The vertex of an absolute value function in the standard form f(x) = a|x – h| + k is represented by the point (h, k). This coordinate is crucial because it indicates the highest or lowest point of the graph, depending on the value of ‘a’. If ‘a’ is positive, the vertex is the lowest point, and if ‘a’ is negative, the vertex is the highest point of the graph.
To visualize this, you can think of the graph of the function. The ‘h’ value shifts the graph left or right on the x-axis, while ‘k’ shifts it up or down on the y-axis. Hence, the position of the vertex is directly determined by these two parameters.