The parabola is represented with the equation y = (1/4p)(x - h)^2 + k.
That is the vertex form of the equation, because h and k represent the coordinates of the vertex of the parabola, h is the x-coordinate of the vertex and k is the y-coordinate of the vertex.
So the vertex is (h, k).
To place it in the graph you just need to know the values of h and k. For example, for a positive value of p, if they k and h are positive, means the vertex is in the first quadrant.
After that the number of zeros will depend on the value of k.
Again assuming p is positive, which implies that the parabola opens upward.
k = 0 means the parabola has one zero, because the vertex is just on the x-axis.
k > 0 means the parabola has none zeros, because the vertex will be above the x-axis and it will not intersect the x - axis.
k < 0 means the parabola has two zeros, because the vertex will be below the x - axis and it will intersect the x -axis at two points.
If p is negative, the parabola opens downward and the conclusions are the opposite
k < 0 the parabola has non zeros.
k > 0 the parabola has two zeros
k = 0 the parabola has one zero (just as when p is positive)
I take it you mean the average gallons lost an hour, in which case you would do 58,432.4 - 56,475.2 to get 1,597.2 to which you divide by 2 getting your final answer of 978.6
