A quadratic function, in mathematics, is a polynomial function of the form

[1]

The graph of a quadratic function is a parabola whose axis of symmetry is parallel to the y-
axis.
The expression ax
2
+ bx + c in the definition of a quadratic function is a polynomial
of degree 2, or a 2nd degree polynomial, because the highest exponent of x is 2. This
expression is also called a quadratic polynomial or quadratic.
If the quadratic function is set equal to zero, then the result is a quadratic equation. The
solutions to the equation are called the roots of the equation.



The adjective quadratic comes from the Latin word quadrtum ("square"). A term like x
2
is called
a square in algebra because it is the area of a square with side x.
In general, a prefix quadr(i)- indicates the number 4. Examples are quadrilateral and
quadrant. Quadratum is the Latin word for square because a square has four sides.

The roots (zeros) of the quadratic function

are the values of x for which f(x) = 0.
When the coefficients a, b, and c, are real or complex, the roots are

where the discriminant is defined as


A quadratic function can be expressed in three formats:
[2]

is called the standard form,
is called the factored form, where x
1
and x
2
are the roots
of the quadratic equation, it is used in logistic map
is called the vertex form, where h and k are
the x and y coordinates of the vertex, respectively.
To convert the standard form to factored form, one needs only the quadratic formula to
determine the two roots x
1
and x
2
. To convert the standard form to vertex form, one needs a
process called completing the square. To convert the factored form (or vertex form) to standard
form, one needs to multiply, expand and/or distribute the factors.

Regardless of the format, the graph of a quadratic function is a parabola (as shown above).
If a > 0, (or is a positive number), the parabola opens upward.
If a < 0, (or is a negative number), the parabola opens downward.
The coefficient a controls the speed of increase (or decrease) of the quadratic function from the
vertex, bigger positive a makes the function increase faster and the graph appear more closed.
The coefficients b and a together control the axis of symmetry of the parabola (also the x-
coordinate of the vertex) which is at .
The coefficient b alone is the declivity of the parabola as y-axis intercepts.
The coefficient c controls the height of the parabola, more specifically, it is the point where the
parabola intercept they-axis.