Parabola Manipulative

thingiverse

Comprehend the effect of the "b" coefficient in a quadratic function's graphed parabola by using this manipulative. Watch this quick overview video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmrzcR4H6xw. Given a quadratic equation of the form y = ax^2 + bx + c, the "a" coefficient vertically stretches the parabola while the "c" coefficient moves it up and down. To grasp how the "b" coefficient works, follow the visual instructions provided in Visual_Instructions.pdf or interact with the game-based virtual manipulative: http://sso.stmath.com/demo/parabola/ParabolaManipulative.html. For teachers, additional resources such as non-verbal instructions and exploration guides are also included. The Common Core standards related to this manipulative are F_IF.7, G_GPE_3.1 (California addition), G_GPE.1, and G_GPE.2. The SketchUp source files are provided in a zip archive for further use.