How do you find the vertex for y=2x^2 +11x-6?

2 Answers
Jun 9, 2018

y=2(x +11/4)^2-65/2

Explanation:

Vertex form:

y=a(x+h)^2+k

Vertex #=(-h,k)

To put this in vertex form you must complete the square on the x terms which is a pain because 11 is not divisible by 2:

first isolate the terms with x:

y=2x^2 +11x-6

y+6=2x^2 +11x

in the form ax^2+bx+c to complete the square a must be 1 and:

c=(b/2)^2

a=2 so we have to factor it out:

y+6=2x^2 +11x

y+6=2(x^2 +11/2x)

now add c to both sides of the equation, we have to add 2c to the left side to account for the 2 we factored out:

y+6 +2c=2(x^2 +11/2x+c)

now solve fo c:

c=(b/2)^2=((11/2)/2)^2=121/16

see what I mean about it being a pain, insert solution in function:

y+6 +2(121/16)=2(x^2 +11/2x+121/16)

now complete the square:

y+6 +53/2=2(x +(11/2)/2)^2

y+12/2 +53/2=2(x +11/4)^2

y+65/2=2(x +11/4)^2

y=2(x +11/4)^2-65/2

vertex =(-11/4,-65/2)

graph{2x^2 +11x-6 [-20.33, 25.28, -25.08, -2.28]}

Jun 9, 2018

vertex (-11/4, - 169/8)

Explanation:

y(x) = 2x^2 + 11x - 6
The x-coordinate of the vertex is given by the formula
x = - b/(2a) = - 11/4
The y-coordinate of vertex is the value of y(-11/4) -->
y(-11/4) = 121/8 - 121/4 - 6 = - 169/8
Vertex (-11/4, -169/8)