IGCSE FM/C1 Sketching Graphs

Dr J Frost ([email protected])
Objectives: (from the IGCSE FM specification)

Last modified: 27th August 2015

Overview
Over the next 5 lessons: #2: Specific skills in sketching
(i) quadratics (ii) cubics and
#1: Shapes of graphs (iii) reciprocals
(quadratic, cubic, reciprocal)
and basic features (roots, y- C1 IGCSE FM
intercept, max/min points,
asymptotes)
C1 IGCSE FM

#4: Graph transformations

C1 only
#3: Piecewise functions
IGCSE FM only
#1 :: Features of graphs
There are many features of a graph that we might want to identify when sketching.

?
y-intercept?

y as ? ?
y as ? ?

Turning ?
Points?

Roots??
?
Asymptotes?
1
y= +2 ¿
𝑥 +2
! An asymptote is a straight line that a curve approaches at infinity (indicated by dotted line).
#1 :: Types of graphs
There are three types of graphs you need to be able to deal with
in C1 and/or IGCSE FM:
𝑦 𝑦 𝑦

𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
e.g. e.g. e.g.

Parabola Cubic Reciprocal

(Quadratic Equation)
At GCSE these were
previously centred at
the origin.
RECAP :: Sketching Quadratics
3 features needed in sketch? y

?
Roots

General shape:
? ?
y-intercept
Smiley face or hill?
Example 1
1. Roots
2. y-intercept
3. Shape: smiley face or hill?

2
𝑦=𝑥 − 𝑥− 2 ?
x
So if , i.e. , then or . -1 2

-2

When , clearly
.
Example 2
1. Roots
2. y-intercept
3. Shape: smiley face or hill?

= ? ? x
1 4

Bro Tip: We can tidy up

by using the minus on the -4
front to swap the order in
one of the negations.
Test Your Understanding So Far
2 2
𝑦 = 𝑥 + 3 𝑥+2 𝑦 =− 𝑥 +2 𝑥+ 8
Roots? x = -1,?-2 Roots? 𝑥=−2
? ,4
y-Intercept? y=2 ? y-Intercept? 𝑦 =8
?
or shape? ∪
? or shape? ∩ ?

y y
8

2
? ?
-2 -1
x -2
x
4
Graph Equation
𝑦 𝑦

1 𝑥 1 2 𝑥
−1 −
2 4 3

Find an equation for this curve, in the Find an equation for this curve, in the
form where are integers. form where are integers.

? ?
Understanding features of a quadratic
IGCSE FM June 2012 Paper 2 Q4

Positive (to give?shape)

Negative (this is?-intercept)

Since the solutions are the roots.

? one is
Thus (using the graph)
positive, one negative.

From graph, never drops

below -3, so 0?solutions.

Line is horizontal. So
tangent is ?
RECAP :: Using completed square for min/max

2
𝑦 =𝑥 − 6 𝑥 +10
2
¿ ( 𝑥 − 3? ) +1
How could we use this completed square to
find the minimum point of the graph? ?
(Hint: how do you make as small as possible in this
equation?)

Anything squared must be at least 0. So to make the RHS as small as

? when . When , .
possible, we want to be 0. This happens
Write down

! When we have a quadratic in the form:

The minimum point is .

 Complete the table, and hence sketch the graphs
Equation Completed x at graph y at graph y-intercept Roots?
Square min min
1 y = x2 + 2x + 5 y = (x + 1)2 + 4 -1 4 5 None

2 y = x2 – 4x + 7 y = (x –?2)2 + 3 2 ? 3 ? 7 ? None?

3 y = x2 + 6x – 27 y = (x +?3)2 – 36 -3 ? -36 ? -27 ? x = 3?or -9

1 2 3

7
-9 3
5
? ?
(-1,4) (2,3)
-27
(-3,-36)
Exercise 1 (Exercises on provided sheet)

Sketch the following parabolas, ensuring you (c)

1
indicate any intersections with the coordinate
axes. If the graph has no roots, indicate the
minimum/maximum point. 1
(a) 1

(d)
2
3

(b) − √3 √3
(e)

4
−5 1
−5 −1 4
Exercise 1 (Exercises on provided sheet)

2 Sketch the following parabolas. These have no 3 Find equations for the following
roots, so complete the square to identify the graphs, giving your answer in the
minimum/maximum point. form
(a)

a
6
(−1 , 5) ? −4 2
? 𝒙−𝟖
𝒚 =𝒙 +𝟐
𝟐

b
(b)
−2 5
2
7
?(2 , 3) c
𝒚=( 𝟐𝒙−𝟓
? )( 𝒙+𝟐 )
𝒚 =( 𝟓−𝒙? )( 𝒙+𝟑
−3 5
 Exercise 1 (Exercises on provided sheet)

4 [C1 May 2010 Q4] 5 [AQA] The diagram shows a

(a) Show that x2 + 6x + 11 can be written as quadratic graph that intersects the -
(x + p)2 + q, axis when and .
where p and q are integers to be found. (2) Work out the equation of the
quadratic graph, giving your answer
? in the form where are integers.

