Question

help, will fan and medal!!
What is the a value of the following function?

Answer 1

???????

Answer 2

idk, i dont get what its asking

Answer 3

the function is x^2 but this question is incomplete....

Answer 4

so it would be 2?

Answer 5

I think so.....

Answer 6

that isn't simply a x^2 function.

Answer 7

@phi not given in question..... i already said the question is incomplete @stacy.reed08

Answer 8

based on the graph, I'd say the function itself is \[\frac{ 1 }{ 3 }x ^{2}\]

Answer 9

ok, after re-reading they are asking about the "a" value

I assume they mean, if we write the equation in the form
y= a(x-h)^2 + k
they want the "a"

Answer 10

hmmm.....

Answer 11

(h,k) is the vertex (the lowest point) and for your parabola, the vertex is (0,0)
that means h=0 and k=0 and the equation is
y = a(x-0)^2 + 0
and that simplifies to
y= a x^2
to find a, put in an (x,y) pair that is on the parabola. For example, try using (3,3)

Answer 12

so, its not 2..... hmmmm that's sure....

Answer 13

@phi , nice catch! I completely missed the "a" in the problem. It makes much more sense now :)

Answer 14

I would definitely use the point (3,3) since it's the only point that is clearly at an intersection of 2 whole numbers. Just plug it into the equation and solve for a.
\[y=ax ^{2}\]\[3=a \times3^{2}\]\[3=a \times9\]
finish it out and you're done!

Answer 15

im still confused..i been sitting here trying to figure this out..

Answer 16

Use the vertex form for finding the equation of a parabola. @phi already provided this...
(h,k) is the vertex, which for the graph you provided is (0,0). Pick a point that is easy to identify like (3,3) and plug it into the vertex form equation.
\[y=a(x-h)^{2}+k\]

Answer 17

Plug in what you know...
Given the point (3,3), y=3 and x=3.
Given the vertex (0,0), h=0 and k=0
you end up with the equation below...just solve for "a"
\[3=a(3-0)^{2}+0\]

Answer 18

3=9a
/9
3/9=a
1/3=a

Answer 19

got it!

Answer 20

i wish i could give you both medals..

Answer 21

@phi definitely deserves it for catching the part we were all missing in the original problem!

Answer 22

I will help you to give medal to one of them. You pick one to do, I do the rest :)

Answer 23

I gave it to @phi, but @stacy.reed08 i have more confussing ones that i could use some help one.

Answer 24

@Penguin7 , I'll try my best! Just tag me in the problem.