101 questions
Mathematical Reasoning
The graph of the equation y = x² is—
- a.a pair of parallel lines
- b.a U-shaped curve✓
- c.a straight line
- d.a circle
Squaring makes negative and positive x-values give the same positive y, so the graph is a parabola opening upward, symmetric about the y-axis. A straight line comes from an equation where x appears to the first power only. A circle requires both variables squared and summed. And parallel lines come from a pair of separate linear equations.