Question

I really am bad with math and just have given up

Answer 1

Well hmmm does the graph open upwards or downwards?  well
is a quadratic, if the leading term's coefficient is negative, Down, if positive, Up

a)
now, let's see the leading term, -x², what's its coefficient? is -1 * x² or -1x², is -1, so is negative, thus is opening downwards

c)
x-intercepts occur, when y = 0, namely y = -x²-4x-3, so setting y to 0
0 = -x² -4x -3 take a common factor of -1, thus

0 = -1 (x²+4x+3)  <--- now, if we factor that out, notice, surely you've done many of these by now, so we end up with 

$\bf \begin{array}{lcclll} 0=x^2&+4x&+3\\ &\uparrow &\uparrow \\ &3+1&3\cdot 1 \end{array}\\\\ -----------------------------\\\\ 0=(x+3)(x+1)\implies \begin{cases} 0=x+3\implies &-3=x\\ 0=x+1\implies &-1=x \end{cases}$

so, the x-intercepts are at -3 and -1

d)

now, the y-intercepts, just set x = 0
y = -x²-4x-3, settting x to 0 y = -0²-4(0)-3, which is y = -3

so the sole y-intercept is at y = -3


now, let's get on to b)

b)   $\bf \textit{vertex of a parabola}\\\\ \begin{array}{lccclll} f(x)=&-1x^2&-4x&-3\\ &\uparrow &\uparrow &\uparrow \\ &a&b&c \end{array}\qquad \left(-\cfrac{{{ b}}}{2{{ a}}}\quad ,\quad {{ c}}-\cfrac{{{ b}}^2}{4{{ a}}}\right)$

and those are the coordinates, notice a = -1, b = -4 and c = -3

now, for

e)

well, all you have to do is, once you have the vertex, pick an x-value on the left-hand-side of the vertex, get they value for "y", or OUTPUT,

then pick another x-value, on the right-hand-side of the vertex, get the "y" value again, and plot away