SOLUTION: OMG math is killing meeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! :( please solve this for me will you?? As x varies over all real numbers, the quadratic expression a(x-p)^2+q in x has minimum value q if a>

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Question 867633: OMG math is killing meeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! :( please solve this for me will you??
As x varies over all real numbers, the quadratic expression a(x-p)^2+q in x has minimum value q if a>0, or maximum value if a<0. Determine the maximum or minimum value of the following quadratic expressions in x.
(a) 2x^2+13x+17
I'll just post part (a) so that i can try the following questions on my own. Thank you for your help!! :)
Answer by josgarithmetic(39616) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The question is, "determine the minimum or maximum value" of f%28x%29=2x%5E2%2B13x%2B17.

The very formal declaration tells us that if 2%3E0, then f(x) which we have contains a minimum point, and if 2%3C0, then our f(x) contains a maximum value.

A way to find this extreme value is to first identify the zeros of f(x). The extreme value, either max or min, occurs in the exact middle of the zeros of f(x).

Solve for x using this equation: 2x%5E2%2B13x%2B17=0.
.
After that is done, what is the x value in the exact middle of these two solutions?
Now, what is f%28x%29=2x%5E2%2B13x%2B17 evaluated at that middle value?