Advanced MathVery hardMinimum of a parabola from its zeros and a point
Advanced Math practice question
In the xy-plane, the parabola y = a(x − 2)(x − 6) passes through the point (0, 6). What is the minimum value of y on the parabola?
Answer: -2
At x = 0, 12a = 6 gives a = 1/2. The vertex is midway between the zeros, at x = 4, where y = (1/2)(2)(−2) = −2.
Common wrong answers
- If you answered 2
- 2 has the sign wrong.
- If you answered 4
- 4 is the x-coordinate of the vertex.
- If you answered -4
- −4 uses a = 1.
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