document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=561145>Question 561145</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The question is asking me to describe the meaning of the number -.2 in the formula P(x) = -.2x^2 + 120x - 12,500 where x is the number of items sold? I changed the numbers as I just want to know what steps to take to solve for the corrct answers. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #364177 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=364177\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> this is a quadratic equation.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the standard form of a quadratic equation is:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = ax^2 + bx + c<BR>\n" );
document.write( "when a is positive, the quadratic equation goes more positive on each end and has a minimum point in the middle.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "when a is negative, the quadratic equation does more negative on each end and has a maximum point in the middle.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "i'll make your equation even simpler for demonstration purposes.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "assume your equation is y = -2x^2 + 5x - 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the a term is equal to -2.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "that's the coefficient of the x^2 term.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "being negative, your quadratic equation will go more negative on both ends and will hit a maximum point in the middle.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the graph of your equation is shown below:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=graph%28600%2C600%2C-5%2C5%2C-10%2C10%2C-2x%5E2%2B5x-3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"graph%28600%2C600%2C-5%2C5%2C-10%2C10%2C-2x%5E2%2B5x-3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "if the coefficient of the x^2 term is positive, then the graph goes more positive at the ends and has a minimum point in the middle.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "take your same equation and make the a term positive to get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = 2x^2 + 5x - 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the graph of this equation is shown below:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=graph%28600%2C600%2C-5%2C5%2C-10%2C10%2C2x%5E2%2B5x-3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"graph%28600%2C600%2C-5%2C5%2C-10%2C10%2C2x%5E2%2B5x-3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "that is the significance of the a term in your equation.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "it's sign determines which way the quadratic equation is pointing.<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );