Shifting Graphs

The graphs of many functions are transformations

of the graphs of very basic functions.

Example: y y = x2 + 3
The graph of y = x2 + 3 8
is the graph of y = x2 y = x2
shifted upward three units. 4

This is a vertical shift.

x
-4 4
The graph of y = –x2 is the -4
reflection of the graph of y = –x2
y = x2 in the x-axis. -8
Vertical Shifts
If c is a positive real number, the graph of f (x) + c
is the graph of y = f (x) shifted upward c units.

If c is a positive real number, the graph of f (x) – c

is the graph of y = f(x) shifted downward c units.
y
f (x) + c

f (x)
+c

-c f (x) – c
x
Example: Use the graph of f (x) = |x| to graph the
functions g(x) = |x| + 3 and h(x) = |x| – 4.

y
g(x) = |x| + 3
8
f (x) = |x|
4
h(x) = |x| – 4
x
-4 4

-4
Graphing Utility: Sketch the graphs given by
y  x , y  x  1, and y  x 2  3.
2 2

y  x 2+1

–5 5

y  x2

y  x2  3
–4
Horizontal Shifts

If c is a positive real number, then the graph of

f (x – c) is the graph of y = f (x) shifted to the right
c units.
y
If c is a positive real -c +c
number, then the
graph of f (x + c) is
the graph of y = f (x)
shifted to the left x
c units. y = f (x + c) y = f (x) y = f (x – c)
Example: Use the graph of f (x) = x3 to graph
g (x) = (x – 2)3 and h(x) = (x + 4)3 .
y
f (x) = x3

-4 4
x

h(x) = (x + 4)3 g(x) = (x – 2)3

 Graphing Utility: Sketch the graphs given by
y  x , y  (x  3) , and y  (x  1) 2.
2 2

y  (x  3) 2

y  (x  1) 2

y  x2
–5 6

–1
 Example: Graph the function y = x + 5 − 4
using the graph of y = x .

First make a vertical shift Then a horizontal shift 5

4 units downward. units left.
y y
4 y= x 4
(4, 2) y = x+5 −4
(0, 0)
x x
-4 -4

(4, –2) y = x −4 (–1, –2)

(0, – 4) (– 5, –4)
The graph of a function may be a reflection of the
graph of a basic function.
y

The graph of the

function y = f (–x) y = f (–x) y = f (x)
is the graph of
x
y = f (x) reflected
in the y-axis. y = –f (x)

The graph of the function y = –f (x)

is the graph of y = f (x) reflected in the x-axis.
Example: Graph y = –(x + 3)2 using the graph of y = x2.

First reflect the graph Then shift the graph

in the x-axis. three units to the left.
y y

4 y = x2 4

(–3, 0)
x x
–4 4 4

-4
y = – (x + 3)2
y = –x 2
Vertical Stretching and Shrinking
If c > 1 then the graph of y = c f (x) is the graph of y = f (x)
stretched vertically by c.

If 0 < c < 1 then the graph of y = c f (x) is the graph of y = f (x)

shrunk vertically by c.

y = x2 y y = 2x2
Example: y = 2x2 is the
graph of y = x2 4
stretched vertically by 2.
1 2
1 2 y= x
y = x is the graph of y = x2 4
4 1
shrunk vertically by . x
4 –4 4
Horizontal Stretching and Shrinking
If c > 1, the graph of y = f (cx) is the graph of y = f (x)
shrunk horizontally by c.

If 0 < c < 1, the graph of y = f (cx) is the graph of y = f (x)

stretched horizontally by c.

Example: y = |2x| is the y y = |2x|

graph of y = |x| shrunk y = |x|
horizontally by 2. 4 1
y= x
1 2
y = x is the
2
graph of y = |x| stretched
1 x
horizontally by 2 . -4 4
Graphing Utility: Sketch the graphs given by
yx, 3
y  10x , and
3
y  1 x 3
.
10
5

y  10x 3

y  1 x3
10 –5 5

y  x3
–5
 1
Example: Graph y = ( x + 1) + 3 using the graph of y = x3.
3

2
Graph y = x3 and do one transformation at a time.
y y
8 8

4 4

x x
4 4

-4 -4
1
Step 3: y = ( x + 1) 3
Step 1: y = x3 2
1
Step 2: y = (x + 1)3 Step 4: y = ( x + 1) 3 + 3
2