Summary of Transformations

Graph Draw the graph of f(x) and: Changes in f(x)

Vertical shift 10
Raise the graph of f(x) by c units
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) + 𝑐𝑐 -add c to y coordinate 5 x²
0 x²+5
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) − 𝑐𝑐 Lower the graph of f(x) by c units -4 -2 0 2 4
-5 x²-5
-subtract c from y coordinate
-10
Horizontal shift 10
Shift the graph f(x) to the left c units
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐) -subtract c from x coordinate x²
5
(x+3)²
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑐𝑐) Shift the graph f(x) to the right c units
(x-3)²
-add c to x coordinate 0
-10 0 10

Reflection about the 5

x-axis
Reflect the graph of f(x) about the
x²
𝑦𝑦 = −𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) x-axis 0
-multiply each y coordinate by -1 -4 -2 0 2 4 -x²

-5
Reflection about the 10
y-axis
Reflect the graph of f(x) about the 5
x³
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(−𝑥𝑥) y-axis 0
-multiply each x coordinate by -1 -4 -2 0 2 4 (-x)³
-5
-10
Vertical stretching Vertically stretching the graph of 8
and compression f(x) (𝑐𝑐 > 1)
6 x²
4
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐(𝑥𝑥), 𝑐𝑐 > 1 Vertically compressing the graph of 2x²
f(x) (0 < 𝑐𝑐 < 1) 2
½x²
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐(𝑥𝑥), 0 < 𝑐𝑐 < 1 0
-multiply each y coordinate by c -4 -2 0 2 4

Horizontal stretching Horizontally compressing the graph of 10

and compression f(x) (𝑐𝑐 > 1)
5 x³
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐), 𝑐𝑐 > 1 Horizontally stretching the graph of 0 (2x)³
f(x) (0 < 𝑐𝑐 < 1) -5 0 5
-5 (½x)³
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐), 0 < 𝑐𝑐 < 1
-divide each x coordinate by c -10
1 Take the reciprocal of each y
𝑦𝑦 =
𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) coordinate of f(x)
Order of operations for transformations: 1) horizontal shifts 2) stretches/compressions 3) reflections
4) vertical shifts

March 2017 MVCC Learning Commons Math Lab