document.write( "Question 135329: Use the graph of y=x^2-2x-8, does this function have a maximum and minimum and if so what are they? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #99155 by Earlsdon(6294)\"\" \"About 
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Does the graph of:\"y+=+x%5E2-2x-8\" have a maximumum and minimum?
\n" ); document.write( "Well, it may have a maximum or it may have a minimum, but it doesn't have both!
\n" ); document.write( "The graph of a quadratic equation (\"y+=+ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc\"), such as this, is called a \"parabola\" and a parabola has a maximum or a minimum depending upon whether it opens upwards (has a minimum) or opens downwards (has a maximum).
\n" ); document.write( "You can tell which way the parabola opens by inspecting the coefficient of the \"x%5E2\" term, which is +1 in your problem.
\n" ); document.write( "If this coefficient is positive, then the parabola opens upwards and the graph has a minimum.
\n" ); document.write( "If the coefficient is negative,then the parabola opens downwards and the graph has a maximum.
\n" ); document.write( "The maximum/minimum point (also known as the \"vertex\") can be found as follows:
\n" ); document.write( "The x-coordinate of this point is:
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-b%29%2F2a\" The a is the coefficient of the \"x%5E2\" term and the b is the coefficient of the \"x\" term.
\n" ); document.write( "In your equation, a = 1 and b = -2, so...
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+-%28-2%29%2F2%281%29\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+2%2F2\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+1\" This is the x-coordinate of the vertex.
\n" ); document.write( "To find the y-coordinate, substitute x = 1 into the given quadratic equation and solve for y:
\n" ); document.write( "\"y+=+x%5E2-2x-8\" Substitute x = 1.
\n" ); document.write( "\"y+=+%281%29%5E2-2%281%29-8\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"y+=+1-2-8\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"y+=+-9\"
\n" ); document.write( "The vertex (or the minimum in this case) is at (1, -9)
\n" ); document.write( "Let's see what the graph looks like:
\n" ); document.write( "\"graph%28400%2C400%2C-5%2C5%2C-10%2C5%2Cx%5E2-2x-8%29\"\r
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