Positive and Negative intervals of a Quadratic Function

🏆Practice positive and negative domains

Positive and Negative intervals of a Quadratic Function

To find out when the parabola is positive and when it is negative, we must plot its graph.
Then we will look at
When the graph of the parabola is above the XX axis, with a positive YY value, the set is positive
When the graph of the parabola is below the XX axis, with a negative YY value, the set is negative
Let's see it in an illustration:

Representation of the Positive and Negative domains of a Quadratic Function

We will ask ourselves:
When is the graph of the parabola above the XX axis? 
When X>1 X>-1 or X<6X<-6
Therefore, the sets of positivity of the function are: X>1 X>-1,X<6X<-6
Now we will ask When is the graph of the parabola below the XX axis? 
When 6<X<16<X<-1
Therefore, the set of negativity of the function is: 6<X<1-6<X<-1


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Test yourself on positive and negative domains!

einstein

The graph of the function below does not intersect the \( x \)-axis.

The parabola's vertex is marked A.

Find all values of \( x \) where
\( f\left(x\right) > 0 \).

AAAX

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Positivity and Negativity Sets of the Parabola

Pay attention!
Do not confuse the intervals of increase and decrease with the sets of positivity and negativity.
The intervals of increase and decrease describe when the function is increasing or decreasing, regardless of its position, above or below the XX axis.
On the other hand, the sets of positivity and negativity describe when the function is positive - above the XX axis or negative - below the XX axis, regardless of whether the function is increasing or decreasing.


Examples and exercises with solutions of Positivity and Negativity Sets of the Quadratic Function

Exercise #1

The graph of the function below does not intersect the x x -axis.

The parabola's vertex is marked A.

Find all values of x x where
f\left(x\right) > 0 .

AAAX

Step-by-Step Solution

Based on the given graph characteristics, we conclude that the parabola never intersects the x x -axis and is therefore entirely above it due to opening upwards. This means the function is always positive for every x x .

Thus, the correct choice is:

  • Choice 3: The domain is always positive.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is the domain is always positive.

Answer

The domain is always positive.

Exercise #2

The graph of the function below the does not intersect the x x -axis.

The parabola's vertex is marked A.

Find all values of x x where f\left(x\right) < 0 .

AAAX

Step-by-Step Solution

To decide where f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 for the given parabola, observe the following:

  • The parabola does not intersect the x-axis, indicating it is either entirely above or below the x-axis.
  • If the parabola were entirely above the x-axis for f(x)>0 f(x) > 0 , it would contradict the question by not giving a valid interval for f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 .
  • Therefore, the correct conclusion is that the parabola is entirely below the x-axis, meaning f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 for all x x .

Based on the understanding of quadratic functions and their graph behavior, the function does not intersect the x-axis implies it is always negative.

Hence, the domain where f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 is for all x x . This leads us to choose:

The domain is always negative.

Answer

The domain is always negative.

Exercise #3

The graph of the function below does not intersect the x x -axis.

The parabola's vertex is marked A.

Find all values of x x where
f\left(x\right) > 0 .

AAAX

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve this problem, let's analyze the key characteristics of the parabola:

  • Since the parabola does not intersect the x x -axis, it indicates that it is entirely either above or below the x x -axis.
  • The graph of a parabola ax2+bx+c ax^2 + bx + c does not intersect the x x -axis when its discriminant b24ac b^2 - 4ac is negative. Thus, it does not have any real roots.
  • If the parabola opens upwards, then the function is entirely above the x x -axis if a>0 a > 0 and below if a<0 a < 0 .
  • Given the problem indicates the parabola never reaches or crosses the x x -axis and the absence of real roots, a positive opening parabola cannot reach positive territory in when not intersecting the x-axis.

Since the parabola's graph neither touches nor crosses the x x -axis and isn't stated to be always positive or negative, we conclude:

The function does not have a positive domain.

Answer

The function does not have a positive domain.

Exercise #4

The graph of the function below intersects the x x -axis at point A (the vertex of the parabola).

Find all values of x x where f\left(x\right) < 0 .

AAAX

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve this problem, we need to determine when f(x) f(x) is negative by analyzing the graph provided.

The graph shows a quadratic function shaped as a parabola. Importantly, the parabola intersects the x-axis precisely at point A, which is its vertex. From this, we can deduce two possible scenarios:

1. If the parabola opens upwards (convex), the vertex represents the minimum point. Thus, the y-value at the vertex is greater than any other point on the function, implying there is no region where f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 since the lowest point is zero.

2. If it were to open downwards, point A would be the maximum, and f(x) f(x) could be negative elsewhere, but this contradicts the given information that point A is a vertex on the x-axis, suggesting the opening is upwards.

Since the graph passes through the x-axis only at vertex A and that is the minimum point, the parabola opens upwards. Therefore, the function f(x) f(x) never takes negative values as it only touches the x-axis without crossing it.

Thus, the conclusion is that there are no values of x x for which f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 .

Hence, the function has no negative domain.

Answer

The function has no negative domain.

Exercise #5

Find all values of x x

where f\left(x\right) < 0 .

XXXYYY-6-6-6-10-10-10-2-2-2

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the problem of finding all x x values where f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 , we analyze the graph provided:

The graph of the function f(x) f(x) shows it is below the x-axis in the interval from x=10 x = -10 to x=2 x = -2 . Between these points, f(x) f(x) is negative because the complete span of the graph resides beneath the x-axis between these points.

Steps to validate this are:

  • Recognize the x-intercepts, which occur at x=10 x = -10 and x=2 x = -2 , where the curve crosses the x-axis.
  • The graph stays below the x-axis between these intercepts, indicating the function is negative.

Thus, the correct interval where f(x)<0 f(x) < 0 is 10<x<2-10 < x < -2.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is 10<x<2-10 < x < -2.

Answer

-10 < x < -2

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