Problem

Plot of a parabola.

Can you find an equation for this parabola?

  • In how many ways can you choose to show this equation?
  • Which format did you initially choose and why?

What is the same and what is different about your approach to finding an equation of the two parabolas below, compared to the example above?

Plot of two parabolas.
  • What properties do the three parabolas have in common?

  • Is there an approach to finding the equation that works for all three of these parabolas, and indeed for any parabola you could be given?

  • Which approach to finding the equation was the most efficient? Is it the same approach for each example?