y = x^2 -5x-6 is a quadratic equation.
On a graph, rather than a straight line, this type of equation forms what is known as a parabola, which means it goes one direction and then makes almost like a U-turn.
The point in which the parabola (as mentioned before) changes direction is called the vertex.
Specifically, y = x^2 -5x-6 has exactly 2 solutions. This means that there are 2 different possible answers to this equation.
The solutions, or roots, to this equation are x= 6 and x= -1.
If you look at the graph for this equation, the parabola opens upwards like a U, and the vertex is ( 5/2, -49/4).