Learning Target: Students will
identify the key features of a
quadratic function, including
intercepts, maximums and
minimums, using a graphing
calculator and interpret their
meaning in real-world
applications
Homework:
Applications of
Quadratics
Worksheet
Sec 1:
Identifying &
Interpreting Key
Features of
Quadratic
Functions
Ex 1: Draw a Parabola and
label any key features that
you can
Did You Remember:
• X-intercepts
• Y-intercept
• Vertex
• Maximum/Minimum
Ex 2: Identify the Key Features
1. Given y = −16𝑥 2 + 80𝑥 + 35 use the graphing
calculator to find the following to the nearest
hundredth.



Y-intercept
X-intercept
Max/Min (vertex)
2. Fireworks are shot off with a velocity (v) of 80 feet per second
off of a building 35 feet tall (s) given by the equation
h = −16𝑡 2 + 80𝑡 + 35 where h is height in feet and t is time in
seconds.
• Why have the variables been changed to h and t?
• What does the y-intercept represent?
• What does the x-intercept(s) represent?
• What does the vertex represent?
Ex 4: What’s the Use?
A lighting fixture manufacturer has a daily
production cost of
𝐶 = −0.25𝑛2 + 10𝑛 + 800
Where C is the total daily cost in dollars and
n is the number of light fixtures produced.
A. Find the vertex and tell what each value
represents.
B. Find the x-intercepts and tell what each
represent.
C. Find the y-intercept and tell what it
represents.
NAME THAT KEY FEATURE!
 Stay
in pairs. Each person will need 1
piece of paper.
 On each side of the paper write each of
the following (one per side)
 X-intercept
 Y-intercept
 Maximum
 Minimum
 You
will be given a scenario. Hold up the
paper to show which key feature you will
be finding.
NAME THAT KEY FEATURE!
1. A ball is thrown from the top of a building
and follows the path of the quadratic
function given by ℎ = −16𝑡 2 + 35𝑡 + 150.
A. When will the ball hit the ground?
B. How high will the ball go?
C. What is the height of the building?
Bonus – will you
use the x or the
y-value?
A
company’s daily profits are modeled by
the equation 𝑃 = −𝑥 2 + 50𝑥 + 200, where
x is the number of items sold and P is the
profit in dollars.
A. What is the maximum profit the company
can achieve per day, according to this model?
B. At what dollar amount did the
company start?
Bonus – will you
use the x or the
y-value?
C. When will the company’s profits break even?
Homework
 Applications
worksheet
of Quadratic Functions