SOLUTION: Explain how to find the vertex of a parabola.

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Question 668904: Explain how to find the vertex of a parabola.
Answer by MathLover1(20850) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Parabolas are graphs with equations of the form f%28x%29=ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc where a%3C%3E0
The vertex of the parabola can provide us with information if parabola has the maximum or the minimum , so we need to be able to find its coordinates.
for any y=ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc we use the quadratic formula x+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4%2Aa%2Ac+%29%29%2F%282%2Aa%29+,which could be written as x+=+-b%2F2a+%2B-+%28sqrt%28+b%5E2-4%2Aa%2Ac+%29%29%2F2a+
then x=-b%2F2a will give us the x-coordinate of the vertex.
We need only to find that coordinate, and then find the y-coordinate that goes with it by using that value for x in our equation for f%28x%29.

or
write equation in vertex form:
y-k+=+m%28x-h%29%5E2}
where (h,k) are the vertex coordinates