Exploring quadratic functions

Activity 1

Look at the interactive quadratic function below. [br]Use the sliders to change the value of a, b and c

Question 1

Set the values of a and b to 1. Change the value of c without changing anything else. What happens with the vertex of the parabola? What happens to the rest of the graph?

Question 2

Set a to 1 and b and c to 0. Change the value of b around. What happens to the graph? [br][br]Now set b first to 1 and then to 2. What is special about the roots (x-intercepts)? Try some other values as well. [br]

Question 3

What happens to the graph when the a value gets bigger than 1? What happens as the a value gets closer to zero?[br]What about when a is negative?

Question 4

When a=0, something special happens. What kind of function does it turn into? And why?[br]