a place of mind FA C U LT Y O F E D U C AT I O N

Department of
Curriculum and Pedagogy

Mathematics
Transformation of Functions
Science and Mathematics
Education Research Group

Supported by UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund 2012-2014

Transformation of Functions
 Summary of Transformations

Vertical Translation Horizontal Translation

g ( x)  f ( x )  k g ( x)  f ( x  k )
k > 0, translate up k > 0, translate right
k < 0 translate down k < 0 translate left

Reflection across x-axis Reflection across y-axis

g ( x)   f ( x) g ( x)  f (  x)
y-values change sign x-values change sign

Vertical stretches Horizontal stretches

 x
g ( x)  k  f ( x) g ( x)  f  
k
k > 1, expansion k > 1, expansion
0 < k < 1 compression 0 < k < 1 compression
 Standard Functions
You should be comfortable with sketching the following functions by hand:
f ( x)  x 2 f ( x)  x 3 f ( x)  x

f ( x)  e x f ( x)  sin( x)
 Note on Terminology

This question set uses the following definitions for horizontal and vertical
stretches:

Vertical stretches: Horizontal stretches:

 x
g ( x)  k  f ( x) g ( x)  f  
k
k > 1, expansion k > 1, expansion
0 < k < 1 compression 0 < k < 1 compression

For example, a vertical stretch by a factor of 0.5 is a compression, while a

stretch by a factor of 2 is an expansion.
Other resources might say “a vertical compression by a factor of 2,”
implying that the reciprocal must be taken to determine the stretch factor.
 Transformations on
Functions
The graph to the right shows the
function f ( x)  x 2 after two
transformations are applied to it.
Which one of the following
describe the correct
transformations applied to f ?
A. Horizontal translation -6 units,
vertical translation -8 units
B. Horizontal translation 6 units,
vertical translation 8 units
C. Horizontal translation 3 units,
vertical translation 4 units
D. Horizontal translation -3 units,
vertical translation -4 units
 Solution

Answer: A
Justification: Consider the point
(0,0) from y  x 2 . It is easiest to
determine how the vertex has been
translated. The new vertex is
located at (-6, -8).
-6
Moving the function 6 units to the (0, 0)
left corresponds to a horizontal
translation by -6 units. -8

Moving 8 units down corresponds to

vertical translation by -8 units. (6,8)
 Transformations on
Functions II

The graph shown represents the

equation y  x 2 after it has been g (x)
translated 6 units to the left and
8 units down.
What is the equation of this
function?
A. g ( x)  ( x  6) 2  8
B. g ( x)  ( x  6) 2  8
C. g ( x)  ( x  6) 2  8
D. g ( x)  ( x  6) 2  8
E. None of the above
 Solution

Answer: B
Justification: We begin with the base equation of f ( x)  y  x 2
Recall that for horizontal translations, we replace x with x  k . For
vertical translations, we replace y with y  k .
Apply each substitution to the base equation to determine the final
equation:
y  x2 Base equation
y  ( x  (6)) 2 Replace x with x  (6) ; horizontal
translation by -6 units (left)
y  ( x  6) 2
y  (8)  ( x  6) 2 Replace y with y  (8) ; vertical
y  ( x  6) 2  8 translation by -8 units (down)
g ( x )  ( x  6) 2  8 Recall: the transformed function is labelled g
 Transformations on
Functions III

The function f ( x)  x is
translated to form g (x) (red).
What is the equation of g (x) ?

A. g ( x)  x  4  5
B. g ( x)  x  5  4
C. g ( x)  x  4  5
D. g ( x)  x  5  4
E. None of the above
 Solution

Answer: A
Justification: Determine where the
point (0, 0) in f ( x)  x gets translated.
This point is now located at (-4, 5). This (4, 5)
is a horizontal translation by -4 units
(left), and vertical translation by 5 units 5
(up). Note: The order that the
translations are applied does not matter. -4

f ( x)  y  x Base equation
y  x  (4) Replace x with x  (4)
y 5  x  4 Replace y with y  5
g ( x)  x  4  5
 Transformations on
Functions IV

The function f ( x)  x is first

3

reflected in the x-axis, and then

translated as shown.
What is the equation of the new
function, g (x)?

