This worksheet lets you explore what happens to a parabola when you change certain variables in the equation.

1. Adjust the sliders for a, h, and k to find the equation of the dotted parabola. What is this equation?[br]2. Put the sliders at the following values: a=1; h=0; k=0[br]3. What does changing the value of a do to the parabola? What happens if a is bigger than 1? What happens when a is between 0 and 1? What happens if a is negative?[br]4. What happens when you change the value of h?[br]5. What happens when you change the value of k?[br]6. What is the connection between the equation you have created and the vertex of the parabola?