Example

Graphing y=x21y = x^2 - 1 by Plotting Points

To graph the quadratic equation y=x21y = x^2 - 1, choose integer values for xx, substitute them into the equation, and solve for yy. Using the xx values 2-2, 1-1, 00, 11, and 22 results in the ordered pairs (2,3)(-2, 3), (1,0)(-1, 0), (0,1)(0, -1), (1,0)(1, 0), and (2,3)(2, 3). Plotting these points on a coordinate plane and connecting them with a smooth curve produces an upward-opening parabola with its lowest point at (0,1)(0, -1).

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Updated 2026-05-01

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Ch.10 Quadratic Equations - Elementary Algebra @ OpenStax

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