(b) Sketch the curve with equation

y = x2 + 6x + 11, showing clearly any
intersections with the coordinate axes. (2)
11
(− 3 , 2)?

(c) Find the value of the discriminant of

( 𝟐 𝒙 −𝟏? )( 𝒙 − 𝟓 )
x2 + 6x + 11. (2)
?
Exercise 1 (Exercises on provided sheet)

6 [Set 2 Paper 2] Here is a sketch of 7 A parabola has a maximum point

of .
(a) Given the quadratic equation is
(a) Write down the two solutions of of the form , determine and .

? of the line of
(b) Write down the equation
symmetry of
?
(b) Determine the discriminant.
?

?
#2b :: Sketching Cubics
A recap of their general shape from GCSE…

When When
y

? x ?

When When
y

? x ?
#2b :: Sketching Cubics
1. Is it uphill or downhill? Is the term + or -?
2. Consider the roots:
a) If appears once, the line crosses at .
b) If appears, the line touches at .
c) If appears, we have a point of inflection at .

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

? x ? x
-1 1 -2 1
More Examples
1. Is it uphill or downhill? Is the term + or -?
2. Consider the roots:
a) If appears once, the line crosses at .
b) If appears, the line touches at .
c) If appears, we have a point of inflection at .

𝒚 = 𝒙𝟐 ( 𝟐 − 𝒙 ) 𝒚 =( 𝒙 −𝟏 )𝟑
y y

? x
? x
-1 2 1
-1 A point of inflection is where the
curve changes from concave to
convex (or vice versa). Think of it as
a ‘plateau’ when ascending or
descending a hill.
Test Your Understanding
𝑦
Sketch , ensuring you indicate Suggest an equation for this
where the graph cuts/touches graph.
either axes. ?
𝑥
𝑦 -3

4
Sketch
? (hint: factorise first!)

-1
𝑥
2 𝑦

?
-3 3 𝑥
Quickfire Questions!
Sketch the following, ensuring you indicate the values where the line intercepts the axes.
3
1 𝑦 =(𝑥+2)(𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 −3) 4 𝑦 =𝑥 ( 1 − 𝑥 ) 𝑦 = ( 3 − 𝑥 )
2
6 27

-2 ? 1 3
? ? 3

2 𝑦 =𝑥 (𝑥 −1)(2 − 𝑥) 5 𝑦 =− 𝑥
3 7 𝑦 =( 𝑥+ 2 ) ( 𝑥 −1)
2

? 1 2

?
-2
?
1

-4

2
3 𝑦 =𝑥 ( 𝑥+ 1 ) 8 𝑦 =( 1 − 𝑥 ) (3 − 𝑥)
2

-1 ? ?
1 3
 Exercise 2 (Exercises on provided sheet)

1 [Set 1 Paper 2] Sketch the curve 2 a 𝑦 =𝑥 (2 𝑥 – 1)(𝑥+3)

? 0.5 3

b 𝑦 =𝑥 2(𝑥 +1)

-1 ?
?
12 3
c 𝑦 =( 𝑥+ 2 )
8

-2
?
2
d 𝑦 =( 2 − 𝑥 )( 𝑥 +3 )
18

-3
?
2
 Exercise 2 (Exercises on provided sheet)

[Set 4 Paper 2] A sketch of , where is [Set 2 Paper 2] Here is a sketch of

3 4
a cubic function, is shown.
where are constants.

There is a maximum point at .

(a) Write down the equation of the Work out the values of .
tangent to the curve at .
? ?
(b) Write down the equation of the
normal to the curve at .
?
 Exercise 2 (Exercises on provided sheet)

?
 Exercise 2 (Exercises on provided sheet)

6 Suggest equations for the following cubic graphs.

(You need not expand out any brackets)

a b

-4 -2 3
𝑦 =𝑥 ?( 𝑥+ 4)
2

𝑦 =( 𝑥+ 2?) ( 𝑥 − 3)
2

c d

-1 -3

? 1)
𝑦 =( 𝑥+
3

𝑦 =− 𝑥?( 𝑥 +3 )2
 Exercise 2 (Exercises on provided sheet)

?
#2c :: Reciprocal Graphs
𝑦

At GCSE, you encountered

‘reciprocal graphs’, with
equations of the form:
𝑥
where is a constant.

