How do you find the maximum and minimum of #y=-2(x+1)^2+6#?

1 Answer
Mar 17, 2017

Find the vertex.

Explanation:

Finding the maximum or minimum for a quadratic equation like this one is code for finding the vertex.

If #y=a(x-h)^2+k# then vertex is #(h,k)#

In this case is #-h=1# and #k=6#
So vertex is #(-1,6)#

Also, whenever a is negative in this format of equation that means you have a downward-opening parabola. Therefore the vertex is a maximum. So the maximum occurs at #(-1,6)#. There is no minimum because the parabola continues down forever.