Lesson 1.

1
Parent Functions and
Transformations

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 Warm-Up

Plot the ordered pairs from the table in a coordinate plane. Connect them with a line.

x y x y

2 5 4 1

0 3 2 3

3 0 0 5

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Learning Target:
Graph and describe transformations of functions.

Success Criteria:
• I can identify the function family to which a function belongs.
• I can graph transformations of functions.
• I can explain how translations, reflections, stretches, and shrinks affect graphs of
functions.

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Explore It! Identifying Basic Parent Functions

Work with a partner.

a. Graphs of six basic parent functions are shown below. Classify each function as constant,
linear, absolute value, quadratic, square root, or exponential. Justify your reasoning.
i. y ii. y iii. y

2 2 2

−2 2 x 2 4 x −2 2 x

−2 −2 −2

MAKE A
CONNECTION
iv. y v. y vi. y
Can considering
2 2 2 the
domain and
− −2 2x −2 2 x –2 2 x range help you
−2 –2 –2
4
identify the graphs
of any of the
functions?
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Explore It! Identifying Basic Parent Functions

Work with a partner.

b. Sort the parent functions in part (a) into groups. Explain how you grouped the
functions.

c. What are the characteristics of the graphs of some of the basic parent functions?

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Identifying Function Families
Functions that belong to the same family share key characteristics. The parent function is
the most basic function in a family. Functions in the same family are transformations of their
parent function.

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 KEY
IDEA
Vocabulary
parent function, p. 4
transformation, p. 5
translation, p. 5 Parent Functions
reflection, p. 5
f(x) = │x│
Constant Linear Absolute Value Quadratic
f(x) = 1 f(x) = f(x) = x2
Family
vertical stretch, p. 6
vertical shrink, p. 6 Rule
x
Graph y y y y

x x
x x

Domain All real numbers All real numbers All real numbers All real numbers
Range y=1 All real numbers y 0 y 0

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 Example 1 Identifying a Function Family

Identify the function family to which f belongs.

Compare the graph of f to the graph of its
parent function.

SOLUTION
USE
STRUCTURE The graph of f is V-shaped, so f is an absolute
How can you use a value function.
function rule to identify
the function family?
The graph is shifted up and is narrower than
the graph of the parent absolute value function.
The domain of each function is all real numbers,
but the range of f is y 1 and the range of the
parent absolute value function is y 0.

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Identify the function family to which g belongs. Compare the graph of g to the graph of
its parent function.

1. y 2. y

g(x) = 4–(x − 3)2

6
1
6
4
4

g(x) = x + 2

−4
2
2 4 x
−2
−2
2 4 6 8 x

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Describing Transformations
A transformation changes the size, shape, position, or orientation of a graph. A translation is
a transformation that shifts a graph horizontally and/or vertically but does not change its size,
shape, or orientation.

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 Example 2 Graphing and Describing Translations

Graph g(x) x 4 and its parent function. Then describe

the transformation.

SOLUTION

The function g is a linear function with a slope

REMEMBER of 1 and a y-intercept of 4. So, draw a line
The slope-intercept form through the point (0, 4) with a slope of 1.
y = mx + b, where m is
of a linear equation is
The graph of g is 4 units below the graph of f(x) x
the slope and b is the the parent linear function f.
y-intercept.
So, the graph of g(x) x 4 is a vertical g(x) x 4
translation 4 units down of the graph of
the parent linear function.

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A reflection is a transformation that flips a graph over a line called the line of reflection.
A reflected point is the same distance from the line of reflection as the original point but
on the opposite side of the line.

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 Example 3 Graphing and Describing Reflections

Graph p(x) = −x2 and its parent function. Then describe the transformation.
SOLUTION
The function p is a quadratic function. Use a table of values to graph
each function.

x y x2 y x2
REMEMBER
The function p(x) = −x f(x) = x2
2
2 4 4
is written in function 1 1 1

p(x) =
notation, where p(x) is 0 0 0
−x2
another name for y.
1 1 1
2 4 4

The graph of p is the graph of the parent function flipped over the x-axis.
So, the graph of p(x) = −x2 is a reflection in the x-axis of the graph of
the parent quadratic function.
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Graph the function and its parent function. Then describe the transformation.