We’ll be able to sketch more complicated graphs of this form:

1 4 1
𝑦= 𝑦 = − 2 𝑦 =− +1
𝑥 −3 𝑥 𝑥+ 1
Example

Sketch Is there a value of for which is not

defined?
𝑦

We can’t divide by 0. This

occurs when . We draw a
dotted line (known as an
asymptote) and MUST give its 𝑥
equation. 1
−?
3
𝑥=3
The rest of the curve will be the same as
before (consider for example what
happens when or ).
YOU MUST WORK OUT THE INTERCEPTS.
Example
𝑦

Sketch
?
𝑥
−1

𝑥=−1
𝑦
Increasing the values

Sketch by 2 shifts the graph

up. We now have a
horizontal asymptote!
𝑦 =2
?
Note we now also have
a root, which we work 3 𝑥
−
out in the usual way by 2
solving
Test Your Understanding

Sketch Sketch

𝑦 𝑦
𝑥=−4

𝑥=2
7
2
9
4 𝑦 =3
? 𝑦 =2 ?
−
9 𝑥 7 𝑥
2 3
Exercise 3
1 Sketch the following, ensuring you (c)
𝑥=−𝑦
1
indicate the equation of any
asymptotes and the coordinates of 2
any points where the graph crosses ? 𝑥
the axes.
(a)
𝑦
(d) 𝑦
𝑥 =2
? 1
2
𝑥 1
2

(b)
𝑦 =− 2 ? 𝑥

𝑦 (e)
𝑥=−𝑦
3
𝑦 =1

−
1 ? 𝑥
3
−−?
11 𝑥
3
𝑦 =−1
Exercise 3
2

?
Exercise 3
3

?
Exercise 3
4

?
#3 :: Piecewise Functions
Sometimes functions are defined in ‘pieces’, with a different function for
different ranges of values.

Sketch >
Sketch >
Sketch >

(2, 9)

(0, 5)

(-1, 0) (5, 0)
Test Your Understanding

{
2
𝑥 0 ≤ 𝑥<1 Sketch
𝑓 (𝑥 )= 1 1 ≤ 𝑥 <2 Sketch

3−𝑥 2 ≤ 𝑥 <3 Sketch

This example
was used on the
specification
itself!

(1, 1) (2, 1)

(3, 1)
 Exercise 4 (Exercises on provided sheet)

1 [Jan 2013 Paper 2] A function is defined as: 2 [June 2013 Paper 2] A function is
defined as:
(a) Draw the graph of for
Draw the graph of for
(b) Use your graph to write down how many
solutions there are to 3 sols
(c) Solve
b?
c?

?
a?
 Exercise 4 (Exercises on provided sheet)

3 [Set 1 Paper 1] A function is defined as: 4 [Specimen 1 Q4] A function is defined

as:

Draw the graph of for .

Calculate the area enclosed by the
graph of and the axis.

? Sketch ?

Area =
?
Exercise 4 (Exercises on provided sheet)

5 [AQA Worksheet Q9] 6 [AQA Worksheet Q10]

Draw the graph of from .

1 2 3 4 5 3 7
-1 -1
?
-2 Show that
Area of
-3
Area of
-4 ?
#4 :: Graph Transformations – GCSE Recap
Suppose we sketch the function y = f(x). What happens when we sketch each of the
following?

𝒇 ( 𝒙 +𝟑) 3 ?
𝒇 ( 𝒙 −𝟐 ) 2 ?
𝒇 (𝟐 𝒙)  Stretch x by? factor of ½
𝒇 ( )𝒙
𝟑
↔ Stretch x by factor
? of 3

𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) +𝟒 ↑4 ?
𝟑 𝒇 (𝒙) ?
↕ Stretch y by factor of 3.

If inside f(..), affects x-axis, change is opposite.

