Opens up or down?

The graph of the equation y=x^2 opens up.

The equation in vertex form is y = a(x - h)^2 + k, where (h, k) represents the vertex of the parabola. In this particular equation, y = x^2, the vertex form can be determined by comparing it to the general form, y = ax^2 + bx + c.

Comparing the two forms, we can see that a = 1 (coefficient of x^2), h = 0 (opposite sign and value of the coefficient of x), and k = 0 (constant term). Therefore, the equation y = x^2 is already in vertex form.

Now, to determine if the parabola opens up or down, we look at the coefficient of x^2, which is 1 in this case. Since the coefficient is positive (+1), the parabola opens upward.