Quadratic Functions

AND
Applications of Quadratic
Functions

Objectives (Part I)
Recognize characteristics of parabolas
Determine a quadratic functions minimum or
maximum value
Graph parabolas

Vocabulary
Quadratic Function: a function that can
be written in the form
f(x) = ax2 + bx + c, a 0.
Standard form: f(x) = a(x - h)2 + k
Parabola: graph of quadratic function;
U-shaped curve; symmetric
Symmetry: when folded, two sides
match exactly

Parabola
Parabolas are
symmetric.
Axis of Symmetry:
Symmetry:
The line through
the vertex about
which the
parabola is
symmetric.

f(x) = a(x - h)2 + k

Vertex: the point (h,k); highest or lowest point of
parabola; on axis of symmetry
a: describes steepness and direction of parabola
Axis of symmetry: x = h; fold line that divides parabola
into two matching halves
Minimum: if a > 0, parabola opens up; vertex is
minimum point or lowest point of parabola; k is the
minimum value
Maximum: If a < 0, parabola opens down; vertex is the
maximum point or highest point of parabola; k is the
maximum value

Minimum (or maximum) function value for a

quadratic occurs at the vertex.
Identify the vertex of each graph . Find
the minimum or maximum value.
A.
B.
y

y
10

10

-10
-10

-10
-10
10

10

Example
Determine the following for f(x) without
graphing.
f(x) = -3(x 2) + 12
a.) Find the vertex.
b.) Find the equation of the axis of symmetry.
c.) Does f(x) open up or down?
d.) Does f(x) have a max. or min. value?
Where does this value occur?
e.) What is the domain of f(x)?
f.) What is the range of f(x)?

Finding the vertex when in ax2 + bx + c form.

Vertex =

b
2a ,

b
f
2a

Example
Determine the following for f(x) without
graphing.
f(x) = 2x - 8 x - 3
a.) Find the vertex.
b.) Find the equation of the axis of symmetry.
c.) Does f(x) open up or down?
d.) Does f(x) have a max. or min. value?
Where does this value occur?
e.) What is the domain of f(x)?
f.) What is the range of f(x)?

Review:Solving Quadratic Equations

(So you can find the x-intercepts!!)
Example:

Get in standard form.

Factor.

3x2 2x = 21
3x2 2x 21 = 0
(3x + 7)(x 3) = 0

Set each factor equal to zero. 3x+7=0 or x3 = 0

Solve.

Check.

x = -7/3 or x = 3

If no B term, use square root

property to solve for zeros.
For example, if x2 = 16, then x = 4.
Solve f(x) = 1 (x 3)2.

When factoring or square root property wont work,

you can always use the QUADRATIC FORMULA
2

b b 4ac
x=
2a

Get in standard form: ax2 + bx + c = 0

Substitute for a, b, and c in formula.
Solve.
Check.
This works every time!!!

Solve using the Quadratic formula.

x2 + 2x = -3

To Graph a Quadratic Function

1.

Find the coordinates of the vertex.

(Use the vertex formula, if necessary.)

2.

Determine which way parabola opens by looking at a.

a > 0 parabola opens up (Vertex is lowest point)
a < 0 parabola opens down (Vertex is highest point)

3.

Find the xx-intercept(s). (Set y = 0)

4.

Find the yy-intercept. (Set x = 0)

5.

Graph additional points if needed by tt-chart or symmetry.

Example

Graph f(x) = -(x 1)2 + 4.

y
10

-10
-10

10

Example

Graph f(x) = (x 2)2 + 1.

y
10

-10
-10

10

Use the vertex and intercepts

to graph f(x) = 5 4x x
Give the equation of the axis
of symmetry.
Determine the domain and
range of f(x).

Re-Cap
Quadratic Equations & Functions
ax2 + bx + c = 0 or f(x) = ax2 + bx + c,

a0
x is squared.
Graph would be a curve.
Solutions are at the x-intercepts. The zeros are the
solutions or roots of the equation.
To solve: factor & use zero product property, take
square root of both sides (if no B term), or use other
methods.

Example
f(x) = 4x2 - 16x + 1000
a)
Determine, without graphing, whether the function has a minimum value
or a maximum value.
b)

Find the minimum or maximum value and determine where it occurs.

c)

Identify the functions domain and range.

APPLICATIONS AND MODELING

OF QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Objectives (Part II)
Maximizing Projectile Motion functions
Maximizing functions in Economics
Maximizing Area functions

Minimum value at
vertex

Maximum value
at vertex

Example
A baseball player swings and hits a pop fly straight up in the
air to the catcher. The height of the baseball in meters t
seconds after the hit is given by the quadratic function
2

h(t ) = 4.9t + 34.3t + 1

How long does it take for the baseball to reach its maximum
height? What is the maximum height obtained by the
baseball?

Example
Amy can produce china pitchers at a cost of $5 each. She
estimates her price function to be p = 17 5x, where p is
the price at which exactly x pitchers will be sold per week.
Find the number of pitchers that she should produce and
the price that she should charge in order to maximize profit.
Find the maximum profit.

Example
John has 600 feet of fencing to build a rectangular pen for
dogs. He wants to put the pen next to the workshop. What
should be the dimensions of the pen to maximize the area?
Let x = the width of the pen

workshop

Length = 600 2x

x
600 - 2x