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Study Guides > College Algebra

Introduction to Graphs of Quadratic Functions

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
  • Recognize characteristics of parabolas.
  • Understand how the graph of a parabola is related to its quadratic function.
Satellite dishes. An array of satellite dishes. (credit: Matthew Colvin de Valle, Flickr)
Curved antennas, such as the ones shown in the photo, are commonly used to focus microwaves and radio waves to transmit television and telephone signals, as well as satellite and spacecraft communication. The cross-section of the antenna is in the shape of a parabola, which can be described by a quadratic function.

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  • College Algebra. Provided by: OpenStax Authored by: Abramson, Jay et al.. Located at: https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra/pages/1-introduction-to-prerequisites. License: CC BY: Attribution. License terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected].