LESSON 4: Graphs of a Function

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, the students are expected to accomplish the
following:
sketch the graph of a function;
determine the domain and range of a function from its graph; and
identify whether a relation is a function or not from its graph.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:
Students should be acquainted to the concept of graphing a function. It plays
a ery important role in their studies of calculus, especially in the discussion of
geometric interpretation of deriaties.
It is adisable to let them graph all the functions in !xample ".# by point$
plotting in order for them not to forget that this method of graphing is a good tool
to trace the cure. !xample ".% must also be emphasi&ed to students for them
to analy&e the graphical significance of ealuating a function. !xample ".'
enhances their isual understanding of domain and range of a function.
!xercise nos. # and % may be soled as board works and nos. ' and " may
be used as a research work.
DISCUSSION OF THE TOPICS:
As we mentioned in our preious lesson, a function can be represented in
different ways and one of which is through a graph or its geometric
representation. (e also mentioned that a function may be represented as the
set of ordered pairs )x, y*. +hat is plotting the set of ordered as points on the
rectangular coordinates system and ,oining them will determine a cure called
the graph of the function.
25
+he graph of a function f consists of all points )x, y whose coordinates
satisfy y - f)x*, for all x in the domain of f. +he set of ordered pairs )x, y*
may also be represented by )x, f)x** since y - f)x*.
.nowledge of the standard forms of the special cures discussed in Analytic
/eometry such as lines and conic sections is ery helpful in sketching the graph
of a function. 0unctions other than these cures can be graphed by point$
plotting.
+o facilitate the graphing of a function, the following steps are suggested:
#. 1hoose a suitable alues of x from the domain of a function and
construct a table of function alues y - f)x* from the gien alues of x.
%. 2lot these points )x, y* from the table.
'. 1onnect the plotted points with a smooth cure.
!xample ".#. Sketch the graph of the following functions:
a* f)x* - x
%
e* h)x* -
%
x 3
b* 0)x* - x 3 f* g)x* - ' 4 5x 4 %5
c* /)x* - x
%
4 " g* 6)x* -

<
<

# x
% x #
% x
if
if
if
'
%
"
d* h)x* -
# x
% x ' x
%
+
+ +
h* f)x* -

<
# x
# x
if
if
x
% x '
%
Solution:
a* f)x* - x
%
b* 0)x* - x 3


c* /)x* - x
%
4 " d* h)x* -
# x
% x ' x
%
+
+ +


26
(9,0)

27
(0, 4)
(-1, 1)
e* h)x* -
%
x 3 f* g)x* - ' 4 5x 4 %5
g* 6)x* -

<
<

# x
% x #
% x
if
if
if
'
%
"
h* f)x* -

<
# x
# x
if
if
x
% x '
%
!xample ".%. Suppose f)x* - x
%
is a function whose graph is gien in problem
".#: a.*(hat is the alue of the function when x - $%7, b.* 0ind f)#*.
Solution:
a* Since )$%, "* is a point of the graph of f, the y$coordinate " must be the
alue of f at the x$coordinate 8%, that is, f)$%* - ".
b* +o sole f)#*, we look at the y$coordinate of the point in the graph where
x - #. 0rom the figure, we see that )#, #* is on the graph of f.
+hus, f)#* - #.
(hen the graph of a function is gien, one can easily determine its domain
and range. /eometrically, the domain and range of a function refer to all the x$
coordinate and y$coordinate for which the cure passes, respectiely.
28
(-3, 0) (3, 0)
(0, 3)
(-2, 3)
(1, 1)
!xample ".'. 9etermine the domain and range of the function of the following
functions:
a* f)x* - x
%

b* 0)x* - x 3
c* 6)x* -

<
<

# x
% x #
% x
if
if
if
'
%
"
d* * h)x* -
# x
% x ' x
%
+
+ +

Solution:
a) +he graph of the function f in example ".#a is a parabola that opens
upward with ertex at ):, :*. 0rom its graph, the x$alues are all the real
numbers since the cure increases and decreases infinitely. 6ence, its
domain is the interal )$, 4*. Its y$alues increase infinitely starting
from :, thus, its range is the interal ;:, *.
b) 0rom its graph as shown in example ".#b, its domain is the interal )$,
3< and its range is the interal ;:, *.
c) =eferring to the graph of 6 illustrated in example ".#g, the graph has x$
alues which extends from $ to 4 while y$alues are only ", % and 8'.
+herefore, the domain and range of 6 is the interal )$, 4* and the set
>", %, $'?, respectiely.
d) +he graph of h is shown in example ".#d. As shown, its graph has a
break at point )$#, $#*. +his break represents the exception to the
domain and range of h. In other words, its domain and range are both
the interal )$, 4* except $#.
=ecall that all relations are not functions. A function is one that has a unique
alue of the dependent ariable for each alue of the independent ariable in its
domain. /eometrically speaking, this means:

29
A relation f is said to be a function if and only if, in its graph, each ertical
line cuts or touches the cure at no more than one point. +his is called the
vertical line test.
!xample ".". 1onsider the relation defined as >)x, y*5x
%
4 y
%
- 3?. (hen
graphed, a circle is formed with center at ):, :* and haing a
radius of ' units. It is not a function because for any x in the
interal )$', '*, two ordered pairs hae x as their first element. 0or
example, both ):, '* and ):, $'* are elements of the relation.
@sing the ertical line test, a ertical line when drawn with in 8'
x ' intersects the cure at two points. =efer to the figure below.
30
(0, 3)
(3, 0)
(-3, 0)
(0, -3)
EXERCISES:
#. /ien the following functions, determine the domain and range, then
sketch the graph:
a* 6: y - "x 8 '
b* 0: y - x #+
c* /: y - 5# 8 %x5
d* h: y - x
%
4 '
e* f: y -
# x
# x % x
%

+
f* g: y
%
- " 4 x
%
g* s:

<
+

=
' x
' x
if
if
# x %
# x
y
h* 0:
% x
% x #
# x
if
if
if
'
#
'
y

< <

=
i* /: y - x "
,* 6:
* ' x *) #% x x )
* 3 x *) " x ' x )
y
%
% %
+ +
+
=
%. +he graph of f and g are gien:
a* 0ind the alues of f):* and g)$%*.
b* 0or what alues of x is f)x* - g)x*7
31
G
F
c* State the domain and range of f.
d* State the domain and range of g.
e* 0or what alues of x is f)x* - :7
'. +he graph of the function f is shown below. 9efine f)x* piecewise.
". Sketch the graph of the signum function sgn)x* and also, the function
sgn)x4%*
32
)$#,%*
)#,%*
$%
%