A. g ( x)  ( x  2) 3  1
B. g ( x)  ( x  2)3  1
C. g ( x)  ( x  2)3  1
D. g ( x)  ( x  2) 3  1
E. g ( x)  ( x  2) 3  1
 Solution

Answer: C
Justification: Recall that reflections
across the x-axis require replacing y
with -y. Use the point (0, 0) on the
(2, 1)
graph y  x 3 in order to determine how
cubic functions are translated. 1
2
Perform the substitutions:
f ( x)  y  x 3 Base equation
 y  x3 Replace y with  y
y   x3
y   ( x  2) 3 Replace x with x  2 ; translate 2 units right
y  1   ( x  2) 3 Replace y with y  1 ; translate 1 unit up
g ( x )   ( x  2) 3  1
 Transformations on
Functions V

The function f ( x)  x is first

2

reflected in the x-axis and then g ( x)  ( x  4) 2  6

translated 4 units right and 6
units up to give g (x).
Would the resulting function be
different if it were translated first,
and then reflected in the x-axis?
A. Yes
B. No
 Solution

Answer: A
Justification: Draw the graph of g (x) if translations were done first
before the reflection and compare with the given graph:

g (x)

Base graph Translate 4 right; Reflect across x-

6 up axis
Instead of finishing 6 units up, g (x) was translated 6 units down.
 Alternative Solution

Answer: A
Justification: Determine the equation of g (x) if the translation
substitutions are done first before the reflection.
f ( x)  y  x 2 Base equation
y  ( x  4) 2 Replace x with x  4 ; translate 4 units right
y  6  ( x  4) 2 Replace y with y  6 ; translate 6 units up
 y  ( x  4) 2  6 Replace y with  y ; reflection in the x-axis
g ( x )   ( x  4) 2  6
Since the reflection was done after translating 6 units up, the
negative sign from the reflection also changes the sign of the vertical
translation. Compare this to the original equation:
g ( x)  ( x  4) 2  6
 Transformations on
Functions VI

The function f ( x)  ln( x) is reflected in the y-axis, and then

translated left 2 units and up 4 units. Which of the following sets
of transformations will result in the same function as the
transformations outlined above?

A. Translate up 4 units, translate left 2 units, reflect in y-axis

B. Translate up 4 units, translate right 2 units, reflect in y-axis
C. Translate down 4 units, translate left 2 units, reflect in y-axis
D. Translate down 4 units, translate right 2 units, reflect in y-axis
E. More than 1 of the above are correct

(Notice that the reflection is done after the translations)

 Solution

Answer: B Translate up 4 units, translate right 2 units, reflect in y-axis

Justification: Notice that when a y-axis reflection is done at the

after a horizontal translation, the direction of the translation also gets
reflected.
Example:
4 units up 2 units right Reflect y-axis
(1, 0) (1, 4) (3, 4) (-3, 4)

Reflect y-axis 4 units up 2 units left

(1, 0) (-1, 0) (-1, 4) (-3, 4)

The next slide shows how making the transformation substitutions

into the equations results in the same function.
 Solution Continued

Answer: B Translate up 4 units, translate right 2 units, reflect in y-axis

Justification: First find the equation of the function we are trying to

match: f ( x)  y  ln( x) Base equation
y  ln(  x) Replace x with  x ; reflect in y-axis
y  ln  ( x  (2)) Replace x with x  (2) ; 2 units left
y  4  ln  ( x  2) Replace y with y  4; 4 units up
g ( x)  ln  x  2  4
If the reflection is done at the end:
y  ln( x)
y  4  ln( x) Replace y with y  4 ; 4 units up
y  ln( x  2)  4 Replace x with x  2 ; 2 units right
y  ln ( x)  2  4 Replace x with  x ; reflect in y-axis
y  ln  x  2  4
 Transformations on
Functions VII
The graph f ( x)  1  x 2 is
shown in red. It is then reflected
in the x-axis, reflected in the y-
axis, and translated to the right
by 1 unit. Which graph A. B.
represents f (x) after these
transformations?
A. Blue graph
B. Green graph
C. Purple graph
C. D.
D. Orange graph
E. None of the graphs
 Solution

Answer: D
Justification: The transformations can be performed as shown in
the graph below. Notice that reflection in y-axis has no effect on the
graph, since the graph has a line of symmetry across the y-axis.
The factor of -1 from the reflection in y-
axis is inside a square, and therefore
does not change the function. All the
equations below are equivalent:
g ( x)   1  (( x  1)) 2

Reflect in x- Horizontal   1  ( x  1) 2
axis translation
  1  ( x  1) 2
 Transformations on
Functions VIII
The function f ( x)  x3  x 2  x  1 is reflected in the x-axis, and then
reflected in the y-axis. What is the equation of the resulting
function, g (x) ?

