The name of the graph of a quadratic function. Graphing a Quadratic Function

As practice shows, tasks on the properties and graphs of a quadratic function cause serious difficulties. This is quite strange, because they study the quadratic function in the 8th grade, and then throughout the first quarter of the 9th grade they “torment” the properties of the parabola and build its graphs for various parameters.

This is due to the fact that when forcing students to construct parabolas, they practically do not devote time to “reading” the graphs, that is, they do not practice comprehending the information received from the picture. Apparently, it is assumed that, after constructing a dozen or two graphs, a smart student himself will discover and formulate the relationship between the coefficients in the formula and the appearance of the graph. In practice this does not work. For such a generalization, serious experience in mathematical mini-research is required, which most ninth-graders, of course, do not possess. Meanwhile, the State Inspectorate proposes to determine the signs of the coefficients using the schedule.

We will not demand the impossible from schoolchildren and will simply offer one of the algorithms for solving such problems.

So, a function of the form y = ax 2 + bx + c called quadratic, its graph is a parabola. As the name suggests, the main term is ax 2. That is A should not be equal to zero, the remaining coefficients ( b And With) can equal zero.

Let's see how the signs of its coefficients affect the appearance of a parabola.

The simplest dependence for the coefficient A. Most schoolchildren confidently answer: “if A> 0, then the branches of the parabola are directed upward, and if A < 0, - то вниз". Совершенно верно. Ниже приведен график квадратичной функции, у которой A > 0.

y = 0.5x 2 - 3x + 1

In this case A = 0,5

And now for A < 0:

y = - 0.5x2 - 3x + 1

In this case A = - 0,5

Impact of the coefficient With It's also pretty easy to follow. Let's imagine that we want to find the value of a function at a point X= 0. Substitute zero into the formula:

y = a 0 2 + b 0 + c = c. It turns out that y = c. That is With is the ordinate of the point of intersection of the parabola with the y-axis. Typically, this point is easy to find on the graph. And determine whether it lies above zero or below. That is With> 0 or With < 0.

With > 0:

y = x 2 + 4x + 3

With < 0

y = x 2 + 4x - 3

Accordingly, if With= 0, then the parabola will necessarily pass through the origin:

y = x 2 + 4x

More difficult with the parameter b. The point at which we will find it depends not only on b but also from A. This is the top of the parabola. Its abscissa (axis coordinate X) is found by the formula x in = - b/(2a). Thus, b = - 2ax in. That is, we proceed as follows: we find the vertex of the parabola on the graph, determine the sign of its abscissa, that is, we look to the right of zero ( x in> 0) or to the left ( x in < 0) она лежит.

However, that's not all. We also need to pay attention to the sign of the coefficient A. That is, look at where the branches of the parabola are directed. And only after that, according to the formula b = - 2ax in determine the sign b.

Let's look at an example:

The branches are directed upwards, which means A> 0, the parabola intersects the axis at below zero, that is With < 0, вершина параболы лежит правее нуля. Следовательно, x in> 0. So b = - 2ax in = -++ = -. b < 0. Окончательно имеем: A > 0, b < 0, With < 0.