A parking lot has an area of 682 square yards. The lot is 22 yards wide. What is the length of the parking lot, to the nearest yard?

if the eqn of the parabola is f(x) = (x-4)(x+2), we need to mult. this out to find the coordinates of the vertex.

then f(x) = x^2 + 2x - 4x - 8, and f(x) = x^2 - 2x - 8.

one way in which you can find the vertex is to calculate x = -b / (2a).   here, that comes to

        )

x = = 1.   f(1) = 1^2 - 2(1) - 8 = - 9.   vertex is at (1, -9).

        2(1) 

find another point on the curve:   let x=0, for which y=-8.   then (0, -8) is on the curve.   plot the vertex and this point and draw a smooth parabola thru both.

hope this