Guidelines for Sketching a Curve (1)

The following checklist is intended as a guide to sketching a curve by hand. Not

every item is relevant to every function. (For instance, a given curve might not
have an asymptote or possess symmetry.) But the guidelines provide all the
information you need to make a sketch that displays the most important aspects of
the function.
A. Domain

B. Intercepts

(i) x- intercepts

(ii) y-intercepts

C. Symmetry
(i) Even Function
(ii) Odd Function
(iii) Periodic Function

D. Asymptotes

(i) Horizontal Asymptotes

(ii) Vertical Asymptotes
(iii) Slant Asymptotes
E. Continuity
F. Intervals of Increase or decrease

G. Local Maximum and minimum values

H. Concavity and point of inflection

Example: Sketch the graph of the equation (2)

y = 𝑥 3 − 3x + 2
and identify the locations of the intercepts, relative extrema, and inflection points.
Solution: (A) Domain
The given function is a polynomial function, and the polynomial function is
everywhere defined, so its domain is 𝑅 = (−∞, ∞).
(B) Intercepts
• x - intercepts: Setting y = 𝑥 3 − 3x + 2 = (x + 2)(𝑥 − 1)2 = 0
which tells us that the x-intercepts are x = −2 and x = 1.
So, (−2,0) and (1, 0) are two x-intercepts points.

• y - intercept: Setting x = 0 yields y = 2.

So, (0, 2) is the only y-intercepts point.

(C) Symmetry
f (− x) = (−𝑥)3 – 3(− x) + 2 = – 𝑥 3 + 3x + 2
• f (− x) ≠ f (x), so the given function not an Even Function, so not symmetric
about y-axis
• f (− x) ≠ − f (x), so the given function not an Odd Function, so not
symmetric about origin
• Since the “Continuous periodic functions are bounded functions “, but given
function is continuous but not bounded, hence it is not periodic.

(D) Asymptotes
(i) Horizontal Asymptotes
 (3)
(ii) Vertical Asymptotes
There is no value of x = a for which lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ±∞ because
𝑥→𝑎
polynomial function is everywhere defined.

(iii) Slant Asymptotes no

(E) Continuity
The polynomial function is everywhere continuous.

(F) Intervals of increase or decrease

𝑑𝑦
Put = 3𝑥 2 − 3 = 0
𝑑𝑥

⟹ 3𝑥 2 − 3 = 0 ⟹ (𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 1) = 0 ⟹ 𝑥 = 1, −1 ∈ 𝑫𝒐𝒎𝒇(𝒙)
𝑑𝑦
Also is everywhere defined, that is no point where the derivative is undefined.
𝑑𝑥
So, there are only two critical values x = −1 and x = 1.

• Choose sample point −2 from the interval (−∞, −1) and evaluate 𝑓 ′ (−2)

Since 𝑓 ′ (−2) = 3(−2)2 − 3 = 12 − 3 = 9 > 0, thus

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 in (−∞, −1) and hence 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing in (−∞, −1).

• Choose sample point ‘0’ from the interval (−1, 1) and find 𝑓(0)

Since 𝑓 ′ (0) = (0)3 − 3 = −3 > 0, so

𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 in (−1, 1) and hence 𝑓(𝑥) is decreasing in (−1, 1).

• Choose sample point ‘2’ from the interval (−∞, −1) and evaluate 𝑓 ′ (2)

Since 𝑓 ′ (2) = 3(2)2 − 3 = 12 − 3 = 9 > 0,

 (4)
′ (𝑥)
thus 𝑓 > 0 in (−1, +∞) and hence 𝑓(𝑥) is increasing in (−1, +∞).

(G) Local Maximum and Minimum values

Since
𝑑𝑦
• is +ve before x = −1 and −ve after x = −1, therefore there is a relative
𝑑𝑥
maximum at x = −1
𝑑𝑦
• is −ve before x = 1 and +ve after x = 1, therefore there is a relative
𝑑𝑥
minimum at x = −1
(H) Concavity and points of inflection
𝑑2 𝑦
Put =6x=0 ⟹ 𝑥=0
𝑑𝑥 2

𝑑2 𝑦
The sign of = 6 x changes from − to + at x = 0, so there is an inflection point.
𝑑𝑥 2
 (5)
2 𝑥2
Example: Use the guidelines to sketch the curve y = .
𝑥 2 −1
Solution: (A) Domain

(B) Intercepts
2 𝑥2
• x - intercepts: Setting y = =0 ⟹ 2𝑥 2 = 0 ⟹ 𝑥 = 0
𝑥 2 −1
(0, 0) is the x-intercept point.

• y - intercept: Setting x = 0 yields y = 0.

(0, 0) is the x-intercept point.
(C) Symmetry
2 (−𝑥)2 2 𝑥2
• f (− x) = = = f (x)
(−𝑥)2 −1 𝑥 2 −1

so, the given function an Even Function and hence symmetric about y-axis

• f (− x) ≠ − f (x), so the given function not an Odd Function and hence not
symmetric about origin
(D) Asymptotes
 (6)
Therefore, the lines x = 1 and x = −1are vertical asymptotes. This information
about limits and asymptotes enables us to draw the preliminary sketch in Figure
below, showing the parts of the curve near the asymptotes.

(E) Continuity
The function is discontinuous at 𝑥 = −1 and 𝑥 = 1due to vertical asymptotes.

(F) Intervals of increase or decrease

Put 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 0

⟹ −4𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑥 = 0 ∈ 𝑫𝒐𝒎𝒇(𝒙)

Also 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) is undefined at 𝑥 = 1, −1 as function is not continuous on it

but the values 𝑥 = 1, −1 are not included in domain of 𝑓(𝑥), so

𝒙 = 𝟎 is the only critical value

The three values 𝑥 = −1, 0, 1 divided the whole domain of function f (x) into
four open intervals namely
(−∞, −1), (−1, 0), (0, 1), (1, +∞)
 (7)

Since
(𝒙𝟐 − 𝟏)𝟐 > 𝟎 for any value of x

Therefore

• 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) > 0 if and only if −4𝑥 > 0

• 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) < 0 if and only if −4𝑥 < 0

(G) Local Maximum and Minimum values

(H) Concavity and points of inflection

• Put 𝑓 ′′ (𝑥) = 0

⟹ 12𝑥 2 + 4 = 0

1
⟹ 4(3𝑥 2 + 1) = 0 ⟹ 3𝑥 2 + 1 = 0 ⟹ 𝑥 = ±√ 𝑖
3

which is not real value, so we ignore these complex values.

•
 (8)
Final Sketch:

𝐶𝑜𝑠𝑥
Example: Use the guidelines to sketch the curve y = .
2+𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑥
Solution:
 (9)

Final Sketch:

𝑥3
Example: Use the guidelines to sketch the curve y = .
𝑥 2 +1
Solution:
(10)