<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Vertical stretch or compression

In the equation f ( x ) = m x , the m is acting as the vertical stretch    or compression of the identity function. When m is negative, there is also a vertical reflection of the graph. Notice in [link] that multiplying the equation of f ( x ) = x by m stretches the graph of f by a factor of m units if m > 1 and compresses the graph of f by a factor of m units if 0 < m < 1. This means the larger the absolute value of m , the steeper the slope.

This graph shows seven versions of the function, f of x = x on an x, y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 8 to 8. The y-axis runs from negative 8 to 8. Seven multi-colored lines run through the point (0, 0). Starting with the lines in the top right quadrant and moving clockwise, the first line is f of x = 3 times x and has a slope of 3, the next line is f of x = 2 times x which has a slope of 2, the next line is f of x = x which has a slope of 1, the next line is f of x = x divided by 2 which has a slope of .5. The last line in this quadrant is f of x = x divided by 3 which has a slope of one third x. In the bottom right quadrant moving clockwise, the first line is f of x = negative x divided by 2, which has a slope of negative one half, the middle line is f of x = negative x which has a slope of negative 1, and the last line is f of x = negative 2 times x which has a slope of  negative 2.
Vertical stretches and compressions and reflections on the function f ( x ) = x

Vertical shift

In f ( x ) = m x + b , the b acts as the vertical shift    , moving the graph up and down without affecting the slope of the line. Notice in [link] that adding a value of b to the equation of f ( x ) = x shifts the graph of f a total of b units up if b is positive and | b | units down if b is negative.

This graph shows six versions of the function, f of x = x, on an x, y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 8 to 8, and the y axis runs negative 8 to 8. There are five lines parallel to each other. The first line extends from the bottom left quadrant to the upper right quadrant on the coordinate plane. This line shows f of x = x plus 4 which has a slope of 1 and a y-intercept at 4. The next line also extends from the bottom left quadrant to the upper right quadrant and shows f of x = x plus 2 which has a slope of 1 and a y-intercept at 2. The next and middle line, extends from the lower left quadrant, through the center of the graph at point (0, 0) to the upper right quadrant and shows f of x = x. The next line extends from the lower left quadrant, through the lower right quadrant to the upper right quadrant. This line shows f of x = x minus 2 which has a slope of 1 and a y-intercept at -2. The last line extends from the lower left quadrant, through the lower right quadrant to the upper right quadrant.This line shows f of x = x minus 4 which has a slope of 1 and a y-intercept at -4.
This graph illustrates vertical shifts of the function f ( x ) = x .

Using vertical stretches or compressions along with vertical shifts is another way to look at identifying different types of linear functions. Although this may not be the easiest way to graph this type of function, it is still important to practice each method.

Given the equation of a linear function, use transformations to graph the linear function in the form f ( x ) = m x + b .

  1. Graph f ( x ) = x .
  2. Vertically stretch or compress the graph by a factor m .
  3. Shift the graph up or down b units.

Graphing by using transformations

Graph f ( x ) = 1 2 x 3 using transformations.

The equation for the function shows that m = 1 2 so the identity function is vertically compressed by 1 2 . The equation for the function also shows that b = 3 so the identity function is vertically shifted down 3 units. First, graph the identity function, and show the vertical compression as in [link] .

This graph shows two functions on an x, y coordinate plane. One shows an increasing function of y = x divided by 2 that runs through the points (0, 0) and (2, 1). The second shows an increasing function of y = x and runs through the points (0, 0) and (1, 1)).
The function, y = x , compressed by a factor of 1 2

Then show the vertical shift as in [link] .

This graph shows two functions on an x, y coordinate plane. The first is an increasing function of y = x divided by 2 and runs through the points (0, 0) and (2, 1).  The second shows an increasing function of y = x divided by 2 minus 3 and passes through the points (0, 3) and (2, -2).  An arrow pointing downward from the first function  to the second function reveals the vertical shift.
The function y = 1 2 x , shifted down 3 units
Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Graph f ( x ) = 4 + 2 x using transformations.

