Graphs of Quadratic

Functions

Topic 2.3.A~B

1
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

Standard: What it means for you:

Graph quadratic functions and You’ll learn about the shape
know that their roots are the x- of various quadratic graphs.
intercepts.

Key words:
• quadratic
• parabola
• concave
• vertex
• line of symmetry
• root

2
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

So far in this Chapter you’ve solved quadratic equations

in several different ways.

In this Section you’ll see how the graphs of quadratic

functions can be plotted using the algebraic methods
you’ve already seen.

3
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

The Graphs of Quadratic Functions are Parabolas

If you plot the graph of any quadratic function, you get
a curve called a parabola. y
y=x2
y = 3x2
6
(a = 1) (a = 3)
The graphs of y = ax2 (for various
4
values of a) on the right show the
basic shape of any quadratic graph. 2

0 x
–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
–2

–4
y = –½x2 y = –x2
–6
(a = –½) (a = –1)
4
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

The parabola’s either a u-shaped or n-shaped curve

depending on the sign of a.
y
The graph of y = ax is concave up
2 y = x2 y = 3x2
6
(a = 1) (a = 3)
(u-shaped — it opens upwards)
4
when a > 0, but concave down
(n-shaped — it opens downwards) 2
u-shaped
when a < 0. 0 x
–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
n-shaped –2

–4
y = –½x2 y = –x2
–6
(a = –½) (a = –1)
5
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

All quadratic graphs have one vertex (maximum or

minimum point). For the curves shown below, the
vertex is at the origin (0, 0). y
y = x2 y = 3x2
6
(a = 1) (a = 3)
All quadratic graphs have a vertical
4
line of symmetry. For the graphs
on the right, the line of symmetry is 2
vertex
the y-axis. 0 x
–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
A bigger value of |a| results in line of symmetry
–2
a steeper (narrower) parabola. –4
For example, the graph of y = 3x2 y = –½x2 y = –x2
–6
is steeper than the graph of y = x2. (a = –½) (a = –1)
6
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

The basic shape of all quadratic graphs (that is, for any
quadratic function y = ax2 + bx + c) is very similar to the
ones you’ve just seen.

They’re all concave up or concave down depending on the

sign of a (concave up if a > 0 and concave down if a < 0).

However, the graph can be stretched or squashed, and in

a different place relative to the x- and y-axes, depending
on the exact values of a, b, and c.

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Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A
Guided Practice
Match the equations with their graphs below.
8 y
D B
1. y = –3x2 C A
6
1
2. y = x2 – 2 A 4
4
2
3. y = 2x + 3
2 C
x
0
1 –6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
4. y = – x2 – 1 E –2
2
–4
5. y = 2x 2 B
–6
D E 8
–8
Solution follows…
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A
y = ax2 + c is Like y = ax2 but Moved Up or Down by c
This diagram shows the graphs of y = x2 + c, for three
values of c: y
6
The top and bottom parabolas in y = x2 y = x2 + 1
the diagram are both the same 4
shape as the graph of y = x2.
2
The only differences are: 0 x
–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
(i) the graph of y = x2 + 1 is 1 –2
unit higher up the y-axis. y = x2 – 4
–4
(ii) the graph of y = x2 – 4 is 4
–6
units lower down the y-axis.
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Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

The graph of y = x2 – 4 crosses the x-axis when y = 0

— that is, when x2 – 4 = 0 (or x = ±2).
In fact, the x-intercepts of any y
quadratic graph y = ax2 + bx + c 6
y = x2 y = x2 + 1
are called the roots of the 4
function, and they correspond
2
to the solutions of the equation
ax2 + bx + c = 0. –6 –4 –2
0
0 2 4 6
x

The graph of y = x2 + 1 does –2

not cross the x-axis at all. roots y = x2 – 4
–4
This is because x2 + 1 = 0 does
–6
not have any real solutions.
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Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

So the graph of a quadratic function may cross the x-axis

twice (y = x2 – 4), may touch the x-axis in one place (y = x2),
or may never cross it (y = x2 + 1).

It all depends on how many roots the quadratic function has.

However, the graph will always have a y-intercept

— the graph will always cross the y-axis at some point.

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Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A
Guided Practice
Describe the graphs of the quadratics below in
relation to the graph of y = x2.

6. y = x2 + 1 y = x2 shifted up 1 unit

7. y = x2 – 3 y = x2 shifted down 3 units

8. y = 2x2 + 2 Narrower than y = x2 and shifted up 2 units

1
9. y = x2 – 5 Wider than y = x2 and shifted down 5 units
4
y = x2 reflected about the x–axis, shifted up 1 unit
10. y = –x + 1
2

y = x2 reflected about the x–axis, but narrower and

11. y = –2x2 – 4 shifted down 4 units
12
Solution follows…
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A
Guided Practice
The graphs in Exercises 12 and 13 are transformations
of the graph of y = x2. Find the equation of each graph.
y y
12. 4 13. 4

2 2

0 x 0 x
–2 0 2 –2 0 2

–2 –2
y = 2x2 + 1
–4
y = –3x2 + 3

13
Solution follows…
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A
Independent Practice
Match the equations with their graphs below.
y
1. y = x – 1
2 A 6
A B

E 4
2. y = –x – 1
2

2
B
3. y = 3x2 0 x
–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
1 C –2
4. y = – x2
4 C
–4
D D
5. y = –x + 3
2
E
–6

14
Solution follows…
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A
Independent Practice
Describe the graphs of the quadratics below
in relation to the graph of y = x2.
1
Wider than y = x2 and shifted up 1 unit
6. y = x2 + 1
2
Reflected about the x–axis and
7. y = –4x2 narrower than y = x2

Reflected about the x–axis, narrower

8. y = –2x + 3
2
than y = x2, and shifted up 3 units
1
9. y = 3 x2 Wider than y = x2

15
Solution follows…
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

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Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

17
Topic
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
2.3.A

Round Up

Now you know how the a and c parts of

the equation y = ax2 + c affect the graph.

In the next Topic you’ll learn how to

draw some quadratic graphs yourself.

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