Manipulating Parabolas
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?
2. Put the sliders at the following values: a=1; h=0; k=0
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?
4. What happens when you change the value of h?
5. What happens when you change the value of k?
6. What is the connection between the equation you have created and the vertex of the parabola?