola opens upwards?

Back

If a parabola opens upwards, it has a minimum vertex and the arms of the parabola extend upwards.

Front

What does it mean if a parabola opens downwards?

Back

If a parabola opens downwards, it has a maximum vertex and the arms of the parabola extend downwards.

Front

How can you determine if a parabola has a minimum or maximum?

Back

You can determine this by looking at the direction the parabola opens: upwards for minimum, downwards for maximum.

Front

What is the standard form of a quadratic function?

Back

The standard form is y = ax^2 + bx + c, where a, b, and c are constants.

Front

What is the significance of the 'a' value in the quadratic function?

Back

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