If outside f(..), affects y-axis, change is as expected.
RECAP :: vs
We don’t have to reason about these any differently!

y = f(x) y
Bro Tip: Ensure
(2, 3) you also reflect
any min/max
points, intercepts
1
and asymptotes.
x

y = -1

𝑦 = 𝑓 (− 𝑥 ) 𝑦 =− 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )
y y
Change inside f
(-2, 3) y=1
brackets, so times
values by -1 x
1 ? -1 ?
Change outside f
x brackets, so times
y values by -1
y = -1 (2, -3)
Test Your Understanding
C1 Jan 2009 Q5
Figure 1 shows a sketch of the curve C with
equation y = f(x). There is a maximum at (0, 0),
a minimum at (2, –1) and C passes through (3, 0).

On separate diagrams, sketch the curve with

equation
(a) y = f(x + 3), (3)
(b) y = f(–x). (3)

On each diagram show clearly the coordinates of

the maximum point, the minimum point and any
points of intersection with the x-axis.

a? b?
Drawing transformed graphs
Bro Tip: To sketch many functions,
Sketch it’s best to start with a similar
simpler function (in this case ), then
consider how it’s been transformed.
y

? x
-1

If

gives you a translation right by 1

unit and 8 down.
Drawing transformed graphs
Sketch
(Hint: If , then what is the above function?)

𝑥=−1

-2 ? x
-0.5

𝑦 =−1
So translation 2 left 1 down.
 Test Your Understanding
C1 June 2009 Q10

a)
a?
b)
𝑦
c) If
Then

b? This is a translation right of 2.

c?
3
𝑥
2 5
 Exercise 5 (Exercises on provided sheet)

1 [C1 Jan 2011 Q5] Figure 1 shows a

sketch of the curve with equation where

The curve passes through the origin and

has two asymptotes, with equations y = 1
and x = 2, as shown in Figure 1.

(a) Sketch the curve with equation y = f(x

− 1) and state the equations of the
asymptotes of this curve. (3) ?
(b) Find the coordinates of the points
where the curve with equation
y = f(x − 1) crosses the coordinate axes.
(4)

?
Exercise 5 (Exercises on provided sheet)

[C1 May 2010 Q6] Figure 1 shows a sketch of the

curve with equation y = f(x). The curve has a ?
maximum point A at (–2, 3) and a minimum point B
at (3, – 5). On separate diagrams sketch the curve
with equation
(a) y = f (x + 3), (3) ?
(b) y = 2f(x). (3)

On each diagram show clearly the coordinates of the

maximum and minimum points. The graph of
?
y = f(x) + a has a minimum at (3, 0), where a is a
constant.
(c) Write down the value of a. (1)
Exercise 5 (Exercises on provided sheet)

?
[C1 May 2011 Q8]
Figure 1 shows a sketch of the curve C with equation
y = f(x). The curve C passes through the origin and
through (6, 0). The curve C has a minimum at the ?
point (3, –1).
On separate diagrams, sketch the curve with equation

(a) y = f(2x), (3)

(b) y = −f(x), (3) ?
(c) y = f(x + p), where 0 < p < 3. (4)

On each diagram show the coordinates of any points

where the curve intersects the x-axis and of any
minimum or maximum points.
Exercise 5 (Exercises on provided sheet)

?
[C1 May 2012 Q10] Figure 1 shows a sketch
of the curve C with equation y = f(x), where
f(x) = x2(9 – 2x)
There is a minimum at the origin, a maximum ?
at the point (3, 27) and C cuts the x-axis at the
point A.
(a) Write down the coordinates of the point A.
(b) On separate diagrams sketch the curve
with equation
(i) y = f(x + 3), (ii) y = f(3x). ?
On each sketch you should indicate clearly the
coordinates of the maximum point and any
points where the curves cross or meet the
coordinate axes. ?
The curve with equation y = f(x) + k, where k
is a constant, has a maximum point at (3, 10).
(c) Write down the value of k.
Exercise 5 (Exercises on provided sheet)

[Jan 2010 Q8] The curve has a

maximum point (–2, 5) and an
asymptote y = 1, as shown in Figure 1.
On separate diagrams, sketch the curve ?
with equation

(a) y = f(x) + 2, (2)

(b) y = 4f(x), (2)
(c) y = f(x + 1). (3)

On each diagram, show clearly the

coordinates of the maximum point and
the equation of the asymptote.
Exercise 5 (Exercises on provided sheet)

[C1 June 2008 Q3]

Figure 1 shows a sketch of the curve
with equation y = f(x). The curve passes
through the point (0, 7) and has a
minimum point at (7, 0). ?
On separate diagrams, sketch the curve
with equation
(a) y = f(x) + 3, (3)
(b) y = f(2x). (2)
On each diagram, show clearly the
coordinates of the minimum point and
the coordinates of the point at which the
curve crosses the y-axis.