Answer:
We have the points:
(-2,4), (-1, 1), (0, 0), (1, 1), (2, 4)
First, we can see a symmetry around the point (0, 0), then this is an even function. Where an even function is a function f(x) such that:
f(x) = f(-x)
And in this case we have:
f(-2) = 4 = f(2)
f(-1) = 1 = f(1)
Now, we can also assume that this is a quadratic function (or it behaves like a quadratic function near the range [-2, 2]).
Such that:
f(x) = a*x^2 + b*x + c
Now let's use the known points to find our equation, we start with (0, 0)
f(0) = 0 = a*0^2 + b*0 + c
then c = 0.
f(x) = a*x^2 + b*x
Now let's use the points (1, 1) and (-1, 1)
f(1) = a*1^2 + b*1 = 1 = a*(-1)^2 + b*-1
a + b = a - b
+b = -b
2*b = 0
Then we must have b = 0
f(x) = a*x^2
And now we can use the point (2, 4)
f(2) = 4 = a*2^2 = a*4
Then a = 1.
Our function is f(x) = 1*x^2