This graph shows three functions on an x, y coordinate plane. One shows an increasing function y = x that passes through points (0, 0) and (2, 2).  A second shows an increasing function y = 2 times x that passes through the points (0, 0) and (2, 4).  The third is an increasing function y = 2 times x plus 4 and passes through the points (0, 4) and (2, 8).
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

In [link] , could we have sketched the graph by reversing the order of the transformations?

No. The order of the transformations follows the order of operations. When the function is evaluated at a given input, the corresponding output is calculated by following the order of operations. This is why we performed the compression first. For example, following the order: Let the input be 2.

f ( 2 ) = 1 2 ( 2 ) 3 = 1 3 = −2

Writing the equation for a function from the graph of a line

Earlier, we wrote the equation for a linear function from a graph. Now we can extend what we know about graphing linear functions to analyze graphs a little more closely. Begin by taking a look at [link] . We can see right away that the graph crosses the y -axis at the point ( 0 , 4 ) so this is the y -intercept.

This graph shows the function f of x = 2 times x plus 4 on an x, y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 10 to 10. The y-axis runs from negative 10 to 10. This function passes through the points (-2, 0) and (0, 4).

Then we can calculate the slope by finding the rise and run. We can choose any two points, but let’s look at the point ( 2 , 0 ) . To get from this point to the y- intercept, we must move up 4 units (rise) and to the right 2 units (run). So the slope must be

m = rise run = 4 2 = 2

Substituting the slope and y- intercept into the slope-intercept form of a line gives

Questions & Answers

how do you get the 2/50
Abba Reply
number of sport play by 50 student construct discrete data
Aminu Reply
width of the frangebany leaves on how to write a introduction
Theresa Reply
Solve the mean of variance
Veronica Reply
Step 1: Find the mean. To find the mean, add up all the scores, then divide them by the number of scores. ... Step 2: Find each score's deviation from the mean. ... Step 3: Square each deviation from the mean. ... Step 4: Find the sum of squares. ... Step 5: Divide the sum of squares by n – 1 or N.
kenneth
what is error
Yakuba Reply
Is mistake done to something
Vutshila
Hy
anas
hy
What is the life teble
anas
hy
Jibrin
statistics is the analyzing of data
Tajudeen Reply
what is statics?
Zelalem Reply
how do you calculate mean
Gloria Reply
diveving the sum if all values
Shaynaynay
let A1,A2 and A3 events be independent,show that (A1)^c, (A2)^c and (A3)^c are independent?
Fisaye Reply
what is statistics
Akhisani Reply
data collected all over the world
Shaynaynay
construct a less than and more than table
Imad Reply
The sample of 16 students is taken. The average age in the sample was 22 years with astandard deviation of 6 years. Construct a 95% confidence interval for the age of the population.
Aschalew Reply
Bhartdarshan' is an internet-based travel agency wherein customer can see videos of the cities they plant to visit. The number of hits daily is a normally distributed random variable with a mean of 10,000 and a standard deviation of 2,400 a. what is the probability of getting more than 12,000 hits? b. what is the probability of getting fewer than 9,000 hits?
Akshay Reply
Bhartdarshan'is an internet-based travel agency wherein customer can see videos of the cities they plan to visit. The number of hits daily is a normally distributed random variable with a mean of 10,000 and a standard deviation of 2,400. a. What is the probability of getting more than 12,000 hits
Akshay
1
Bright
Sorry i want to learn more about this question
Bright
Someone help
Bright
a= 0.20233 b=0.3384
Sufiyan
a
Shaynaynay
How do I interpret level of significance?
Mohd Reply
It depends on your business problem or in Machine Learning you could use ROC- AUC cruve to decide the threshold value
Shivam
how skewness and kurtosis are used in statistics
Owen Reply
yes what is it
Taneeya
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Algebra and trigonometry. OpenStax CNX. Nov 14, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11758/1.6
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Algebra and trigonometry' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask