A Few Important Notes for Criterion B & C on Quadratics

1. Using the correct math vocabulary matters. I noticed many people mixing up -axis, intercept, and -coordinate. These arent the same.

Graph made using Desmos. Annotated using Skitch.

Its not good math communication to say the vertex is at 2 on the x-axis and 1 on the y-axis. If we say something is at 2 on the x-axis we mean that its literally ON the x-axis. In other words, its the x-intercept (the place where the graph crosses or touches the x-axis). Therefore we say the vertex has an x-coordinate of 2 and a y-coordinate of 1. The coordinates of the vertex are (2,1).

2. Gradient has a specific meaning.

Graph made using Desmos. Annotated using Skitch. Because gradient implies a constant rate of change, we cant use it to describe the steepness of a parabola. In a parabola, you do not have a constant rate of change. Consider the first few points of the parabola y = x2. We can start with (0,0) and then the next point would be (1,1). So if we were to calculate the rise/run wed get 1/1 = 1. But the next point is (2, 4). If we calculated the rise/run from (1,1) to (2,4) wed notice that it is now 3/1 = 3. If you kept going, the next two points would be 5 apart, then 7, etc. In other words the distance between the points is always growing, so there is no constant (unchanging) rate of change like there is in a line.

3. When doing explorations, make sure to use a variety of numbers to see if they all behave the same way. This means: positives, negatives, fractions/decimals.

4. Be specific -- you dont have to write a novel, but when you say its a translation, indicate briefly what kind of translation and by how much. 5. Explain your thinking. Again, no novels, but if at some point you have to make a guess, explain where your guess game from.