Chapter 9: Problem 98
Sketch the graph of the function. Label the vertex. y=-3 x^{2}-5 x+3
Short Answer
Expert verified
The vertex of the function \(y=-3x^{2}-5x+3\) is approximately (5/6, -1.42).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the coefficients
The given function is \(y=-3x^{2}-5x+3\). Here, \(a=-3\), \(b=-5\), and \(c=3\).
02
Use the vertex formula to find the x-coordinate of the vertex
The x-coordinate of the vertex is given by \(-b/2a\). So, substitute \(a=-3\) and \(b=-5\). Calculating gives \(x=-(-5)/2(-3) = 5/6\).
03
Substitute the x-coordinate into the function to find the y-coordinate
Now substitute \(x=5/6\) into the function to find the y-coordinate of the vertex. \(y= -3 (5/6)^{2}-5(5/6)+3 \). Computing this, we find y equals approximately -1.42.
04
Plot the graph
Now, based on the x and y coordinates obtained for the vertex and given function, sketch the graph. Plot the point (5/6, -1.42) and label it as the vertex. Because \(a < 0\), the parabola opens downward.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Vertex Form
The vertex form of a quadratic function is a streamlined way to express the function making it easy to identify the vertex of the parabola. It is presented as \( y = a(x - h)^2 + k \), where
- \(a\) represents the same coefficient as in standard or general form, indicating whether the parabola opens up or down.
- \(h\) and \(k\) will give you the vertex point \((h, k)\).
Parabola
In mathematics, a parabola is a curve where any point is at an equal distance from a fixed point known as the focus and a fixed straight line called the directrix. For quadratic functions like \( y = -3x^2 - 5x + 3 \), the graph of the equation is a parabola.
- The orientation of a parabola is determined by the sign of the coefficient \(a\) in the standard form \( y = ax^2 + bx + c \).
- If \(a\) is negative, as in our case where \(a = -3\), the parabola opens downward.
- This downward opening indicates that the vertex of the parabola is a maximum point.
Graphing Functions
Graphing a function means translating the algebraic form into a visually interpretable graph. For quadratic functions, graphing includes steps like identifying the vertex and symmetry, plotting key points, and determining the direction of the curve.
- Locate the vertex using the vertex formula, which often helps in understanding the general position of the curve on a graph.
- Find additional points if necessary by picking x-values and calculating corresponding y-values, which supports the accuracy of your graph.
- Ensure the direction of the parabola (up or down) is set correctly, indicating whether the function shows a maximum or minimum value at the vertex.
Vertex
The vertex of a parabola is a critical point, either a maximum or minimum, and is located at \((h, k)\) in vertex form or \(\left(\frac{-b}{2a}, y\right)\) in standard form.
- In the standard form \(ax^2 + bx + c\), use the formula \(x = -\frac{b}{2a}\) to find the x-coordinate of the vertex.
- Simply plug this x-value back into the equation to determine the y-coordinate, giving you the complete vertex point.
- For our example, substituting into \( y = -3x^2 -5x + 3 \), we find the vertex at approximately \(\left(\frac{5}{6}, -1.42\right)\).