You may recognize this as a quadratic function; a parabola is a graphic depiction of a quadratic function. In the equation above, a, b and c are constants, and a is not equal to zero. (If a were zero, ...

If you’ve ever taken an algebra or physics class, then you’ve met a parabola, the simple curve that can model how a ball flies through the air. The most important part of a parabola is the vertex — ...