The maximum or minimum value of a parabola occurs at its vertex. What is the vertex coordinate notation?

The maximum or minimum value of a parabola occurs at its vertex. What is the vertex coordinate notation?

• A. (h, k)
• B. (k, h)
• C. (0, 0)
• D. (a, b)

Answer: (A)

In vertex form, a parabola is written as y = a(x − h)² + k, and the turning point sits at x = h and y = k. So the vertex is (h, k) because h tells how far the graph shifts left or right and k tells how far it shifts up or down. This is why the vertex notation uses (h, k). Swapping the coordinates would point to a different location, (0, 0) is only the vertex in the special case where there are no shifts, and a general pair like (a, b) isn’t tied to the vertex position.

In vertex form, a parabola is written as y = a(x − h)² + k, and the turning point sits at x = h and y = k. So the vertex is (h, k) because h tells how far the graph shifts left or right and k tells how far it shifts up or down. This is why the vertex notation uses (h, k). Swapping the coordinates would point to a different location, (0, 0) is only the vertex in the special case where there are no shifts, and a general pair like (a, b) isn’t tied to the vertex position.