document.write( "Question 561145: 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. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #364178 by josmiceli(19441) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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The minus sign means that the curve has a maximum
\n" ); document.write( "and not a minimum.
\n" ); document.write( "As for the value, suppose I have $\"+y+=+-2x%5E2+%2B+4x+%2B+1+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "The plot is:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+graph%28+400%2C+400%2C+-5%2C+5%2C+-5%2C+5%2C+-2x%5E2+%2B+4x+%2B+1++%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Now If I change it to $\"+y+=+-6x%5E2+%2B+4x+%2B+1+\"$ , the plot is
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+graph%28+400%2C+400%2C+-5%2C+5%2C+-5%2C+5%2C+-6x%5E2+%2B+4x+%2B+1++%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "This means a larger negative number would give you a
\n" ); document.write( "lower maximum profit and a smaller number of items
\n" ); document.write( "sold that will result in zero profit ( the x-intercept ) \n" ); document.write( "

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