Here’s the breakdown for solving the given parabola-related questions:

(a) Does the parabola open upward or downward?

From the graph, the parabola opens upward because its branches point upwards.

(b) Find the equation of the axis of symmetry.

The axis of symmetry passes through the vertex of the parabola. Observing the graph, the vertex is located on the x-axis at $x = -1$.
Thus, the equation of the axis of symmetry is: $x = -1$

(c) Find the intercept(s).

X-intercept(s):

The x-intercepts are the points where the parabola intersects the x-axis. Observing the graph, the parabola intersects the x-axis at $x = -2$ and $x = 0$.
So, the x-intercepts are: $x = -2, x = 0$

Y-intercept:

The y-intercept is the point where the parabola intersects the y-axis. From the graph, this occurs at $y = 2$.
So, the y-intercept is: $y = 2$

(d) Find the coordinates of the vertex.

The vertex is the lowest point of the parabola, which is located at $(-1, 1)$.

Final Answers:

1. (a) Upward
2. (b) Axis of symmetry: $x = -1$
3. (c) X-intercepts: $x = -2, x = 0$; Y-intercept: $y = 2$
4. (d) Vertex: $(-1, 1)$

Would you like a more detailed explanation for any of these steps?

Follow-up Questions:

1. How do you determine if a parabola opens upward or downward from its equation?
2. What is the general formula for the vertex of a parabola given in standard form $y = ax^2 + bx + c$?
3. How can you algebraically find x- and y-intercepts of a quadratic equation?
4. What is the relationship between the axis of symmetry and the vertex of a parabola?
5. How does changing the sign of $a$ in $y = ax^2 + bx + c$ affect the direction of the parabola?

Tip:

Always remember, the axis of symmetry divides the parabola into two mirror-image halves. This property is useful for graphing and solving related problems.