Problem

Student Name : Student Date: 04/11/2024 8:39 PM

Marcofragoso0
Login Name : SMARCOFRAGOSO0 Class Name : PreCalculus and
Problem Solving

Polynomial and Rational Functions

Graphing a parabola of the form y = ax2 + bx + c: Integer coefficients

SAMPLE QUESTION

Graph the parabola.

2
y = − 3x + 18x − 23
y
12

10

2
x

-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 8 10 12
-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

-12

EXPLANATION

The vertex of a parabola is the point at which the parabola "turns around."
Note that the vertex lies on the axis of symmetry of the parabola.

2 b
For a parabola with equation y = a x + b x + c, the axis of symmetry is the line x = − .
2a
2
Note that y = − 3x + 18x − 23 has this form, with a = − 3 and b = 18. So the axis of symmetry is the
following.

b 18
x= − =− =3
2a 2 −3
Since the vertex lies on the line x = 3 , its x-coordinate is 3.
2
To find its y-coordinate, we plug x = 3 into y = − 3x + 18x − 23.

2
y= −3 3 + 18 3 − 23 = 4

Thus, the vertex is the point 3, 4 .

To graph the parabola, we need to plot two points on each side of the vertex.
We choose two values of x on each side of x = 3 and find the corresponding values of y.

2
x y = − 3x + 18x − 23 x, y
2
1 −3 1 + 18 1 − 23 = − 8 1, − 8
2
2 −3 2 + 18 2 − 23 = 1 2, 1

3 2 3, 4 ← vertex
−3 3 + 18 3 − 23 = 4
2
4 −3 4 + 18 4 − 23 = 1 4, 1

5 −3 5 2 5, − 8
+ 18 5 − 23 = − 8

So 1 , − 8 , 2 , 1 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 1 , and 5 , − 8 lie on the parabola.

To get our answer, we plot these points and connect them with the proper curve as shown below.

y
12

10

2
x

-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 8 10 12
-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

-12
 ANOTHER EXPLANATION

2
A parabola with equation y = a x − h + k has vertex h , k .
2
We'll rewrite y = − 3x + 18x − 23 in this form. We start with the first two terms as shown below.

2
y = − 3x + 18x − 23
2
y = − 3 x − 6x − 23

2
Now we need to complete the square of the parenthetical expression x − 6x.
2
2 −6
Since we have x − 6x, we must add = 9 inside the parentheses.
2
Note, though, that the expression inside the parentheses is being multiplied by − 3.
So, in completing the square, we are adding − 3·9 = − 27 to the right side of the equation.
To balance this, we must also add 27 to the right side as shown below.

2
y = − 3 x − 6x + 9 − 23 + 27
Rewriting this expression, we get the following.

2
y= −3 x− 3 +4
2
Comparing this equation with y = a x−h + k, we see that h = 3 and k = 4.
So, this is the equation of a parabola with vertex 3 , 4 .

To graph the parabola, we need to plot two points on each side of the vertex.
We choose two values of x on each side of x = 3 and find the corresponding values of y.

2
x y= −3 x− 3 +4 x, y

1 −3 1− 3 2 1, − 8
+ 4= −8

2 2 2, 1
−3 2− 3 +4=1

3 2 3, 4 ← vertex
−3 3− 3 +4=4
2
4 −3 4− 3 +4=1 4, 1

5 −3 5− 3 2 5, − 8
+ 4= −8
So 1 , − 8 , 2 , 1 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 1 , and 5 , − 8 lie on the parabola.
To get our answer, we plot these points and connect them with the proper curve as shown below.

y
12

10

2
x

-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 8 10 12
-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

-12

ANSWER