Find the standard form given three points of a parabola.

(-6,0)

(-4,0)

(-3,-18)
in Algebra 1 Answers by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
Anti-spam verification:
To avoid this verification in future, please log in or register.

1 Answer

The general form for the equation of a parabola is a quadratic: y=ax²+bx+c where a, b, c are constants. When y=0, x=-6 and -4. 0=36a-6b+c=16a-4b+c. So 36a-16a-6b+4b=0, 20a-2b=0, which reduces to 10a-b=0 so b=10a.

Now plug in the third point: -18=9a-3b+c. So c=-18-9a+3b. We can eliminate c by using one of the other equations:

Use c=4b-16a=-18-9a+3b, 4b-3b-16a+9a=-18, b-7a=-18. But b=10a, so 10a-7a=-18, 3a=-18, a=-6.

Knowing a we can find b=10a=-60, and, finally, c=4b-16a=-240+96=-144.

y=-6x²-60x-144=-6(x²+10x+24)=-6(x+6)(x+4).

Another way to do this is to note the x intercepts at -6 and -4. This means that x+6 and x+4 must be roots of the quadratic: y=a(x+6)(x+4). To find a we plug in the third point: -18=a(-3+6)(-3+4)=3a, making a=-6. This is probably the method you are expected to use, because the x intercepts are a giveaway!

by Top Rated User (1.2m points)

Related questions

0 answers
Welcome to MathHomeworkAnswers.org, where students, teachers and math enthusiasts can ask and answer any math question. Get help and answers to any math problem including algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, fractions, solving expression, simplifying expressions and more. Get answers to math questions. Help is always 100% free!
87,516 questions
100,279 answers
2,420 comments
732,388 users