Standard Parabola Guy...

We've moved him up and down:

Back and forth:

We've even flipped him upside-down:

This whole time, he's had the same basic shape:

But, now we're going to make him taller and shorter!

Here's another one:

Your turn and remember to identify what's going on and don't plot points:

Let's sum up what we've got here...

When there's a number multiplied in front of Standard Parabola Guy...

If a is negative, then the parabola opens down...   If a is positive, then the parabola opens up...   a makes it taller or shorter