Polynomial functions are not limited to the highest term and while that term is most important in determining the shape of its graph, additional terms play a role. Try out additional terms to see how they affect the shapes of the graph. Focus on the patterns!
Tag: quadratic functions
Quadratic Functions
What does each of the coefficients do? How does it change the graph of the parabola. What does a do, what does c do and a question still rarely asked, what does changing b do to change the graph. To see what b does more clearly we have you add a graph of the linear portion of the quadratic function to the picture so that you can see the pattern it makes and it causes the parabola to make. Quadratic functions give you a chance to really and experiment with this very important family of functions.