I need help with graphing a quadratic function . . .

y = -2x^2
Please don't just give me the answer help me through it. . .

find a few ordered pairs, then plot the points

Sure, I can help you with that! To graph the quadratic function y = -2x^2, we can follow these steps:

Step 1: Determine the vertex
The vertex form of a quadratic function is given by y = a(x - h)^2 + k, where (h, k) is the vertex. In this case, a = -2.
Since the coefficient of x^2 is negative, the parabola opens downward. So, the vertex will be the highest point on the graph.
In the equation y = -2x^2, the vertex is at (0, 0) since h = 0 and k = 0.

Step 2: Find the y-intercept
To find the y-intercept, substitute x = 0 into the equation y = -2x^2.
So, when x = 0, y = -2(0)^2 = 0.
Thus, the y-intercept is at (0, 0).

Step 3: Determine other points
To get more points on the graph, you can select a few x-values, substitute them into the equation, and find the corresponding y-values.
For example, let's calculate y for x = -2 and x = 2:
For x = -2: y = -2(-2)^2 = -2(4) = -8. So one point is (-2, -8).
For x = 2: y = -2(2)^2 = -2(4) = -8. So another point is (2, -8).

Step 4: Plot the points and draw the graph
Now that we have the vertex at (0, 0), the y-intercept at (0, 0), and a couple more points (-2, -8) and (2, -8), we can plot these points on a coordinate plane.
After plotting the points, connect them smoothly to form a parabolic shape.

The graph of the quadratic function y = -2x^2 should look like a downward-opening parabola symmetric around the x-axis, passing through the points (0, 0), (-2, -8), and (2, -8).