GCSE: Transformations of

Functions
Dr J Frost ([email protected])
www.drfrostmaths.com

Last updated: 31st August 2015

Recap of functions

A function is something which provides a rule on how to

map inputs to outputs.

Input Output

f(x) = 2x
Input Output

x f 2x
Check Your Understanding

𝑓 ( 𝑥)=𝑥 2+2
Q1 What does this function do?
It squares the input?then adds 2 to it.

Q2 What is f(3)?
f(3) = 32 + 2 = 11 ?
Q3 What is f(-5)?
f(-5) = 27
?
Q4 If f(a) = 38, what is a?
a2 + 2 = 38
So a = 6 ?
Transformations of Functions
We saw that whatever is between the f( ) brackets is the input. If we were to
replace x with say 3, we saw that we just substitute x with 3 on the RHS to find
the output.

Given that the function f is defined as f(x) = x2 + 2, determine:

f(x + 1) = (x + 1)2 + 2
? +3
= x2 + 2x

f(x) + 3 = x2 + 2 + 3
= x2 + 5?

f(2x) = (2x)2 + 2
?
= 4x + 2
2

2f(x) = 2(x2 + 2)
?
= 2x2 + 4
Test Your Understanding
Given

Find:
?

?
Exercise 3
3 Given that , find:
1 Given that f(x) = cos(x), find:

f(2x) ?
= cos(2x) ?
f(x + 1) = cos(x?+ 1)
f(x) – 3 = cos(x)?– 3 ?
9f(x) ?
= 9cos(x)
f(0) =1 ? ?
2 Given that f(x) = x2, find: ?
f(2x) = (2x)2 =?4x2 ?
f(x + 1) = (x + 1)2 = ?
x2 + 2x + 1
f(x) – 3 = x2 – 3? 4 Given that , find:
9f(x) = 9x2 ?
f(4) = 16 ? ?
?
Given , find ?
? ?
Given , find
?
?
Transformations of Functions
Suppose f(x) = x2 ?2
Then f(x + 2) = (x + 2)

Sketch y = f(x): Sketch y = f(x + 2):

y y

2) 2
(x+
x2

? ?
y=

y=
x x
-2

What do you notice about the relationship between the

graphs of y = f(x) and y = f(x + 2)?
Transformations of Functions
This is all you need to remember when considering how transforming your
function transforms your graph...

!
Affects which axis? What we expect or opposite?
Change inside f( ) x ? Opposite ?
y
Change outside f( ) ? ?
What we expect

Therefore...

f(x + 2) ?
Shift left by 2 units.
f(x) + 4 Shift up by 4 units.
?
f(5x) Squash on x-axis?by factor of 5
2f(x) Stretch on y-axis?by factor of 2
Effect of transformation on specific points
What effect will the following transformations have on these points?

!
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
Exam Example

Shifts right
2 so:
?
(5, -4)

Shift left 5
?
and up 6:
(-2, 2)
Exercise B
Describe the affects of the following graph 3 The point (0, 0) on a curve y = f(x) is mapped to
1 transformations. the following points. Find the equation for the
translated curve.
Left 10 units. ?
Stretch by factor?
Squash by factor?
of 3 on y-axis. (4, 0) ?
of 2 on x-axis. (0, 3) ?
Move down 4 units. ? (-5, 0) ?
?
Stretched by factor of 2 on x-axis. (0, -1) ?
Squashed by a factor of 3 on
x-axis, and move?up 4 units.
(5, -3) ?
(-5, 2)
?
?
Reflected on y-axis.

?
Reflected on x-axis.
4
To what points will (-2, 0) on the curve y = f(x) be
transformed to under the following
To what point will (4, -1) on the curve y = f(x) be transformations?
2 transformed to under the following
transformations? ?
(-1, 0)
?
(-2, 0)
(2, -1)
?
(-6, 1)
?
(4, -5)
?
(-1, -1)
?
(3, 0)
(1, -2)
?
(2, 1)
(-2, 0) ?
(-4,?-1) ?
(4,? 1) 5 Find the equation of the curve obtained when
? is:
a) Translated 5 units up.
b) Translated 2 units right. ?
c) Reflected in x-axis. ?
?
Drawing Transformed Graphs
The graph shows the line with equation . On the same axis, sketch

has the effect

of:
Halving
?
The mark scheme
This point is will check you have
exactly on the
grid lines. Where
certain key points
does it end up? correct, so the key
is to identify points
exactly on the grid
and transform one
at a time.
Quickfire Transforms On provided sheet-ette
Quickfire Transforms On provided sheet-ette
f(-x) and –f(x)
Below is a sketch of y= f(x) where f(x) = (x – 2)2. Hence sketch the following.
y y
y=
f(-x

)
)

f(x

f(x
y=

y=
4 4

x x
-2 2 2

y=
Since the – is -4

-f(
outside the
Since the – is inside

x)
brackets, the
the brackets, the x
y values get
values get
multiplied by
multiplied by -1.
-1.

Click to Brosketch Click to Brosketch

y = f(-x) y = -f(x)
Describing Transforms

𝒙)
𝒉 𝑮

𝒇(
𝒚=
𝒑
𝑮𝒓𝒂

The blue graph shows the line with equation .

What is the equation of graph G, in terms of ?

The graph has moved 5 units to the left, so:

?
Quickfire Describing Transforms
Given the blue graph has equation , determine the equation of the red graph.

? 2)
𝑦= 𝑓 (𝑥−
𝑦 = 𝑓 ( 𝑥?) + 2

𝑦 = 𝑓 ( 2?𝑥 ) 𝑦=𝑓 ( 1
2 ?
𝑥)+1
GCSE: Transformations of Trig
Functions
Dr J Frost ([email protected])
Example
Bro Tip: The function
Below is a sketch of y = sin(x). Hence sketch the following. here is the sin. So
y=2 consider whether
y sin(x y
) 2
the change happens
2 inside or outside the
sin.

y = si y= y=
n(x + si n si n
9 0) ( x) ( x)
1 1

-360 -270 -180 -90 90 180 270 360

x -360 -270 -180 -90 90 180 270 360
x

-1 -1

-2 -2
Click to Brosketch Click to Brosketch
y = sin(x + 90) y = 2sin(x)
Example
Below is a sketch of y = sin(x). Hence sketch the following.
y y
2 2

y=1
y = si .5sin y=
n(2x) y = sin(x) ( x/2) si n
1 1 ( x)

-360 -270 -180 -90 90 180 270 360

x -360 -270 -180 -90 90 180 270 360
x

-1 -1

-2 -2
Click to Brosketch Click to Brosketch
y = sin(2x) y = 1.5sin(x/2)
Exercises
On printed sheets.
(File ref: GCSERevision-TrigGraphs)
Describing Transforms of Trig Graphs

The graph shows the line with equation .

Determine the constants and .

Helpful questions to ask yourself:

?
As the graph oscillates twice as much
(as values are halved)
• Usually the sine graph makes one full
oscillation every 360. How many
oscillations per 360 is it making here?
• sin usually has a range on the y-axis of
?
As range of -1 to 1 has increased to 0 to 2. -1 to 1. What is it here?
Describing Transforms of Trig Graphs

The graph shows the line with equation .

Determine the constants and .

𝑎= 2
?
?
?