ProLesson 3 of 37 min read

How a, b and c move the graph of a quadratic

See how each coefficient in y = ax^2 + bx + c changes the shape and position of a parabola, and use them to sketch it quickly.

Not every story is a straight line. A thrown ball rises, slows, and falls. A profit grows and then shrinks. These curved stories are often described by a quadratic, y = ax^2 + bx + c, whose graph is a U-shaped curve called a parabola. Knowing what each of a, b and c does lets you sketch the curve in seconds, without plotting dozens of points.

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