# How to graph a parabola y=1/4x^2?

May 12, 2015
1. The curve will be curved along the axis which has less power.

Well,if you are concerned with this question, firstly you can write it as $4 y = {x}^{2}$,

Now as i said earlier the curve will be bent towards that axis which has less power irrespective of the coefficient of x and y .

About this question, you can see that y has less power so the curve will be bent towards y axis.the graph will be as follows,

graph{x^2/4 [-10, 10, -5, 5]}

Here's another method you could use.

You can put different values of x keeping y constant and note the points that you will get; similarly, you can find values of y keeping x constant.

You can plot these points on the graph and the same graph would be in front of you.

Jun 23, 2016

Choose x-values, work out the y-values and plot points.
Join them with a smooth curve to obtain the graph.

#### Explanation:

The first thing is to have some points to plot to be able to find out what the graph will look like.

Draw a table and select some suitable x values.
$x : - 4 , - 3 , - 2 , - 1 , - 1 , \text{ " 2," " 3," } 4$

For each x-value, substitute into the equation given and calculate the y-values,

$y : 4 , \text{ "2.25," " 1," " 0.25," " 0," " 0.25, " " 1, " " 2.25," } 4$

Notice that the $y$-values are all positive and are symmetrical on either side of $0$

Now plotting the points on a set of axes will give the graph of the parabola.
graph{y=1/4x^2 [-9.42, 10.58, -1.64, 8.36]}