Chapter 2 Vocabulary

1. Vertex of parabola- The lowest or highest point.

2. Vertex form- A quadratic function written in the form f(x)=a(x-5)^2+k where a,h,and k are constants and (h,k) is the vertex.

3. Axis of Symmetry- The line that divides the parabola into two symmetrical halves.

4. Minimum value- The y-value of the vertex when a parabola opens upward.

5. Zero of a function- For the function f, any number x such that f(x)=0

6. Binomial- A polynomial with two terms.

7. Completing the square- A process used to form a perfect square trinomial. To complete the square of x^2 +bx, add (b/2)^2.

8. Imaginary number- The square root of a negative number, written in the form bi, where b is a real number and i is the imaginary unit. Also called a pure imaginary number.

9. Real part- For a complex number of the form a+bi, a is the real part.

10. Complex conjugate- The complex conjugate of any complex number a+bi, denoted a+bi is a-bi.

11. Quadratic function- Is a function that can be written in the form f(x)=a(x-h)^2+k where (a=0). The variable is always squared.

12. Parabola- f(x)=x^2 is a u-shaped curve.

13. Standard form- ax+by=c where a,b,and c are real numbers.

14. Maximum value- The y-value of the vertex when a parabola opens downward.

15. Root of an equation- Any value of the variable that makes the equation true.

16. Trinomial- A polynomial with three terms.

17. Imaginary unit- The unit in the imaginary number system.

18. Discriminant- The discriminant of the quadratic equation ax^2+bx+c=0 is b^2-4ac.