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Notes: Quadratic Functions

A quadratic function is a function of the form f (x) = ax2 + bx + c, where a, b, c are real numbers and a =
 0.
​

Graphing Quadratics (Parabolas)

The graph of the quadratic equation y = f (x) = ax2 + bx + c is a curve called a parabola. Parabolas can open either downward or upward - one of
each type is graphed below.

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Up or Down?

The direction that the parabola y = f (x) = ax2 + bx + c opens is determined by the leading coefficient, a.
If a > 0, then the parabola opens upward.

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If a < 0, then the parabola opens downward.

For the graph above,
The red curve is the graph of y = x2 − 2x + 2. In this case a = 1 is positive, so the parabola opens upward.
The blue curve is the graph of y = −x2 − 2x + 1. In this case a = −1 is negative, so the parabola opens downward.
The Vertex
The point in the middle of the parabola is called the vertex.
The vertex is the highest point on a parabola that opens downward.
The vertex is the lowest point on a parabola that opens upward.
The vertex can be thought of as the "turning point" of the parabola - where the parabola stops falling and begins to rise, or vice versa.
b
The x-coordinate of the vertex of y = ax2 + bx + c is x = − .
2a
​

The parabola is perfectly symmetrical across the vertical line that passes through the vertex.
In the graph above,
(−1, 2) is the vertex of the blue parabola. It is the highest point on the parabola. To the left of (−1, 2) the graph is rising, and to the right of (−1, 2)
the graph is falling. The parabola is symmetrical across the vertical line that passes through the vertex, x = −1.
(1, 1) is the vertex of the red parabola. It is the lowest point on the parabola. To the left of (1, 1) the graph is falling, and to the right of (1, 1) the
graph is rising. The parabola is symmetrical across the vertical line that passes through the vertex, x = 1.
Zeros of a Quadratic
On the graph, the zeros are the x-values where the parabola touches the x-axis. Due to the shape of the parabola, it may cross through the x-axis twice,
it may touch the x-axis once, or it may not touch the x-axis at all.

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The parabola y = x2 − 2x + 1 touches the x-axis once, at the point (1, 0). This means that the quadratic equation x2 − 2x + 1 = 0 has one
solution: x = 1.
The parabola y = x2 − 5x + 4 crosses through the x-axis twice, at the points (1, 0) and (4, 0). This means that the quadratic equation
x2 − 5x + 4 = 0 has two solutions: x = 1 and x = 4.
The parabola y = x2 + 2x + 2 never touches the x-axis, it is always above it. This means that the quadratic equation x2 + 2x + 2 = 0 has no
solutions.

The zeros of a quadratic function can be found with the quadratic formula: The zeros of f (x) = ax2 + bx + c occur at
−b ± b2 − 4ac
x=
​

2a
​ ​

The discriminant b2 − 4ac can tell us how many zeros a quadratic function has:
If b2 − 4ac > 0, then the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 has two distinct solutions in the real numbers.
If b2 − 4ac = 0, then the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 has one solution in the real numbers.
If b2 − 4ac < 0, then the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 has no solutions in the real numbers.

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Forms for a Quadratic Function

Quadratics are typically written in one of two forms. So far we have been using standard form, but two other forms, vertex form and factored form,
can be more useful when graphing.
Standard form of a quadratic
y = ax2 + bx + c ​

If a > 0 then the parabola opens upward, if a < 0 then the parabola opens downward.
b
The vertex occurs at x = − .
2a
​

Vertex form of a quadratic

y = a(x − h)2 + k ​

The vertex of this parabola is located at (h, k).

The constant a stretches or shrinks the parabola. For example, the parabola y = (x − 1)2 + 3 and y = 2(x − 1)2 + 3 both have the vertex (1, 3),
but the second parabola with a = 2 is narrower and steeper than the first parabola with a = 1.
As with parabolas in standard form, if a > 0 then the parabola opens upward and if a < 0 then the parabola opens downward.

The advantage of vertex form is that you can read the coordinates of the vertex directly from the equation, without doing any calculation.
To convert a quadratic equation to vertex form, you can use a process called completing the square. To review completing the square, please see this
tutorial on Math Is Fun .

Factored form of a quadratic

y = a(x − r)(x − s) ​

The x-intercepts of this parabola are located at (r, 0) and (s, 0).
As with vertex form, the constant a stretches or shrinks the parabola. For example, the parabola y = (x − 1)(x − 2) and the parabola
y = 3(x − 1)(x − 2) both have the same x-intercepts, (1, 0) and (2, 0). However, the second parabola with a = 3 is narrower and steeper than the
first parabola with a = 1.
If a > 0 then the parabola opens upward and if a < 0 then the parabola opens downward.
The advantage of factored form is that you can read the x-intercepts directly from the equation, without doing any calculation.
Finding a Quadratic Function
Recall that a linear function can be determined from two points. There is only one possible straight line that passes through any two given points.

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However, there are more possibilities for the shape of a parabola. To determine a quadratic function, we need more information.
Two of the situations where we can determine a unique quadratic function are when we are given
the vertex and another point on the parabola, or,
the x-intercept(s) and another point on the parabola.
Finding a quadratic when given a vertex
Given the vertex (h, k), we can draw infinitely many different parabolas with the same vertex. The parabolas may open upward or downward, and
have varying degrees of steepness.
We can plug the vertex coordinates(h, k) into vertex form y = a(x − h)2 + k . The unknown constant a determines the direction in which the
parabola opens, and how much it is stretched.
If we know another point (x0 , y0 ) on the parabola besides the vertex, then we can substitute (x, y) = (x0 , y0 ) into the equation and solve for the
​ ​ ​ ​

constant a.
Finding a quadratic when given x-intercepts
Given two x-intercepts (r, 0) and (s, 0), we can draw infinitely many different parabolas with those same x-intercepts. The parabolas may open
upward or downward, and have varying degrees of steepness.
We can plug the x-coordinates of the x-intercepts into factored form y = a(x − r)(x − s). The unknown constant a determines the direction in which
the parabola opens, and how much it is stretched.
If we know another point (x0 , y0 ) on the parabola besides the x-intercepts, then we can substitute (x, y) = (x0 , y0 ) into the equation and solve for
​ ​ ​ ​

the constant a.

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