Elementary Functions

and
Transformation of functions
Bernadeth C. Villanueva
Reporter
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the discussion, you will be able to
• Familiarize with the seven elementary functions
• Transform functions using vertical and horizontal
shifts
• Transform functions using reflections, stretches, and
shrinks
Elementary Functions
• Function of a single variable (typically real or
complex) that is defined as taking sums, products, and
compositions of finitely many polynomial, rational,
trigonometric, hyperbolic and exponential functions,
including possibly their inverse functions.
Seven Elementary Functions and
Their Graphs
Identity Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
• For example, f(0)=0 and f(2)=2.

Domain: All
Reals
Range: All
Reals
 𝟐
Squaring Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
• Function obtained by squaring the values in the domain
• For example,  and  .
• The result of squaring nonzero values in the domain will always be positive.

Domain: All
Reals
Range: [0, ∞)
 𝟑
Cubing Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
• Raises all of the values in the domain to the third power
• The results can be either positive, zero, or negative.
• For example,  and

Domain: All
Reals
Range: All
Reals
Square Root Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= √ 𝒙
• Not defined to be a real number if the x-values are negative
• The smallest value in the domain is zero
• For example,  and 

Domain: [0,
∞)
Range: [0, ∞)
 Absolute Value Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=|𝒙|
• A function where the output represents the distance to the origin on a
number line
• The result of evaluating the absolute value function for any nonzero value
of x will always be positive. 
• For example, f(−2)=|−2|=2and f(2)=|2|=2.

Domain: All
Reals
Range: [0, ∞)
 𝟏
Reciprocal Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=
𝒙
• A rational function with one restriction on the domain, namely x≠0
The reciprocal of an x-value very close The result of the reciprocal function is
to zero is very large.  very small if x-values are very large.
For example: For example:
 𝟏
Reciprocal Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=
𝒙
 𝒙
Exponential Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒂
• Functions that raise a constant to a variable exponent

Domain: All
Reals
Range: [0, ∞)
Logarithmic Function 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= log 𝒂 𝒙
• Inverse function of the exponent

Domain: [0, ∞)
Range: All
Reals
Vertical and Horizontal
Shifts
Vertical Shifts
• The graph of y = f(x) + c is obtained by shifting
the graph of y = f(x) upward a distance of c
units.
• The graph of y = f(x) – c is obtained by shifting
the graph of y = f(x) downward a distance of c
units.
Vertical Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
Vertical Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 +𝟏
1 unit
Vertical Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 +𝟏
1 unit

𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) = 𝒙 𝟐 −2 units
𝟐
Vertical Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 +𝟏
1 unit

𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) = 𝒙 𝟐 −2 units
𝟐
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 −5 units
𝟓
Horizontal Shifts
• The graph of y = f(x + c) is obtained by shifting
the graph of y = f(x) to the left a distance of c
units.
• The graph of y = f(x – c) is obtained by shifting
the graph of y = f(x) to the right a distance of c
units.
Horizontal Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
Horizontal Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =( 𝒙 +𝟏 )𝟐
1 unit
Horizontal Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =( 𝒙 +𝟏 )𝟐
1 unit

𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =( 𝒙 − 𝟐)
2 units
Horizontal Shifts of Graphs
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =( 𝒙 +𝟏 )𝟐
1 unit

𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =( 𝒙 − 𝟐)
2 units

𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =( 𝒙 − 𝟓)
5 units
Combining Vertical and Horizontal Shifts
Use the graph of to obtain the graph of
Reflection
• The graph of –f(x) is the reflection of the graph of f(x)
across the x-axis.
• The graph of f(-x) is the reflection of the graph of f(x)
across the y-axis.
• If a point (a, b) is on the graph of f(x), then (a, -b) is
on the graph of –f(x), and (-a, b) is on the graph of f(-
x).
Reflection

Reflection across the x - Reflection across the y -

axis axis
Vertical Stretching and shrinking
• If a point (x, y) lies on the graph of y = f(x), then the
point (x, cy) lies on the graph of y=cf(x).
• If c > 1, then the graph of y = cf(x) is a vertical
stretching of the graph of y = f(x) by a applying a
factor of c.
• If 0 < c < 1, then the graph of y = cf(x) is a vertical
shrinking of the graph of y = f(x) by a applying a factor
of c.
 Vertical Stretching and shrinking
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=𝟐 𝒙 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=𝟑 𝒙 𝟐
𝟏 𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=𝟒 𝒙𝟐 𝟑
𝟏 𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝟒

Vertical Stretching Vertical Shrinking

Horizontal Stretching and shrinking
• If a point (x, y) lies on the graph of y = f(x), then the
point (x/c, y) lies on the graph of y=f(cx).
• If 0 < c < 1, then the graph of y = f(cx) is a horizontal
stretching of the graph of y = f(x)
• If c > 1, then the graph of y = f(cx) is a horizontal
shrinking of the graph of y = f(x)
 Horizontal Stretching and shrinking
( )
𝟏 𝟐
𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=(𝟐 𝒙)𝟐 𝟒 𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=(𝟑 𝒙)𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=(𝟒 𝒙)𝟐
( )
𝟏
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝟑
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 ( )
𝟏 𝟐
𝟐

𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 𝟐

Horizontal Shrinking Horizontal Stretching

Combining Stretching, Shrinking, and Reflecting
• Transformations of functions can be combined to obtain the graphs of
more complex functions.
Example 1: Sketch the graph of .

𝟏 𝟐
𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙
𝟐

𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= 𝒙 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐
𝒈 ( 𝒙)= 𝒙 −𝟑
𝟐
Combining Stretching, Shrinking, and Reflecting
Example 2: Sketch the graph of

𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= √ 𝒙 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=𝟐 √ 𝒙

𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=− 𝟐 √ 𝒙 𝒉 ( 𝒙 )=−𝟐 √ 𝒙+𝟐.

Combining Stretching, Shrinking, and Reflecting
Example 2: Sketch the graph of

𝒇 ( 𝒙 )= √ 𝒙 𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=𝟐 √ 𝒙

𝒇 ( 𝒙 )=− 𝟐 √ 𝒙 𝒉 ( 𝒙 )=−𝟐 √ 𝒙+𝟐.

Activity
Describe the transformation necessary to transform the graph of f(x) into
that of g(x).
1.

Answer: Stretched by a factor of 3, reflect across x – axis and

shifted vertically one unit downward

2.

Answer: Stretched by a factor of 3 and shifted horizontally to the

left one unit
Activity
Describe the transformation necessary to transform the graph of f(x) into
that of g(x).
3.

Answer: Reflect across x-axis and

shifted horizontally to the left three
units
Activity
Transform the given function f(x) as described and write the resulting
function as an equation.
4.
Stretched by a factor of 2, shifted vertically 3 units downward
Answer:
5.
Shifted horizontally one unit to the right, shifted vertically 3 units upward
Answer:
6.
Stretched by a factor of 4, reflect across x-axis and shifted horizontally to
the right 5 units
Answer:
Thank You! 