An equation for a parabola always has some type of irregular variable, usually a squared variable or higher.
the axis of symmetry
right
Above
An x2 parabola will always have one vertex, but depending on the discriminant of the function (b2-4ac) the parabola will either have 2 roots (it crosses the x-axis twice), 1 repeating root (the parabola meets the x-axis at a single point), or no real roots (the parabola doesn't meet the x-axis at all)
An equation for a parabola always has some type of irregular variable, usually a squared variable or higher.
All of the points on a parabola define a parabola. However, the vertex is the point in which the y value is only used for one point on the parabola.
To find the value of a in a parabola opening up or down subtract the y-value of the parabola at the vertex from the y-value of the point on the parabola that is one unit to the right of the vertex.
the axis of symmetry
To have a parabola with only one x-intercept, the vertex of the parabola must lie on the x-axis. This means the parabola opens either upwards or downwards, depending on the coefficient of the squared term in the equation. If the coefficient is positive, the parabola opens upwards, and if it is negative, the parabola opens downwards. By adjusting the coefficients in the equation of the parabola, you can position the vertex such that there is only one x-intercept.
right
Above
An x2 parabola will always have one vertex, but depending on the discriminant of the function (b2-4ac) the parabola will either have 2 roots (it crosses the x-axis twice), 1 repeating root (the parabola meets the x-axis at a single point), or no real roots (the parabola doesn't meet the x-axis at all)
A parabola has a single focus point. There is a line running perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the parabola called the directrix. A line running from the focus to a point on the parabola is going to have the same distance as from the point on the parabola to the closest point of the directrix. In theory you could look at a parabola as being an ellipse with one focus at infinity, but that really doesn't help any. ■
It is a square root mapping. This is not a function since it is a one-to-many mapping.
A parabola has one vertex (but not in the sense of an angle), infinitely many points and no edges.
Usually one