BASIC CONCEPTS
IN MATHEMATICS
GRAPH OF A
QUADRATIC FUNCTION
AXIS OF SYMMETRY
The vertical line
through the vertex that
divides the parabola
into two equal parts.
Direction of opening of a parabola
Can be determined from the
value of a in f(x) = ax² + bx + c.
If a > 0, the parabola opens
upward; if a < 0, the parabola
opens downward.
DOMAIN OF A QUADRATIC
FUNCTION
The set of all possible values
of x. Thus the domain is the
set of all real numbers.
Maximum value
The maximum value of
f(x) = ax² + bx + c where a< 0, is the
y-coordinate of the vertex.
Minimum value
The minimum value of
f(x) = ax² + bx + c where a > 0, is the
y-coordinate of the vertex.
PARABOLA
The graph of a quadratic
function.
QUADRATIC FUNCTION
A second-degree function of the
form f(x) = ax² +bx + c where a, b,
and c are real numbers and a ≠
0. This is a function which
describes a polynomial of degree
2.
RANGE OF A QUADRATIC
FUNCTION
Consists of all y greater than or equal
to the y-coordinate of the vertex if the
parabola opens upward.
Consists of all y less than or equal to
the y-coordinate of the vertex if the
parabola opens downward.
VERTEX
The turning point of the parabola or the
lowest or highest point of the parabola.
If the quadratic function is expressed in
standard form y = a(x-h)² + k, the vertex
is the point (h, k)
ZEROS OF A QUADRATIC
FUNCTION
The values of x when y equals 0. The real
zeros are the x-intercepts of the
function’s graph.
