GREAT MORNING!

QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
 OUTLINE
Graphing Quadratic Functions
Modeling with Quadratic Functions
Graphing Quadratic Functions
 A QUADRATIC FUNCTION

 A quadratic function has a form

y = ax2 + bx + c
where a ≠ 0.

 The graph of a quadratic function y = x2

is U-shaped and is called parabola.vertex

 The lowest or highest point on the

graph of a quadratic function is y = -x2
called the vertex.
Axis of
 The graphs of y = x and y = -x are
2 2

symmetric about the y-axis, called

symmetry
the axis of symmetry.
 THE GRAPH OF A QUADRATIC
FUNCTION
 The parabola opens up if a>0
and opens down if a<0.

 The parabola is wider than the y = x2

graph of y = x2 if |a| < 1 and
narrower than the graph of y =
x2 if |a| > 1.
vertex
 The x-coordinate of the vertex y = -x2
is -b/(2a).
Axis of
 The axis of symmetry is the
vertical line x = -b/(2a).
symmetry
 EXAMPLE
Graph y = 2x2 -8x +6

Solution: The coefficients for this function are

a = 2, b = -8, c = 6.

Since a>0, the parabola opens up.

The x-coordinate is: x = -b/2a, x = -(-8)/(2(2))
x=2

The y-coordinate is: y = 2(2)2-8(2)+6

y = -2

Hence, the vertex is (2,-2).

 EXAMPLE(contd.)
Axis of symmetry
 Draw the vertex (2,-2) on graph.

 Draw the axis of symmetry (0,6) (4,6)

x=-b/(2a).

 Draw two points on one side of the

axis of symmetry such as (1,0) and
(0,6). How were these points
chosen?

 Use symmetry to plot two more (1,0) (3,0) x

points such as (3,0), (4,6). (2,-2)
y
 Draw parabola through the plotted
points.
VERTEX FORM OF QUADRATIC
EQUATION

y = a(x - h)2 + k
 The vertex is (h,k).

 The axis of symmetry is x = h.

 GRAPHING A QUADRATIC
FUNCTION IN VERTEX FORM
 Example y = -1/2(x + 3)2 + 4 Axis of symmetry
where a = -1/2, h = -3, k = 4.
Since a<0, the parabola opens
down. (-3,4)

 To graph a function, first plot

the vertex (h,k) = (-3,4). (-5,2) (-1,2)

 Draw the axis of symmetry x = -

3
x
 Plot two points on one side of it,
such as (-1,2) and (1,-4).
(-7,-4) (1,-4)
 Use the symmetry to complete y
the graph.
 INTERCEPT FORM OF
QUADRATIC EQUATION

y = a(x - p)(x - q)

 The x intercepts are p and q.

 The axis of symmetry is halfway

between (p,0) and (q,0).
 GRAPHING A QUADRATIC
FUNCTION IN INTERCEPT FORM
 Example y = -(x + 2)(x - 4). Axis of symmetry
where a = -1, p = -2, q = 4. Since
a<0 the parabola opens down. (1,9)

 To graph a function, the x-

intercepts occur at (-2,0) and
(4,0).

 Draw the axis of symmetry that

lies halfway between these
points at x = 1. (-2,0) (4,0)

 So, the x - coordinate of the x

vertex is x = 1 and the y -
coordinate of the vertex is: y = - y
(1 + 2)(1 - 4)= 9.
 WRITING THE QUADRATIC
EQUATION IN STANDARD FORM
(1). y = -(x + 4)(x - 9)
= -(x2 - 9x + 4x - 36)
= -(x2 - 5x -36)
= -x2 + 5x + 36

(2). y = 3(x -1)2 + 8

= 3(x -1)(x - 1) + 8
= 3(x2 - x - x + 1) + 8
= 3(x2 - 2x + 1) + 8
= 3x2 - 6x + 3 + 8
= 3x2 - 6x + 11
 QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS IN
REAL LIFE
Researchers conducted an experiment to determine
temperatures at which people feel comfortable. The
percent of test subjects who felt comfortable at
temperature x( in degrees Fahrenheit) can be modeled
by:

y = -3.678x2 + 527.3x – 18,807

a. What temperature made the greatest percent of test

subjects comfortable?
b. At that temperature , what percent felt comfortable?
 SOLUTION
Since a = -3.678 is negative, the graph of the quadratic function open
down and the function has a maximum value. The maximum value
occurs at:
b 527.3
x   72
2a 2(3.678)

The corresponding value of y is:

 y  3.678(72)2  527.3(72) 18, 807  92

a. Hence, The temperature that made the greatest percent of test
subjects comfortable was about 72.
b. At that temperature about 92% of the subjects felt comfortable.

 REAL LIFE EXAMPLE

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco has two towers that
rise 500 feet above the road and are connected by suspension
cables as shown. Each cable forms a parabola with equation

1
y (x  2100)2  8
8940

where x and y are measured in feet.

a. What is the distance d between the towers?

b. What is the height l above the road of a cable at its lowest
point?
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
y

500ft
l
x
200ft d

Not drawn to scale

 SOLUTION
1 1
y (x  2100)2  8 y (x  2100)2  8
8960 8960
1 1
y (x 2  4200x  4410000)  8 y (2100  2100)2  8
8960 8960
1 2 4200 4410000 0
y x  x(  8) y 8
8960 8960 8960 8960
b 4200 1 y8
x ( )( )
2a 8960 2  1
8960
x  2100

Hence the vertex of the parabola is (2100,8)
 SOLUTION(contd.)

a. The vertex of the parabola is (2100,8), so the

cable’s lowest point is 2100 feet from the left tower
shown above. Since the heights of the two tower’s
are the same, the symmetry of the parabola implies
that the vertex is also 2100 feet from the right tower.
Therefore the towers are d = 2(2100) = 4200 feet
apart.
b. The height l above the road of a cable at its lowest
point is the y-coordinate of the vertex. Since the
vertex is (2100,8), this height is l= 8 feet.
END