How do you find the vertex of a parabola using the calculator?

Personally, I would plot it and observe where the point is

sure

find where the first derivative = 0. i think you may have seen it as -b\2.

Doesn't really help much if the person in question hasn't touched differentiation

 

As I said, plotting it will show you where the minimum point is. The other (slighty more) mathematical way of doing it is to work out where a line of zero tangent intersects the curve. And, of course, there's calculus if you've done that kind of thing already.

Hit 2nd TRACE. If the parabola's vertex is at the bottom, hit "minimum" and if it's at the top, hit "maximum."

Now it will ask you for a left bound. Arrow over to the left of the vertex and hit enter. Now it asks you for right bound; move to the right of the vertex and hit enter. When it asks for a guess, just hit enter where you think the vertex is.

Voila, it spouts out the vertex.

alright, thanks all.