The direction of a quadratic describes how it opens: up or down ​

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"A smile or a frown"​

The "turning point"​

• The vertex of ​a quadratic is the point where the quadratic changes direction

Minimum or Maximum​

• The vertex can also be thought as the highest or lowest number.

• The minimum or maximum of a parabola is a number. Specifically, It is the y value of the vertex.

"Cuts the parabola in half"​

• The axis of symmetry is a vertical line that cuts the parabola in half

• The axis of symmetry is always in the form (x = a number)

• The number is the x-value of the vertex

"Touches the x-axis"​

• The x-intercept of a parabola is the point where the parabola intersects the x-axis

• A parabola can have one, two or zero x-intercepts

​Notice the y value of the x-intercept is always 0.

Solutions, Zeros, and Roots

• Once we have the x-intercept, we can identify the solutions of the quadratics. They are just the x-value of the x-intercept(s).

• Solutions, zeroes, and roots all mean the same thing!

"Touches the y-axis"​

• The y-intercept of a parabola is the point where the parabola intersects the y-axis

• A parabola will always have one y-intercept.

​Notice how the x value of the y-intercept is always 0.