In this part you do not have to sketch the graph and you may even be given the sketch of the graph to start with. For a quadratic equation of the form \(y = k{(x - a)^2} + b\), the following diagram ...

Plotting a graph takes time. Often mathematicians just want to know the key features. These are: shape, location and some key points (such as where the graph crosses the axes or turning points).

If you’ve ever taken an algebra or physics class, then you’ve met a parabola, the simple curve that can model how a ball flies through the air. The most important part of a parabola is the vertex — ...