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Quadratic Equation Plotting

 Parabolas have a lowest or highest point called the vertex where the parabola changes direction.  The vertex formula is h = -b/2a and k = (4ac - b^2)/4a, where (h, k) are the coordinates of the vertex.  For the quadratic y = 3x^2 + x - 2, the vertex is calculated to be (-1/6, -25/12) and this point is graphed on the parabola.

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Gaurav Agarwal
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143 views

Quadratic Equation Plotting

 Parabolas have a lowest or highest point called the vertex where the parabola changes direction.  The vertex formula is h = -b/2a and k = (4ac - b^2)/4a, where (h, k) are the coordinates of the vertex.  For the quadratic y = 3x^2 + x - 2, the vertex is calculated to be (-1/6, -25/12) and this point is graphed on the parabola.

Uploaded by

Gaurav Agarwal
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Parabolas always have a lowest point (or a highest point, if the parabola is upside-down).

This point, where the parabola


changes direction, is called the "vertex".

If the quadratic is written in the form y = a(x – h)2 + k, then the vertex is the point (h, k). This makes sense, if you think
about it. The squared part is always positive (for a right-side-up parabola), unless it's zero. So you'll always have that fixed
value k, and then you'll always adding something to it to make y bigger, unless of course the squared part is zero. So the
smallest y can possibly be is y = k, and this smallest value will happen when the squared part, x – h, equals zero. And the
squared part is zero when x – h = 0, or when x = h. The same reasoning works, with k being the largest value and the
squared part always subtracting from it, for upside-down parabolas.

(Note: The "a" in the vertex form "y = a(x – h)2 + k" of the quadratic is the same as the "a" in the common form of the
quadratic equation, "y = ax2 + bx + c".)

Since the vertex is a useful point, and since you can "read off" the coordinates for the vertex from the vertex form of the
quadratic, you can see where the vertex form of the quadratic can be helpful, especially if the vertex isn't one of your T-
chart values. However, quadratics are not usually written in vertex form. You can complete the square to convert ax2 + bx
+ c to vertex form, but, for finding the vertex, it's simpler to just use a formula. (The vertex formula is derived from the
completing-the-square process, just as is the Quadratic Formula. In each case, memorization is probably simpler than
completing the square.)

For a given quadratic y = ax 2 + bx + c, the vertex (h, k) is found by computing h = –b/2a, and then evaluating y at h to find
k. If you've already learned the Quadratic Formula, you may find it easy to memorize the formula for k, since it is related
to both the formula for h and the discriminant in the Quadratic Formula: k = (4ac – b2) / 4a.

 Find the vertex of y = 3x2 + x – 2 and graph the parabola.

To find the vertex, I look at the coefficients a, b, and c. The formula for the vertex gives me:

h = –b/2a = –(1)/2(3) = –1/6

Then I can find k by evaluating y at h = –1/6:

k = 3( –1/6 )2 + ( –1/6 ) – 2

= 3/36   –  1/6  – 2

=  1/12   –  2/12  –  24/12

=  –25/12

So now I know that the vertex is at ( –1/6 , –25/12 ). Using the formula was helpful, because this point is not one that
I was likely to get on my T-chart.

    
I need additional points for my graph:

  
    
 

Now I can do my graph,


and I will label the vertex:

When you write down the vertex in your homework, write down the exact coordinates: " ( –1/6 , –25/12 )". But for graphing
purposes, the decimal approximation of "(–0.2, –2.1)" may be more helpful, since it's easier to locate on the axes.

The only other consideration regarding the vertex is the "axis of symmetry". If you look at a parabola, you'll notice that you
could draw a vertical line right up through the middle which would split the parabola into two mirrored halves. This vertical
line, right through the vertex, is called the axis of symmetry. If you're asked for the axis, write down the line "x = h",
where h is just the x-coordinate of the vertex. So in the example above, then the axis would be the vertical line  x = h = –1/6.

Helpful note: If your quadratic's x-intercepts happen to be nice neat numbers (so they're relatively easy to work with), a
shortcut for finding the axis of symmetry is to note that this vertical line is always exactly between the two x-intercepts. So
you can just average the two intercepts to get the location of the axis of symmetry and the x-coordinate of the vertex.
However, if you have messy x-intercepts (as in the example above) or if the quadratic doesn't actually cross the x-axis (as
you'll see on the next page), then you'll need to use the formula to find the vertex.

Graph
 

Regardless of the format, the graph of a quadratic function is a parabola (as shown above).

 If   (or is a positive number), the parabola opens upward.


 If   (or is a negative number), the parabola opens downward.
The coefficient a controls the speed of increase (or decrease) of the quadratic function from the vertex, bigger
positive a makes the function increase faster and the graph appear more closed.

The coefficients b and a together control the axis of symmetry of the parabola (also the x-coordinate of the
vertex).

The coefficient b alone is the declivity of the parabola as it crosses the y-axis.

The coefficient c controls the height of the parabola, more specifically, it is the point were the parabola crosses
the y-axis.
[edit]x–intercepts
The x-intercepts of the graph are the same as the roots of the quadratic function (see above).
[edit]Vertex
The vertex of a parabola is the place where it turns, hence, it's also called the turning point. If the quadratic
function is in standard form, the vertex is  . By the method of completing the square, one can turn the
general form:   to

so the vertex of the parabola in the general form will be


If the quadratic function is in factored form 

the average of the two roots, i.e.,

is the x-coordinate of the vertex, and hence the vertex is

The vertex is also the maximum point if   or the minimum point if  .

The vertical line

that passes through the vertex is also the axis of symmetry of the parabola.

 Maximum and minimum points


The maximum or minimum of the function is always obtained at the vertex, the following method is
another derivation of the same fact using calculus, the advantage of this method is that it works for more
general functions.
Taking   as sample quadratic equation, to find its maximum or minimum points
(which depends on  , if  , it has a minimum point, if  , it has a maximum point) we have to
first, take its derivative:

Then, we find the roots of  :

   

So,   is the   value of  . Now, to find the   value, we substitute   on  :

Thus, the maximum or minimum point coordinates are:

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