Question

Order the group of parabolas from widest to narrowest.

y = 1/4x^2, y = -1/2x^2,y =3/2x^2

Please just don’t guess I really need to get this problem correct

Answer 1

Answer:

$\large\boxed{y=\dfrac{1}{4}x^2,\ y=-\dfrac{1}{2}x^2,\ y=\dfrac{3}{2}x^2}$

Step-by-step explanation:

The equation of a parabola: y = ax²

The larger the value of |a|, the narrower the parabola.

We have the following coefficients a:

$\left|\dfrac{1}{4}\right|=\dfrac{1}{4},\ \left|-\dfrac{1}{2}\right|=\dfrac{1}{2},\ \left|\dfrac{3}{2}\right|=\dfrac{3}{2},$

We arrange the coefficients from the smallest to the largest:

$\dfrac{1}{4}\ <\ \dfrac{1}{2}\ <\ \dfrac{3}{2}$

Therefore you have the answer:

$y=\dfrac{1}{4}x^2,\ y=-\dfrac{1}{2}x^2,\ y=\dfrac{3}{2}x^2$