Week 3

Topic 2. Transformation of Functions (Stewart, pp. 36 – 45)

1 Transformations
Vertical and horizontal shifting
Suppose c > 0. To obtain the graphs of
• y = f (x) + c, shift the graph of f (x) with c units upwards
• y = f (x) − c, shift the graph of f (x) with c units downwards
• y = f (x − c), shift the graph of f (x) with c units to the right
• y = f (x + c), shift the graph of f (x) with c units to the left
y = f (x) + c

y = f (x)

y = f (x + c)
y = f (x − c)

y = f (x) − c

Vertical and horizontal stretching

Suppose c > 1. To obtain the graphs of
• y = cf (x), stretch the graph of f (x) vertically by a factor of c
1
• y = f (x), shrink the graph of f (x) vertically by a factor of c
c
• y = f (cx), shrink the graph of f (x) horizontally with a factor of c
• y = f xc , stretch the graph of f (x) horizontally with a factor of c

y = 2 sin θ
1
2 y= 2 sin θ
1 0.5
π π 3π 2π −0.5 π π 3π 2π
−1 2 2 2 2
−2

1
 θ


y = sin 2
y = sin(2θ)
1 1

π 2π 3π 4π π 2π
−1 −1

Reflections
To obtain the graphs of
• y = −f (x), reflect the graph of y = f (x) around the x-axis
• y = f (−x), reflect the graph of y = f (x) around the y-axis

y = f (x) y = −f (x) y = f (−x)

4 1 4 4

−4
1 4 −4 −1

2 Examples
Example 1. Sketch the graph of the function f (x) = x2 + 6x + 10 by using the graph of y = x2

Solution: First, complete the square:

x2 + 6x + 10 = (x + 3)2 − 9 + 10 = (x + 3)2 + 1

We then start with the graph of y = x2 , and build step-by-step the larger expression and observe
what happens with the corresponding graphs:

y = x2 y = (x + 3)2 y = (x + 3)2 + 1

9 10

-3 -3

3−x 1
Example 2. Sketch the graph of f (x) = by using the graph of y =
x+1 x

2
Solution: Write the function as
3−x 3 − (x + 1) + 1 4
f (x) = = = −1 +
1+x x+1 x+1

1 1 4
y= y= y= 4
x x+1 x+1 y = −1 +
x+1

1 4
−1
−1 −1

-1

The y-intercept in the last graph is 3, and the x-intercept is 3.

Example 3. Sketch the graph of f (x) = 4 − |x + 1| by using the graph of |x|

Solution: We follow the same method:

y = |x| y = |x + 1| y = −|x + 1| y = 4 − |x + 1|
−1 4
3
1
−1
-5 -1 3
−1

Vir y = 4 − |x + 1|,
x-intercept:
y-intercept:
4 − |x + 1| = 0 =⇒ |x + 1| = 4
4 − |0 + 1| = 4 − 1 = 3 =⇒ x+1=4 or x + 1 = −4
=⇒ x=3 or x = −5
√ √
Example 4. Sketch the graph of f (x) = 3 − 4 − x with the help of the graph of x

Solution: Again, step-by-step

√ √ p √ √
y= x y =3− −x y = − −(x − 4) y =− 4−x y =3− 4−x

2 4
1

4 −2 4

3
3 More difficult examples
Example 5. Sketch the graph of f (x) = 4 − |x + 1|

Solution: First, sketch the graph of g(x) = 4 − |x + 1|

From a previous exercise, the graph is

4
3

-5 -1 3

The graph of f (x) = |g(x)| is obtained from the graph of g(x) by reflecting all the negative y-values
around the x-axis:

4
3

-5 -1 3

p
Example 6. Sketch the graph of f (x) = 3 + 2 − |x + 1|
 p √
3 + p2 − (x + 1) = 3 + 1 − x as x ≥ −1
Solution: Notice that f (x) = √
3 + 2 + (x + 1) = 3 + 3 + x as x < −1
With our techniques, can sketch both pieces:

√ √
y =3+ 1−x y =3+ 3+x
√

√
−1, 3 + 2 √
4 3+ 3
−1, 3 + 2
(1, 3) (−3, 3)

−1 1 −3 −1

We are only interested in the first graph for x ≥ −1 and in the second graph for x < −1. Putting
these two parts together gives:
√

−1, 3 + 2

p
y =3+ 2 − |x + 1|
(−3, 3) (1, 3)

−3 −1 1