Maximum and Minimum - SAT Subject Test in Math I
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What is the vertex of the following function? Is it a maximum or a minimum?
What is the vertex of the following function? Is it a maximum or a minimum?
The equation of a parabola can be written in vertex form
where 
is the vertex and 
determines if it is a minimum or maximum. If 
is positive, then it is a minimum; if 
is negative, then it is a maximum.
In this example, 
is negative, so the vertex is a maximum.
and 
The equation of a parabola can be written in vertex form
where
In this example,
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Determine the maximum or minimum of 
.
Determine the maximum or minimum of
Rewrite the equation by the order of powers.
This is a parabola in standard form: 
Determine the values of 
to the vertex formula.
Since the leading coefficient of the parabola is negative, the parabola will curve downward and will have a maximum point.
Therefore there is a maximum at,
.
Rewrite the equation by the order of powers.
This is a parabola in standard form:
Determine the values of
Since the leading coefficient of the parabola is negative, the parabola will curve downward and will have a maximum point.
Therefore there is a maximum at,
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