Sketching Curves

Sketching Cubics A cubic graphs will take one

of the following shapes
You need to be able to sketch
equations of the form:

y  ax 3  bx 2  cx  d For any x3

or

y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r)

For any -x3

 Plotting graphs
x –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
y =x3 –7x +2 –4 8 8 2 –4 –4 8

y
The points given in 10

the table are plotted 8

… and the points are 6

then joined together 4

2
with a smooth curve.
The shape of this –3 –2 –1 0
–2
1 2 3 x

graph is –4

characteristic of a
cubic function.
When the general shape of a graph is known
it is more usual to sketch the graph.
Points where the curve intercepts the y-axis
These are found by putting x = 0 in the equation of the graph.
Points where the curve intercepts the x-axis
These are found by putting y = 0 in the equation of the graph.
The value of y when x is very large and positive
The value of y when x is very large and negative
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch
equations of the form:
y  ( x  2)( x  1)( x  1)

3 2
If y = 0
y  ax  bx  cx  d
0  ( x  2)( x  1)( x  1)
or
So x = 2, 1 or -1
y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r) (-1,0) (1,0) and (2,0)

If x = 0
y  (0  2)(0  1)(0  1)
So y = 2
(0,2)
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch
equations of the form:
y  ( x  2)( x  1)( x  1)
(-1,0) (1,0) (2,0) (0,2)
3 2
y  ax  bx  cx  d y
or
2
y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r)
x
-1 1 2

If we substitute in x = 3, we get a value of y = 8.

The curve must be increasing after this point…
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch
equations of the form:
y  ( x  2)(1  x)(1  x)

3 2
If y = 0
y  ax  bx  cx  d
0  ( x  2)(1  x)(1  x)
or
So x = 2, 1 or -1
(-1,0) (1,0) and (2,0)
y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r)
If x = 0
y  (0  2)(1  0)(1  0)
So y = -2
(0,-2)
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch
equations of the form:
y  ( x  2)(1  x)(1  x)
(-1,0) (1,0) (2,0) (0,-2)
3 2
y  ax  bx  cx  d y
or

y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r)

x
-1 1 2
-2

If we substitute in x = 3, we get a value of y = -8.

The curve must be decreasing after this point…
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch
equations of the form: y  ( x  1) 2 ( x  1)

3 2
If y = 0
y  ax  bx  cx  d
0  ( x  1) 2 ( x  1)
or
So x = 1 or -1
(-1,0) and (1,0)
y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r)
If x = 0

y  (0  1) 2 (0  1)
So y = 1
(0,1)
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch
equations of the form: y  ( x  1)2 ( x  1)
(-1,0) (1,0) (0,1)
3 2
y  ax  bx  cx  d y
or
‘repeated
y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r) root’
1

x
-1 1

If we substitute in x = 2, we get a value of y = 3.

The curve must be increasing after this point…
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch y  x3  2 x 2  3x
equations of the form: Factorise
2
y  x( x  2 x  3)
Factorise
3 2
y  ax  bx  cx  d y  x( x  3)( x  1) fully

or If y = 0

0  x( x  3)( x  1)
y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r) So x = 0, 3 or -1
(0,0) (3,0) and (-1,0)
If x = 0
y  0(0  3)(0  1)
So y = 0
(0,0)
 Sketching Curves
Sketching Cubics Example
Sketch the graph of the function:
You need to be able to sketch y  x3  2 x 2  3x
equations of the form:
(0,0) (3,0) (-1,0)
3 2
y  ax  bx  cx  d y
or

y = a(x – p)(x – q)(x – r)

x
-1 0 3

If we substitute in x = 4, we get a value of y = 20.

The curve must be increasing after this point…