Vertex
SAT glossary · Math
Definition
The turning point of a parabola, at x = -b 2a.
Vertex in plain English
The vertex of a parabola is simply its single turning point — the very top (if the parabola opens downward, making it the MAXIMUM value) or the very bottom (if it opens upward, making it the MINIMUM value). Its x-coordinate can always be found using the formula x=-b/2a, taken directly from the standard form ax^2+bx+c — once you have that x-value, plug it back into the original equation to get the matching y-coordinate, completing the full vertex point (x,y).
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