16Hit1600
Advanced MathMediumMatching a description to an equation

Advanced Math practice question

Which of the following equations has a graph in the xy-plane that opens downward and has its vertex on the x-axis?

  1. A. y = −(x − 2)²Correct
  2. B. y = (x − 2)²
  3. C. y = −(x − 2)² + 1
  4. D. y = −x² + 2

Answer: A. y = −(x − 2)²

The negative sign in front makes the parabola open downward, and the vertex of y = −(x − 2)² is (2, 0), which lies on the x-axis.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. y = (x − 2)²
y = (x − 2)² has its vertex on the x-axis but opens UPWARD.
C. y = −(x − 2)² + 1
The +1 lifts the vertex to (2, 1), off the x-axis.
D. y = −x² + 2
y = −x² + 2 opens downward but its vertex is (0, 2), above the x-axis.

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