LESSON

NAME _________________________________________________________ DATE ___________

9.4 Challenge: Skills and Applications

For use with pages 526–531

In Exercises 1–4, write an equation with the given x-intercepts p and q

whose graph passes through the given point.
Example: p  1, q  2, 3, 20

Solution: An equation with x-intercepts at p and q has the form

y  ax  px  q. Thus, y  ax  1x  2. To find the value
of a, substitute the given coordinates for x and y:
20  a3  13  2
20  10a
2a
The equation is y  2x  1x  2.

1. p  3, q  1, 4, 15 2. p  3, q  5, 1, 2

3. p  4, q  1, 2, 30 4. p  5, q  2, 3, 9 
2 8

5. Find a quadratic equation whose graph has x-intercepts 5 and 3 and

whose vertex has y-coordinate 8. (Hint: Sketch the graph.)

In Exercises 6 and 7, use the following information.

The arch of a stone bridge has the shape of a parabola that is 30 feet wide at the
water line and rises to its highest point 12 feet above the water. Suppose the
vertex of the parabola is at the origin of a coordinate system.
6. Write an equation for the parabola.
7. If the water level rises to 4 feet below the highest point of the bridge, how
wide is the parabola at the water line?

In Exercises 8 and 9, use the following information.

In a physics experiment, a ball bearing rolling horizontally off the edge of a
desktop 27 inches high follows a parabolic path, landing on the floor 18 inches
from the base of the desk.

8. Write an equation for the path of the ball bearing. Use the point where the
ball bearing rolls off the desktop as the origin of a coordinate system.
9. How much higher does the desktop need to be in order for the ball bearing
to land 30 inches from the base of the desk?
Lesson 9.4

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