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How do you determine if the vertex of #y=x^2-2x-8# is a maximum or a minimum?

Answer 1

Eva Adamson

To determine if a quadratic equation's vertex is a max or a min, check the coefficient of #x^2#

#y = ax^2 + bx + c#

if #a# is positive, the graph opens upward. so the vertex is a minimum

if #a# is negative, the graph opens downward. so the vertex is a maximum.

In your equation #a = 1#. We can conclude that the vertex is a minimum.

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Answer 2

Eva Abramson

The vertex of the parabola represented by the equation (y = x^2 - 2x - 8) is a minimum.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.