Question

Use these parent functions.

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Which of these best describes the curvature of the square root parent function?
A. Opens upward
B. Opens downward
C. Opens to the left
D. Has no curvature

Answer 1

B. Opens downward.

Reason: y = √x = x^(1/2) has y' = (1/2)x^(-1/2) > 0 (increasing) and y'' = -(1/4)x^(-3/2) < 0 for x>0, so the graph is concave down (curves downward).