Home › STAAR EOC Algebra I › Mathematics › Quadratic Equations › When the squared term is negative, the parabola …
When the squared term is negative, the parabola opens:
ASideways
BOutward
CDownward
DUpward
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Downward
1. Orientation flips with the sign of the leading term.
2. When the squared term is positive, the parabola opens upward.
3. When the squared term is negative, the parabola opens downward.
4. So the sign alone decides which way the curve turns.
_Source: OpenStax Elementary Algebra 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 10 'Quadratic Equations', sections 10.1-10.5_
Related questions
The Square Root Property is described as applying to quadratic equations written in which Factoring fails to solve a quadratic directly when the equation has not first been arrangeA parabola whose equation has a negative squared term has a vertex that is its:An equation whose discriminant is negative has how many real solutions?A quadratic with a perfect square solved by the quadratic formula gives how many solutionsCompleting the square relies on the principle that in solving equations you must always:To use completing the square, an equation must first be put into:The Zero Product Property cannot be used when the right side of the equation is: