Lab 2

Shifting of Graphs
Activity 2.1
Shifting of graphs : f (x) + a

Steps
1. Draw the graph of f (x) = x2
2. Create a number slider a with increment 0.1
3. Draw the graph of g(x) = f (x) + a (Input:f+a)
4. Observe how the graph of g(x) changes according to a
5. Create input boxes for editing function ‘f’ and slider ‘a’
6. Do the above observations for different functions such as
|x|, [x], x3 etc
7. Save this as Activity 2.1

Apply trace to the graph and change value of slider using

Animation to get a pattern.
[Right click → trace on
Right click on the slider and turn on animation].

To erase the pattern , press ctrl+F

Observations

f(x) f(x)+a Domain Range Domain Range of Shifting

of f(x) of f(x) of f(x) + a f(x) + a
x2 x2 +a R [0,∞) R [a,∞) f(x) Shifted a units
verticaliy upwords
x2 x2 -a R [0,∞) R [-a,∞) f(x) Shifted a units
verticaliy downwords
‫׀‬x‫׀ ׀‬x‫׀‬+a R [0,∞) R [a,∞) f(x) Shifted a units
verticaliy upwords
‫׀‬x‫׀ ׀‬x‫׀‬-a R [0,∞) R [-a,∞) f(x) Shifted a units
verticaliy downwords

[x] [x]+a R Z R Z f(x) Shifted a units

verticaliy upwords
[x] [x]-a R Z R Z f(x) Shifted a units
verticaliy downwords
x3 x3 +a R R R R f(x) Shifted a units
verticaliy upwords
x3 x3 -a R R R R f(x) Shifted a units
verticaliy downwords

1 . Graph of f(x)+a is obtained by shifting the graph of f(x) by ‘a’

units vertically upwards if ‘a’ is positive and vertically
downwards if ‘a’ is negative.

2 . Realise that vertical shift doesn’t change the domain and may
change the range.

3 . f(x)+a represents a family of curves.

Activity 2.2
Shifting of graphs : f (x + a)
Steps
1. Open a new GeoGebra window.
2. Draw the graph of f(x) = x2 .
3. Create a number slider a with increment 0.1
4. Draw the graph of g(x) = f(x + a).
(Input: f(x+a))
5. Create input boxes for editing function f and slider a.
6. Observe how the graph of g(x) changes according to a.
7. Generalise the above observations with different functions
such as |x|, [x], x3 etc
8. Use the animation option to change the slider and apply
trace to the graph
9. Save this as Activity 2.2
Observations

f(x) f(x+a) Domain Range Domain Range of Shifting

of f(x) of f(x) of f(x + a) f(x + a)
x2 (x+a)2 R [0,∞) R [0,∞) f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards left
x2 (x-a)2 R [0,∞) R [0,∞) f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards right
‫׀‬x‫׀ ׀‬x+a‫׀‬ R [0,∞) R [0,∞) f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards left
‫׀‬x‫׀ ׀‬x-a‫׀‬ R [0,∞) R [0,∞) f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards rights
[x] [x+a] R Z R Z f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards left
[x] [x-a] R Z R Z f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards right
x3 (x+a)3 R R R R f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards left
x3 (x-a)3 R R R R f(x) shifted a units
parallel to x axis
towards right

1. Graph of f(x + a) is obtained by shifting the graph of f(x)

by ‘a’ units parallel to x axis towards left if ‘a’ is positive
and towards right if ‘a’ is negative.

2 . Realise that horizontal shift doesn’t change the range and may
change the domain.
3. f(x+a) represents a family of curves.
Activity 2.3
Reflection of a Graph: -f(x)
Steps
1. Open a new GeoGebra window.
2 Draw the graph of f(x) = x2
3. Draw the graph of g(x) = −f(x) (Input: -f)
4. Compare the graphs of f(x) and g(x).
5. Create an input box for f and change the function to
i) x2 + 2 ii) x2 − 1 iii) |x| − 1 iv) |x − 1|
v) [x] vi) x2 + 2x + 1 vii)1/x
6. Compare the graphs of f and g in each case.
Write your findings.
7. Save this as Activity 2.3
Observations

f(x) g(x)= -f(x) Domain Range Domain Range of

of f(x) of f(x) of g(x) g(x)
x2 -x2 R [0,∞) R (-∞,2]
x2+2 -(x2+2) R [2,∞) R (-∞,-2]
x2-1 -(x2-1) R [-1,∞) R (-∞,-1]

|x|-1 - (|x|-1) R [-1,∞) R (-∞,1]

|x -1| -(|x -1|) R [0,∞) R (-∞,0]

[x] -[x] R Z R Z
x2+2x -(x2+2x+1) R [-1,∞) R (-∞,-1]
+1
1/x -1/x R-{0} R-{0} R-{0} R-{0}

1 . Graph of −f (x) is obtained by reflecting the graph of f(x) on

x axis.
2 . Realise that reflection on x axis doesn’t change the domain
and may change the range
Activity 2.4
Reflection of a Graph: f(-x)
Steps
1. Open new GeoGebra window
2. Draw the graph of f (x) = x3
3. Draw the graph of g(x) = f (−x) (Input: f(-x))
4. Compare the graph of f (x) and g(x)
5. Create an input box for f and change the function to
i) 1/x ii) [x] iii) |x|
iv) x2 v) (x − 2)2
6. Compare the graphs of f and g in each case.
Write your findings.
7. Save this file as Activity 2.4
Observations

f(x) g(x)= f(-x) Domain Range Domain Range of g(x)

of f(x) of f(x) of g(x)
x3 - x3 R R R R
1/x -1/x R-{0} R-{0} R-{0} R-{0}
[x] [-x] R Z R Z
|x| |x| R [0,∞) R [0,∞)

x2 x2 R [0,∞) R [0,∞)

(x − 2)2 (x + 2)2 R [0,∞) R [0,∞)

1. Graph of f(−x) is obtained by reflecting the graph of f(x) on y
axis.
2. Realise that reflection on x axis doesn’t change the range and
may change the domain
3. . If f is even, f (−x) = f (x), which shows that reflection on y
axis doesn’t change the graph. So the graph of an even
function is symmetric with respect to y axis.
eg. x2 , |x| + 2 ,|x| etc.

. If f is odd, f (−x) = −f (x) ⇒ −f (−x) = f (x) which shows

graph of −f (−x) is obtained by reflecting the graph of f (x) on
x axis and then on y axis. So the graph of an odd function is
symmetric about the origin.
eg. X3 , 1/x , etc.

. There are functions which are neither odd nor even.

eg. x3 + 1, (x − 2)2, etc.