The quadratic term of a function is positive. Which way does its parabola open?

1. The sign of a, the coefficient on the squared term, sets the orientation of the parabola. 2. A positive quadratic term makes the parabola open upward, so the vertex is its lowest point. 3. A negative quadratic term makes it open downward instead, with the vertex at the top. _Source: OpenStax Intermediate Algebra (CC BY 4.0), section 9.6 Graph Quadratic Functions Using Properties_