2.What does the value of a in the parabola formula tell you

## Step 1<br />The problem is asking about the role of the variable 'a' in the standard formula for a parabola. The standard formula for a parabola is given as \(y = ax^2 + bx + c\).<br /><br />## Step 2<br />In this formula, 'a' is the coefficient of the \(x^2\) term. This coefficient 'a' determines the direction and the width of the parabola.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />If 'a' is greater than 0, the parabola opens upwards. If 'a' is less than 0, the parabola opens downwards.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />The absolute value of 'a' determines the width of the parabola. A larger absolute value of 'a' will make the parabola narrower, while a smaller absolute value of 'a' will make the parabola wider.