3. g(x) = x + 3 4. h(x) = (x − 2)2 5. n(x) = −│x│

6. Can you describe the transformation in Example 2 in a different way? Explain your
reasoning.

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 Another way to transform the graph of a function is to multiply all
STUDY TIP of the y-coordinates by the same positive factor. When the factor
To visualize a vertical is greater than 1, the transformation is a vertical stretch. When
stretch, imagine pulling the the factor is greater than 0 and less than 1, it is a vertical shrink.
points away from the x-axis.
y

To visualize a vertical shrink,

imagine pushing the points
toward the x-axis.
y

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Example 4 Graphing and Describing Stretches and Shrinks
Graph each function and its parent function. Then describe the transformation.
a. g(x) 2|x| b. h(x) x 2

SOLUTION
a. The function g is an absolute value function. Use a table of values to graph the functions.
g(x) 2|x|
x y |x| y 2|x|
2 2 4
1 1 2
0 0 0
1 1 2 f(x) |x|

2 2 4

The y-coordinate of each point on g is two times the y-coordinate of the corresponding point
on the parent function.
So, the graph of g(x) 2|x| is a vertical stretch of the graph of the parent absolute
value function by a factor of 2.
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Example 4 Graphing and Describing Stretches and Shrinks

b. The function h is a quadratic function. Use a table of values to graph the functions.
x y x2 y x2 f(x) =
x2
2 4 2
1 1
0 0 0
1 1
h(x) x2
2 4 2

The y-coordinate of each point on h is one-half of the y-coordinate of the corresponding

point on the parent function.
So, the graph of h(x) x2 is a vertical shrink of the graph of the parent quadratic function by
a factor of .

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Graph the function and its parent function. Then describe the transformation.

7. g(x) = 3x

8. h(x) = x2

9. c(x) = 0.2│x│

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Combinations of Transformations
You can use more than one transformation to change the graph of a function.

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Example 5 Describing Combinations of Transformations

Use technology to graph g(x) 3 and its parent function. Then describe the transformations.

SOLUTION

The function g is an absolute value function.

The graph shows that g(x) |x 5| 3

is a reflection in the x-axis followed by a
translation 5 units left and 3 units down of the
graph of the parent absolute value function.

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 Example 6 Modeling Real Life
The table shows the height y of a dirt bike x seconds after jumping off a ramp. What type of function
can you use to model the data? Estimate the height after 1.75 seconds.
SOLUTION
Time Height 1. Understand the Problem You are asked to identify the type of function
(seconds), x (feet), y that can model the table of values and then to find the height at a specific
0 8 2. time.
Make a Plan Create a scatter plot of the data. Then use the relationship
0.5 20 shown in the scatter plot to estimate the height after 1.75 seconds.
1 24
3. Solve and Check Create a scatter plot.
The data appear to lie on a curve that
1.5 20
resembles
2 8 a quadratic function. Sketch
So, you can model thethe curve.
data with a quadratic
function. The graph shows that the height is
about 15 feet after 1.75 seconds.
Check Reasonableness To check that your solution is reasonable, analyze

between 20 feet and 8 feet, and 8 ft < 15 ft < 20 ft. ✓

the values in the table. Because 1.75 is between 1.5 and 2, the height is

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Use technology to graph the function and its parent function. Then describe the
transformations.
10. h(x) = + 5

11. d(x) = 3(x − 5)2 − 1

12. g(x) = │2x│ − 3

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13. The table shows the amount of fuel in a chain saw after x minutes. What type of function
can you use to model the data? When will the tank be empty?

Time (minutes), x 0 10 20 30 40

Fuel remaining (fluid ounces), y 15 12 9 6 3

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Mini-Assessment

Identify the function family to which f belongs.

Compare the graph of f to the graph of its parent
function.
1. f(x) = –x 2
2. f(x) = x2 2

Use technology to graph the function and its parent

function. Then describe the transformations.
3. g(x) = 2│x│ 2
4. h(x) = 2.2 (x 2)2

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