Precalculus: Parabolas and Matrices

Objectives

• Students will be able to input their data into matrices and perform calculations on them.
• Students will be able to interpret the results of their calculations.
• Students will utilize different methods to check the results of their calculations and to verify their solutions.

Vocabulary

• identity matrix
• inverse matrix
• matrix
• matrix equation
• parabola
• system of equations

About the Lesson

This lesson involves using matrices to solve a system of three simultaneous linear equations.
As a result, students will:

• Use matrices to write an equation for a parabola that passes through three given points.
• Input their own matrices to solve problems that are similar to those outlined above.