Here's how to find the vertex of the parabola y = x^2 - 6x:
**1. Completing the Square**
* **Rearrange the terms:** y = x^2 - 6x
* **Factor out a coefficient of 1 from the x terms:** y = 1(x^2 - 6x)
* **Take half of the coefficient of the x-term, square it, and add it inside the parentheses.** Half of -6 is -3, and squaring it gives 9. Because we're adding it inside the parenthesis where it's multiplied by 1, we need to subtract 9 outside to keep the equation balanced.
y = 1(x^2 - 6x + 9) - 9
* **Factor the perfect square trinomial:** y = 1(x - 3)^2 - 9
**2. Vertex Form**
Now the equation is in vertex form: y = A(x - h)^2 + k, where the vertex is at the point (h, k).
* In our case, A = 1, h = 3, and k = -9
**Therefore, the vertex of the parabola is (3, -9).**
**Key Points**
* The parabola opens upwards because the coefficient 'A' is positive.
* The vertex is the lowest point on the graph.