What is the shape of the curve y equals 3x squared plus x minus 2?

Answer 1

A parabola

You can find the peak of this parabola by taking it's derivative and finding the point where it's slope is equal to zero:

y = 3x2 + x - 2

y' = 6x + 1

Let y' = 0

0 = 6x + 1

x = -1/6

Now find the y co-ordinate:

y = 3(-1/6)2 + (-1/6) - 2

y = 3/18 - 1/6 - 2

y = -2

So this parabola's vertex will be located at the point (-1/6, -2).