Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

4 GRAPH
TRANSFORMS
Objectives
After studying this chapter you should

be able to use appropriate technology to investigate

graphical transformations;

understand how complicated functions can be built up from

transformations of simple functions;

be able to predict the graph of functions after various

transformations.

4.0

Introduction

You have already seen that the ability to illustrate a function

graphically is a very useful one. Graphs can easily be used to
explain or predict, so it is important to be able to sketch quickly
the main features of a graph of a function. New technology,
particularly graphic calculators, provides very useful tools for
finding shapes but as a mathematician you will still need to gain
the ability to understand what effect various transformations
have on the graph of a function. First try the activity below
without using a graphic calculator or computer.

Activity 1
You should be familiar with the graph of

y=x

y = x2 .
It is shown on the right. Without using any detailed calculations
or technology, predict the shape of the graphs of the following
(a) y = x 2 + 1
(d) y = (x 1)

(b) y = 2x 2
2

(e) y = (x + 1)

(c) y = 3x 2
2

(f) y =

1
x

(x 0) .

Now check your answers using a graphic calculator or

computer.

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Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

4.1

Transformation of axes

y = x +2

y=x

Suppose y = x 2 , then the graph of y = x 2 + 2 moves the curve up

by two units as is shown in the figure opposite. For any x value,
the y value will be increased by two units.

2
2

What does the graph of y = x + a look like?

x

What you are doing in the example above is equivalent to moving

the x axes down by 2 units, which you can see by defining
Y = y2.

Then Y = x 2 and you are back to the original equation.

3

Describe the graph of y = x + 1

This type of transformation
f (x) a f (x) + a

is called a translation of the graph by a units along the y-axis.

Example
Find the value of a so that
y = x 2 2x +a
just touches the x-axis.
y

y = x 2x

Solution
2
The graph of y = x 2x is shown opposite. From this, you can
see that it needs to be raised one unit, since its minimum value
of 1 is obtained at x = 1 . So the new equation will be

Y = x 2x + 1 .

-1

Note that the new Y function can be written as

Y = (x 1)2 0 for all x

Y = ( x 1)

and equality only occurs when x = 1 (as illustrated).

As well as translations along the y-axis, you can perform similar
operations along the x-axis.

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Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

Activity 2

Translations parallel to the x -axis

Again use the familiar y = x 2 curve, but this time write it as

f (x) = x

Evaluate f (x 2) . Sketch the graph of y = f (x 2) .

What is the relationship between this curve and the original.

If you know the shape of y = f ( x ), what does the graph of

y = f (x a) look like?
The transformation

f (x) a f (x a)
is a translation by a units along the x-axis.

Example
The function

f (x) is defined by

f (x) = x 3 3x 2 + 3x 1 .
By considering y = f (x + 1) , deduce the shape of the graph
of f ( x ) .
Solution
f ( x + 1) = ( x + 1) 3( x + 1) + 3( x + 1) 1
3

(x + 1)2 = (x + 1)(x + 1) = x 2 + 2x + 1
(x + 1)3 = (x + 1)(x + 1)2
= (x + 1)(x 2 + 2x + 1)
= x 3 + 3x 2 + 3x + 1
f (x + 1) = x 3 + 3x 2 + 3x + 1
3(x 2 + 2x + 1) + 3(x + 1) 1

y=x

= x 3 + x 2 (+3 3) + x(3 6 + 3) + 1 3 + 3 1
= x3

Hence y = f (x + 1) = x and this is illustrated opposite.

This means that f ( x ) must also have this shape, but moved one
unit along the x-axis.

3
2
y = x 3x + 3x 1

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Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

Activity 3
Using a graphic calculator or computer,
(a) illustrate the curves
y = x 3 and y = x 3 3x 2 + 3x 1
and hence verify the result in the sketch on the previous page;
(b) illustrate the curves
y = x 4 and y = x 4 8x 3 + 24x 2 32x + 16
and deduce a simpler form to write the second function.
Use x range 2 to 4 and y range 0 to 10.

Exercise 4A
2. Use a graph plotting device to illustrate the
graphs of

1. Without using a graph plotting device, draw

sketches of
f ( x), f ( x + 5), f ( x) + 5

f ( x) = x , g( x) = x + 2 x + 2 .
2

for the following functions

Hence or otherwise write g( x) in the form

f ( x + a) + b

(a) f ( x) = 2 x 1

by finding the constants a and b.

(b) f ( x) = x 1
2

3. If f ( x) = 1x , sketch the graphs of

(c) f ( x) = ( x 1) .
2

(b) f ( x 1)

(a) f ( x)

4.2

(c) f ( x 1) + 1 .

Stretches

In this section you will be investigating the effect of stretching

either the y- or x-axis.

Example
For the function

draw the graphs of

f (2x)

(b)

f ( 12 x ) (c) 2 f (x) (d)

1
2

f (x) .

Solution
(a)
(b)

52

y = x +1

y = 12 x + 1

y = f (x) = x + 1

(a)

y = 2x +1

f (2x) = 2x + 1
these are illustrated opposite
f ( 12 x) = 12 x + 1

1 120

Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

(c)
(d)

You should be beginning to get a feel for what the various types
of transformations do, and the next activity will help you to
clarify your ideas.

y = 12 ( x + 1)

1
1
2

-1

Activity 4

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

2 f (x) = 2(x + 1)
again illustrated opposite
1 f (x) = 1 (x + 1)
2
2

Stretches

For the function

y = f (x) = x + 1
2

draw the graphs of

1
2

(a) 2 f (x) (b)

f (x) (c)

f (2x) (d)

f ( 12 x) .

