document.write( "Question 907209: With the vertex formula what does the \"a\" do exactly. I understand that if a>0 it opens upwards and a<0 it opens downwards. But what does the numerical part mean. Say if it's 4(x-3)^2+10 what would the 4 do to the graph of the function?\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #550184 by josgarithmetic(39620) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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The factor \"a\" stretches or shrink the graph vertically. $\"abs%28a%29%3E1\"$ , stretches the graph. $\"abs%28a%29%3C1\"$ , shrinks the graph. \n" ); document.write( "

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