Please help Without graphing, explain how you know the equation
y = - 1/2x^2 - 7 will be compressed
(compared to the parent function of y=x^2).

" because the coefficient of the x^2 term is less than 1 (between -1 and + 1)  

y = x^2 looks like a big U with the vertex (bottom) "kissing" the origin (0,0)

if you add 1 to the equation y = x^2 + 1 it shifts UP one  

if you subtract 3 y = x^2 -3 it shifts down three

if you change it to look like this y = (x+4)^2 it shifts (slides) to the LEFT 4 units..

note that this slide is opposite to the sign + 4 left slide , - 4 right slide...

NOW YOUR QUESTION if the coefficient is > 1  

y = 99 x^2 then the graph gets "skinny" goes up faster...

if it is less than one (between -1 past 0 to +1 ) then it flattens out

Bottom line here your coefficient is a "-1/2"  

so YOUR GRAPH IS A ∩ (goes downward) and is FLATTER than the normal ∪

I hope that this helps

Step-by-step explanation:

2. angles qrt and qst both measures 156 degrees.

step-by-step explanation:  

we have been given a diagram of a circle and we are told that measure of arc qvt is 156 degrees.  

we can see from our given diagram that angle qrt and angle qst subtends to arc qvt.

since we know that angles subtended by the same arc at the circumference are always equal.

by angle subtended by same arc theorem, measure of angle qrt and angle qst will be equal to the measure of arc qvt.

therefore, angles qrt and qst both measures 156 degrees and 2nd statement is the correct choice.