A. g ( x)  x 3  x 2  x  1
B. g ( x)   x 3  x 2  x  1
C. g ( x)  x 3  x 2  x  1
D. g ( x)   x 3  x 2  x  1
E. g ( x)  x 3  x 2  x  1
 Solution

Answer: E
Justification: Perform the transformation substitutions:

f ( x)  y  x 3  x 2  x  1 Base equation
 y  x3  x 2  x 1 Replace y with  y ; reflect in x-axis
y   x3  x 2  x  1 Move the negative from left to right
y  (  x ) 3  (  x ) 2  (  x )  1 Replace x with  x ; reflect in y-axis
g ( x)  x 3  x 2  x  1

Remember than ( x) n is positive when n is even, negative when n is

odd.
 Transformations on
Functions IX
The function f ( x)  x3 is
expanded horizontally by a
factor of 2. It is then
translated horizontally by -2
units. What is the equation of
this function?
A. g ( x)  8( x  2) 3
1
B. g ( x)  ( x  2) 3
8
C. g ( x)  (2 x  2) 3
3
1 
D. g ( x)   x  2 
2 
E. g ( x)  (2 x  4) 3
 Solution

Answer: B
Justification: Recall that for horizontal stretches by a factor of k, we
x
replace x with .
k
f ( x)  y  x 3 Base equation
3
 x x
y  Replace x with ; horizontal stretch by 2
2 2
 x  (2) 
3

y  Replace x with x  (2); shift left by 2

 2 

g ( x) 
 x  2
3
We can then take the denominator out by
8 cubing it
 Transformations on
Functions X
The function f ( x)  4  ( x  1) 2
is shown in red. It is then
stretched vertically by 2, and
horizontally by 0.5. Which is
the correct resulting graph?

A. Blue graph
B. Green graph
C. Purple graph
D. Orange graph
E. None of the graphs
 Solution

Answer: B
Justification: A vertical stretch by 2 multiplies all y-values by 2. A
horizontal stretch by 0.5 divides all x-values by 2.

Correct: Note how (-3, 0) moves to Incorrect: Even though the graph is
(-1.5, 0) and (1, 0) moves to (0.5, 0). scaled correctly, notice how the point
The graph is scaled correctly. (1, 0) incorrectly moves to (0, 0)
 Transformations on
Functions XI
The two functions f (x)
and g ( x)  a  f (bx) are shown
to the right.
g (x)
What are values of a and b?

A. a  1, b  2
1
B. a  1, b 
2
C. a  2, b  1
1 f (x)
D. a  , b  1
2
E. a  2, b  1
 Solution

Answer: A
Justification: Pick a few test points on f (x) and note how they are
transformed: 1. (3, 0)  (1.5, 0) 3. (1,1)  (0.5, 1)
2. (1,1)  (0.5, 1) 4. (2,3)  (1, 3)
Since the x-coordinates are reduced
g (x) by a half and the y-coordinates change
signs, the transformations are:
1. Reflection across x-axis
3.
Horizontal compression by 0.5.
2. f (x)
g ( x)  1 f (2 x)
4.
a  1, b  2
 Transformations on
Functions XII

The point P(a, b) is on the function f (x) . If g ( x)  2 f (1  x)  3,

where is point P on g (x) ?

A. (a  1, 2b  3)
B. (a  1,  2b  3)
C. (a  1, 2b  3)
D. (a  1,  2b  3)
E. None of the above
 Solution

Answer: C
Justification: It may be helpful to write g (x) as: g ( x)  2 f (1  x)  3
 2 f  ( x  1)   3

Work backwards from the transformation substitutions to determine

the transformations applied to f (x) :
Vertical expansion by 2 g ( x)  2 f ( x) g ( x)  2 f ( x)
Reflection in y-axis g ( x)  f (  x)  2 f ( x)
Translate 3 units up g ( x)  f ( x )  3  2 f ( x)  3
 2 f (( x  1)  3
Translate 1 unit right g ( x)  f ( x  1)
The point P(a, b) will then be located at (a  1, 2b  3) .