Name ________________________________________ Date __________________ Class __________________

LESSON
Understanding Quadratic Functions
6-1
Practice and Problem Solving: A/B
For Exercises 1–4, tell whether the graph of the function
a. opens upward or downward
b. has a maximum or minimum
c. is a reflection across the x-axis of the parent function
d. is a stretch or a compression (shrink)?

1. y = 4 x 2 2. y = −5 x 2

________________________________________ ________________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________

3. y = −3.2 x 2 4. y = 0.4 x 2

________________________________________ ________________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________

Determine the characteristics of each quadratic function.

5. y = 1.5 x 2 6. y = −2.5 x 2

Vertex: ______________________________________ Vertex: ____________________________________

Minimum (if any): _____________________________ Minimum (if any): __________________________

Maximum (if any): ____________________________ Maximum (if any): _________________________

Parent function reflected across Parent function reflected across

x-axis? ____ x-axis?

Stretch or shrink? _____________________________ Stretch or shrink? _________________________

Solve.
7. A quadratic function has the form y = ax 2 for some nonzero value of a
and (4, 48) is on the graph. What is the value of a? __________________

Original content Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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UNIT 3 Quadratic Functions

MODULE 6 Graphing Quadratic 6. Since (1, 5) is on the graph of f, an

equation for f is y = 5x2. Since (1, 0.2) is
Functions on the graph of g, an equation for g is
LESSON 6-1 y = 0.2x2. The graph of g is wider (vertical
compression) than the graph of y = x2.
Practice and Problem Solving: A/B This follows because 0.2 < 1 and 5 > 1.
1. a. upward
Practice and Problem Solving:
b. minimum 0 Modified
c. no 1. (0, 0), 0, none, y = x2, compression
d. stretch 2. (0, 0), none, 0, y = x2, compression
2. a. downward
3. a = 5
b. maximum 0
4. a = −3
c. yes
5. 0, 0
d. stretch
3. a. downward Reading Strategies
b. maximum 0 1. B, C
c. yes 2. A, C, D
d. stretch 3. a. Possible answer: The graph is a
parabola that opens downward. Its
4. a. upward vertex is at the origin. It is a vertical
b. minimum stretch of the graph of the parent
c. no function, and so it is narrower than the
graph of the parent function.
d. compression
b. maximum value
5. (0, 0), 0, none, no, stretch
4. Possible answer: The graphs are alike in
6. (0, 0), none, 0, yes, stretch that they are both parabolas with vertex at
7. 3 the origin. Neither is a vertical stretch or
compression of the other, and so they
Practice and Problem Solving: C both have the same width. They are
1. a. y = −4x 2 different in that the graph of f(x) = x2
b. stretch opens upward, while the graph of
g(x) = −x2 opens downward. This means
2. a. y = 0.5x 2 that zero is the minimum value of
b. compression (shrink) f(x) = x2, but it is the maximum value of
g(x) = −x2.
3. y = −2.5x 2
4. y = −3.5x 2 Success for English Learners
5. If (m, n) is on the graph of y = ax2, then, 1. When the value of a is negative, the graph
by substitution, n = a(m2). By division by of f(x) = x2 is reflected across the
n x-axis and opens downward.
m2, a = 2 . 2. The value of a is −2. When the value of a
m
is less than −1, the graph of f(x) = x2 is
stretched vertically.

Original content Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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