Graphs and Transformation Cheat Sheet Edexcel Pure Year 1

Cubic & Quartic Graphs Stretching Graphs

Cubic functions come in the form of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 3 + 𝑏𝑥 2 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑. Quartic 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
𝑦 = , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 > 0 𝑦 = , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 < 0 𝑦 = 2 , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 > 0 𝑦 = 2 , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 > 0 Similar to translating graphs, multiplying a constant outside, 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑓(𝑥), or inside, 𝑦 =
functions come in the form of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 4 + 𝑏𝑥 3 + 𝑐𝑥 2 + 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑒, where 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑓(𝑎𝑥), a function stretches the graph in the vertical direction or horizontal direction
𝑎, 𝑏. 𝑐, 𝑑 & 𝑒 are all real numbers and where 𝑎 ≠ 0. respectively.
Similar to sketching quadratic graphs, cubic graphs can also be represented on a • 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑓(𝑥) would stretch the graph in the vertical direction by a multiple of 𝑎.
plot. There are two main basic shapes for cubic graphs if • 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑎𝑥) would stretch the graph in the horizontal direction by a multiple of
𝑎 > 0: 𝑎 < 0: 1
.
𝑎
• 𝑦 = −𝑓(𝑥) would be the reflection of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) in the 𝑥-axis.
• 𝑦 = 𝑓(−𝑥) would be the reflection of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) in the 𝑦-axis.
1
Example 4: Given that 𝑓(𝑥) = 16 − 4𝑥 2, sketch the curve with the equation 𝑦 = 2 𝑓(𝑥).
1
Before we start to sketch 𝑦 = 2 𝑓(𝑥), we need to know the 𝑥 and 𝑦 intercepts of the
Points of Intersection curve 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) and how the curve looks like.
Multiple functions can be sketched on a single graph to show the points of intersection, 𝑦 = 16 − 4𝑥2
which represent the solutions to respective equations. 𝑦 = (4 − 2𝑥)(4 + 2𝑥)
Example 1: Sketch the curve with the equation 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥. Example 2: Sketch the following functions and find the 𝑥 coordinate of the intersection To find the 𝑥 intercept we need to equate 𝑦 as 0.
Before we start sketching, we need to know points. 0 = (4 − 2𝑥)(4 + 2𝑥)
• the general shape of the cubic equation 𝑥 = 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = −2
𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 − 𝑥 2 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2
• the location of the roots of the equation To find the y intercept we need to substitute 𝑥 as 0 ∴ 𝑥 = 0.
We can compare the function to a general function of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 3 + 𝑏𝑥 2 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑦 = 16 − 3 × 02
The curves have been sketched using the
𝑑 to determine the shape of the curve. 𝑦 = 16
methods you have learnt in this course. To find 1
the intersection point, we must obtain the 𝑥 Hence, the curve of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is: The transformation of 𝑦 = 2 𝑓(𝑥) would stretch the
coordinate of the locations. To solve this, we graph by a multiple of ½. Hence the new 𝑦 intercept
1
𝑎 = 1 and 1 > 0 hence the shape of the graph would look like . need to find the solutions to would be at (16 × 2 , 0)→(8,0). The 𝑥 intercept would
• 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑥) not change as this transformation only effects the
The next step would be to find the roots of the functions so we can determine 3𝑥 − 𝑥 2 = 2𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2 vertical direction.
where it would cross the 𝑥 axis. To do this we need to solve the quadratic 2𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 = 0
equation of 𝑥(2𝑥2 − 3) = 0
𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 = 0 𝑥 = 0 & 2𝑥2 − 3 = 0
2
𝑥(𝑥 + 𝑥 − 2) = 𝑥(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 1) = 0
3 3
𝑥 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 − 1 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 + 2 = 0 𝑥 = 0, 𝑥 = √ & 𝑥 = −√
Hence the roots of the function are at: 2 2
𝑥 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = −2
At coordinates (0,0), (1,0) & (−2,0) are where the x intercepts will be located.
Translating graphs
The same method can be applied to sketching graphs of quartic functions. The Adding or subtracting a constant outside, 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑎, or inside, 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥 + 𝑎), a function
basic shapes of these graphs come in the form of: can translate a graph vertically or horizontally respectively. Note that when translating
functions, the asymptote of that function is also translated if it has one.
• The translation of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑎 can be represented by the vector ( )
0 Transforming graphs
𝑎 You may come across graphs with functions that are difficult to recognise. You can still
−𝑎
• The translation of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥 + 𝑎) can be represented by the vector ( ) apply various transformations to these types of functions by using key points such as
0
Example 3: Given that 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 , sketch the curve of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥 − 3). intersection points, turning points and the 𝑥 & 𝑦 intercepts.
.
Applying the translation of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥 − 3) would Example 5: The graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is given. Sketch the graph of 𝑦 = −𝑓(𝑥)
shift the graph by three units to the right, forming a The graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) The graph of 𝑦 = −𝑓(𝑥) would be the
This is the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 new graph of 𝑦 = (𝑥 − 3)2 reflection of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) in the 𝑥-axis.

Reciprocal graphs
𝑎 𝑎
Reciprocal graphs that come in the form of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 or 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2, where 𝑎 is any
real number, can also be sketched by considering their asymptotes. The graphs
𝑎 𝑎
of 𝑦 = 𝑥 and 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 both have asymptotes at 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑦 = 0. The basic shapes
of these reciprocal graphs can be illustrated as:

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