Question

Does the parabola open up or down? f(x) = -5x² - 2

Answer 1

Answer: Since the coeffecient of x² here is negative, the parabola opens down.

Explanation:

You can always check your work by typing the equation into a graphing calculator!

Here is what the graph of f(x) = -5x²-2 looks like:

Answer 2

down

Explanation:

for parabolas, if the leading coefficient (number written in front of the variable with the largest exponent, in this case -5) is less than zero it opens downward. if it is more than zero it opens upward. since -5 is less than zero, this parabola opens down