Parabola Manipulative

Use this manipulative to build an intuitive understanding of how the "b" coefficient of a quadratic function affects the graphed parabola.

Here's a 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 stretches the parabola vertically. The "c" coefficient moves the parabola up and down. These are easy to understand. But the "b" coefficient is a little more tricky. Use this manipulative to get a feel for how it works.

For teachers I've included the following:

1) Non-verbal instructions for assembling (pdf file). I like giving students opportunities to practice following visual instructions.

2) Exploration Guide (pdf file). Good questions for project-based learners to explore parabolas using this manipulative.

3) A game-based virtual manipulative for students to interact with online:

http://sso.stmath.com/demo/parabola/ParabolaManipulative.html

Here are the Common Co