Opens up or down?

This equation opens downwards because the coefficient in front of the squared term (x^2) is negative.

To determine whether the graph of the equation in vertex form y=-(x+5)^2-3 opens up or down, we can look at the coefficient of the x^2 term.

In the given equation, y=-(x+5)^2-3, the coefficient of x^2 is -1.

If the coefficient of x^2 is positive, the graph opens upward, and if the coefficient is negative, the graph opens downward.

Since the coefficient of x^2 in y=-(x+5)^2-3 is -1, the graph of the equation opens downward.