Use a graph plotting device to help you if you are not sure of
what the graphs look like.

The example and the activity have shown you that

y = f (x) is a stretch, parallel to the y-axis, by a factor

1
y = f ( x) is a stretch, parallel to the x-axis, by a factor

Example
If f (x) =

1
, illustrate
x

(a) 2 f (x)

(b) f ( 12 x) .
y

y=

Solution
(a) 2 f (x) =

(b)

f ( 12 x) =

2
; this is illustrated opposite.
x
1
( 12

x)

2
x

y = 1x

2
x

, which is identical to 2 f (x) .

For this rather special function, a stretch of factor parallel to

the y-axis is identical to a stretch of factor parallel to the xaxis.
Why are the two transformations identical for the function
y = 1x ?
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Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

Exercise 4B
3. For the function y = f ( x) , shown below, sketch
the curves defined by

1. For the function

f ( x) = 2 x 1

(a) y = f ( 12 x)

illustrate the graphs of

(a) f ( 12 x)

(b) f (2 x)

(c) 2 f ( x)

(d)

1
2

f ( x) .

2. For which of the following does the function

y = f ( x) remain unaltered by the transformation
y=

(b) y = 2 f ( x) .

f ( x)?

(a) f ( x) = x

(b) f ( x) = x + 1

2 x

-1

2
(d) f ( x) = x .

(c) f ( x) = x 2

4.3

Reflections
y = f ( x)

If f (x) = x + 1 , then the graph of f (x) = (x + 1) is seen to be a

reflection in the x-axis.

y = x +1

On the other hand

x

f ( x) = x + 1
can be seen to be a reflection in the y-axis.

y = f (x)

Activity 5

Reflections

For each of the functions below sketch (i) f (x)

(a)

f (x) = x

3
(b) f (x) = 2x + 1 (c) f (x) = x

(ii) f ( x) :
(d) f (x) =

1
.
x

Use a graphic calculator or computer to check your answers if

you have any doubt.

You have seen that

f ( x ) is a reflection in the y-axis

f ( x ) is a reflection in the x-axis
y

It is now possible to combine various transformations.

Example
If the graph of y = f (x) is shown opposite, illustrate the shape of

-2

-1

1
-1

y = 2 f ( x) + 3 .

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Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

Solution

To find f ( x) , you reflect in the y-axis to give the graph

opposite.

-1

-2

-1

y
2
1

The sketch of 2 f ( x) is shown opposite.

-2 -1

-1

This is a stretch of factor 2 along the y-axis.

-2

y
5
4
3

Finally adding 3 to each value gives the graph shown opposite,

y = 2 f ( x) + 3 .

1
-2

-1

Example
Sketch the graph of y =

2
+ 2.
x 1
y

Solution
Of course, you could find its graph very quickly using a graphic
calculator or computer. It is, though, instructive to build up the
sketch starting from a simple function, say
f (x) =

1
x

and performing transformations to obtain the required function.

In terms of f, you can write

y = 2 f (x 1) + 2 .
1

So you must first sketch y = f (x 1) as shown opposite.

55

Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

Now sketch y = 2 f (x 1) as shown opposite.

Finally you add 2 to the function to give the sketch opposite.

The ability to sketch curves quickly will be very useful

throughout your course of study of mathematics. Although
modern technology does make it much easier to find graphs, the
process of understanding both what various transformations do
and how more complex functions can be built up from a simple
function is crucial for becoming a competent mathematician.

Exercise 4C
1. The graph below is a sketch of y = f ( x) , showing
three points A, B and C.

2. Using the functions f ( x) = x , g( x) =

show how each of the following functions can be

expressed in terms of f or g. Hence sketch these
graphs.

y
A

(a) y = 2 x 2 + 1

C
Sketch a graph of the following functions:
(a) f ( x)

(b) 2 f ( x)

x
(c) f
3

(d)

(e) f ( x + 3)

(f) 2 f ( x + 1)

1
2

f ( x)

(g) f ( x) + 5 .
In each case indicate the position of A, B and C
on the transformed graphs.

56

1
x

(c) y =

1
( x + 4)

(b) y = 4 x 2
+ 2 ( x 4)

(e) y = x 2 + 2 x + 4 2.

(d) y =

2
x

+ 1 ( x 0)

Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

4.4

Miscellaneous Exercises

1. The function y = f ( x) is illustrated below.

y

2. Express each of the following functions in terms

2
of either f ( x) = x or g( x) = 1x .

(a) y( x) = 4 x + 1
2

(b) y( x) = 1 1
.
( x + 1) ( x 1)
3. Sketch the graph of

-1

Sketch the following functions:

(a) y = f ( x)

(b) y = f ( x)

(c) y = f ( x) + 1

(d) y = 2 f ( x) .

f ( x) =

1
( x 0).
x3

Show that

f ( x) = f ( x) .
What does this tell you about the function?

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Chapter 4 Graph Transforms

58