SOLUTION: how do i sketch f(x)=x squared - 5x-6 how do i give an equation for the line of symmetry of the graph. how do i estimate the cordinates if the lowest point on the graph

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Question 499336: how do i sketch f(x)=x squared - 5x-6
how do i give an equation for the line of symmetry of the graph. how do i estimate the cordinates if the lowest point on the graph

Found 2 solutions by oberobic, MathLover1:
Answer by oberobic(2304) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Factor
(x-6)(x+1) = x^2 +x -6x = 6
= x^2 -5x -6
.
x = 6 or x = -1
These are the x-intercepts: (0,-1), (0,6).
.
The y-intercept occurs where x=0.
.
y = x^2 -5x -6
So when x=0, y =-6
(0,-6)
.
The axis of symmetry = -b/2a
-b/2a = -(-5)/2 = 2.5
.
The line of symmetry will go through the lowest point.
y = (2.5)^2 -5(2.5) -6
y = 6.25 -12.5 -6
y = -12.25
The lowest point will be (2.5, -12.25).
.
graph%28500%2C500%2C-10%2C10%2C-20%2C20%2Cx%2Ax-5%2Ax-6%29

Answer by MathLover1(20850) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
f%28x%29=x%5E2+-5x-6 or y=x%5E2+-5x-6

The general form of a quadratic is "y+=+ax%5E2+%2B+bx+%2B+c".
For graphing, the leading coefficient "a" indicates how "fat" or how "skinny" the parabola will be.
For |a| > 1 (such as a+=+3 or a+=+-4), the parabola will be "skinny", because it grows more quickly (three times as fast or four times as fast, respectively, in the case of our sample values of a).
For | a | < 1 (such as a+=+1%2F3 or a+=+-1%2F4), the parabola will be "fat", because it grows more slowly (one-third as fast or one-fourth as fast, respectively, in the examples).
Also, if a is negative, then the parabola is upside-down.
In your case,a is positive and the parabola is upward.
If the quadratic is written in the form y=a%28x-h%29%5E2%2Bk (the vertex form), then the vertex is the point (h, k).
For a given quadratic y+=+ax%5E2+%2B+bx+%2B+c, the vertex (h, k) is found by computing h=-b%2F2a , and k=%284ac-b%5E2%29%2F4a.
In your case, y=x%5E2+-5x-6, the vertex (h, k) will be:
h=-b%2F2a
h=-%28-5%29%2F2%2A1
h+=5%2F2
h+=2.5
k=%284ac-b%5E2%29%2F4a
k=%284%2A1%2A%28-6%29-%28-5%29%5E2%29%2F4%2A1
k=%28-24-25%29%2F4
k+=-49+%2F+4
k+=-12.25
so,
the vertex (h,+k) is at (2.5, -12.25)

the "axis of symmetry"
If you look at a parabola, you'll notice that you could draw a vertical line right up through the middle which would split the parabola into two mirrored halves. This vertical line, right through the vertex, is called the axis of symmetry.
If you're asked for the axis, write down the line "x+=+h", where h is just the x-coordinate of the vertex. So in the example above, then the axis would be the vertical line x+=+h+=+2.5.

+graph%28+500%2C+500%2C+-10%2C+10%2C+-15%2C+10%2C+x%5E2+-5x-6%29+