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Did you know that the function \( y = \frac{1}{3} x^2 \) is a type of quadratic function? It forms a parabolic shape that opens upwards, which means as you move away from the vertex (the lowest point of the parabola), the value of \( y \) increases. The coefficient \(\frac{1}{3}\) indicates how "wide" or "narrow" the parabola is—smaller values create wider parabolas, while larger values create narrower ones. In real-world applications, quadratic functions like this one can model various phenomena such as the trajectory of an object in motion, areas of land, or even optimizing the dimensions of materials to minimize waste. For example, if you’re tossing a ball, the path it takes is parabolic, and you can use the function to predict its height at any point along its path. So next time you're playing sports, think about how math is helping your game!