Leading Coefficient and Quadratic Functions

 Graphing Some Functions of the form f(x) = ax^2 with different positive a-values on the same coordinate plane can summarize the effect of the leading coefficient on the quadratic function.

0 < |a| < 1: Wide Parabola

|a| > 1: Narrower Parabola

a > 0: The parabola opens up

a < 0: The parabola opens downward