In Exercises 57–62, use the vertex and the direction in which the parabola opens to determine the relation's domain and range. Is the relation a function?
Ch. 7 - Conic Sections

Chapter 8, Problem 59
In Exercises 57–62, use the vertex and the direction in which the parabola opens to determine the relation's domain and range. Is the relation a function?
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the given quadratic function: .
Determine the direction in which the parabola opens by looking at the coefficient of . Since it is negative (-1), the parabola opens downward.
Find the vertex of the parabola using the vertex formula for : , where and . Calculate .
Substitute the -value of the vertex back into the original equation to find the -coordinate of the vertex, which gives the maximum value of because the parabola opens downward.
Determine the domain and range: The domain of any quadratic function is all real numbers, so . The range is all -values less than or equal to the vertex's -coordinate, so . Since each corresponds to exactly one , the relation is a function.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Vertex of a Parabola
The vertex is the highest or lowest point on a parabola, found using the formula x = -b/(2a) for a quadratic y = ax^2 + bx + c. It helps identify the maximum or minimum value of the function, which is crucial for determining the range.
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Direction of the Parabola
The direction a parabola opens depends on the coefficient 'a' in y = ax^2 + bx + c. If 'a' is positive, it opens upward; if negative, downward. This direction indicates whether the vertex is a maximum or minimum point, affecting the range of the relation.
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Domain and Range of Quadratic Functions
The domain of a quadratic function is all real numbers since x can take any value. The range depends on the vertex and the parabola's direction: if it opens downward, the range is all y-values less than or equal to the vertex's y-coordinate; if upward, all y-values greater than or equal to it.
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