FUNCTIONS: Grade 11

The parabola: y  a( x  p) 2  q or y = ax2 +bx + c or y = a(x- x1)(x- x2)

a
The hyperbola: y q
x p

The exponential function: y abx p  q

Important features:
 y-intercept : Let x = 0
 x-intercept : Let y = 0
 Turning points (Where applicable)
 Asymptotes (Where applicable)

A quick reminder from Gr 10… The Straight Line

3
Draw onto the set of axes below, the functions f(x) = x + 2 and g(x) =  x 3
2
For graph f: For graph g:

y-intercept, let x = 0 i.e (0 ; ) y-intercept, let x = 0 i.e (0 ; )

x-intercept, let y = 0 x-intercept, let y = 0

3
i.e x + 2 = 0  x 3 = 0
2
10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

Answer the following questions:

1. For which values of x is f(x) > 0 ? _______________________

2. For which values of x is f(x) = g(x) ? _________________________

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The Parabola y = ax2 +bx +c or y  a( x  p) 2  q

Draw onto the set of axes given below, the graphs of

f ( x)  x 2  4
Use the table function on your calculator.
g ( x)  ( x 1) 2  4

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

Use your graphs to answer the following questions:

1. What is the axis of symmetry of f ? x = ________
2. What is the axis of symmetry of g? ____________
We can say that the axis of symmetry is x = p
3. The minimum value of both graphs is y = _______
We can say that the minimum value is y = q.
4. The turning point of f is ( ; ), and the turning point of g is ( ; )
5. For which values of x is g(x) < 0? _____________________
5. Give the equation of h if h(x) = - f(x) _______________________
6 Give the equation of m if m(x) = g(x) + 2 ____________________
7. Write down the turning point of the function m. ________________

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SUMMARY: to sketch a parabola,we find:
shape: if a > 0 ; if a < 0
y-intercept: let x = 0
x-intercepts: let y = 0 and solve a quadratic equation,
x1  x 2 b
a.o.s x  or x   or x = p
2 2a

minimum value (when a > 0) or maximum value (when a < 0) : substitute the x value of the
a.o.s into the original equation .

turning point (x ; y ) or (p ; q) (from the “turning point” form)

a.o.s min/max value

Conversion of y = ax2 + bx + c to the form y = a(x – p)2 + q

Examples:

1. y = x2 – 4x – 12 2. y = 2x2 – 4x – 5
y = (x2 – 4x + 22) – 4 – 12 y = 2[x2 – 2x – 5/2]
y = (x – 2)2 – 16 y = 2[(x2 – 2x + 12) – 1 – 5/2]
y = 2[(x – 1)2 – 31/2]
 Turning point is (2 ; – 16) y = 2(x – 1)2 – 7

 Turning point is (1 ; – 7)

3. y = – 3x2 – 2x + 1 Method:
y = – 3[x2 + 23 x – 1
3
] 1. Ensure co-efficient of x2 = 1.
2 If not, take out number.
y = – 3[(x2 + 3
x + ( 13 )2) – 1
9
– 1
3
]
2. Complete the square.
1 2
y = – 3[(x + 3
) – 94 ] 3. Balance by subtracting.
1 2
y = – 3(x + 3
) + 43 4. Find the perfect square.
 Turning point is (– 13 ; 1 13 ) 5. Remove square brackets.

3
 10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

10 y 4
Finding the equation of a parabola:
1. Given the x-intercepts, and one other point: (Use y  ax x1 x  x2  )
e.g y

-3 1
0 x

y = a(x + 3)(x - 1)
Sub (0 ; 3)
3 = a(0 +3)(0 – 1)
3 = a(-3)
a = -1

 y = -1(x2 + 2x -3)

 y   x  2x  3
2

2. Given the turning point, and one other point: (Use y  a( x  p) 2  q )

e.g y

(-2;6)●

(-1;4)

O x

y  ax 1  4
2

Subst (-2;6)
 6  a (2  1) 2  4
 6  a (1)  4
 64  a
a 2


y  2 x 2  2x  1  4
 y  2x  4x  6
2

5
Find the equation of each of the following parabolas:

1.1. y 1.2. y (1;2)

-1 O 4 x O x

-2 -4

1.3. y 1.4. y

2 ● (4;2)

-1 O 6 x
O (2;0) x

1.5
. 1.6 y
y

(-2 ; 4) ●

-1 O x -4 O 2 x

(1;-4)

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Exercise : Graphical Interpretations

1. Given that f(x) = - x2 + 8x +20, and g(x) = 4x + 8, and EFG  x axis.

1.1 If the x value at G is x = 1, find the co-ordinates of E and F, and hence find
the length of EF.

1.2 Show that the length of EF can be expressed as L = - x2 +4x +12 .

1.3 Calculate the maximum length of EF, and

give the value of x at which it occurs. y

O G x

2. A parabola f intersects the x-axis at B and C and the y-axis at E. The axis of symmetry of
x 7
the parabola has equation x = 3 . The line through E and C has equation g ( x)   .
2 2
y

B O C x

Show that the co-ordinates of C are (7 ; ) .

2.1 Calculate the x-coordinate of B.

2.2 Determine the equation of f in the form y  ax  p   q .

2

2.3 Write down the equation of the graph of h, the reflection of f in the x-axis.

2.4 Write down the maximum value of t(x) if t(x) = - f(x) + 1 .

2.5 Solve for x if f ( x 2  2)  0

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 a
The Hyperbola y q
x p

Draw onto the set of axes given below, the graphs of:
4
f ( x) 
x
4
g ( x)  2 Use the table function on your calculators.
x
4
h( x ) 
x2
Make a note of the horizontal and vertical asymptote in each case, and link them to the equation.

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

NOTE the following:

 if a > 0, then the graph lies in Quadrants 1 and 3 (ie top right and bottom left)
 if a < 0, then the graph lies in Quadrants 2 and 4 (ie top left and bottom right)
 q affects the horizontal asymptote ( the  movement)

 p affects the vertical asymptote (the  movement)

 each hyperbola has 2 lines of symmetry: y = x + c, and y = -x + k, and these lines passes
through the point (p ; q)
 x-intercept: let y = 0, and y-intercept: let x = 0
When sketching an hyperbola:
1. Draw in the 2 asymptotes, label them clearly.
2. Find and plot the x and y-intercepts.
3. You may wish to plot another point on each section to complete the sketch. (Use the
table function on your calculator; or use carefully selected x values and substitute
them into the equation to find the y values.)

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 2
Example: Consider the equation of the function f ( x)  2
x4

2
 the y-intercept: (let x = 0) y 2
04
5 1
y   ..... (0 ;  2 )
2 2

2
 the x-intercept: (let y = 0) 0 2
x4
2
2 
x4
2 x  8   2
x   5 ....( 5 ; 0)

 the horizontal asymptote is y =

the vertical asymptote is x =

 plot the above onto the axes, so you can see which extra points to plot.

 complete the sketch by choosing, say x = -2 and x = -6 , find the y values, then plot the
points.
10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

A challenge: Find the equation of the 2 lines (axes) of symmetry of the graph of f.

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Exercise 3:

Use the grids provided, and sketch the graphs of the following equations:
1
3.1 f ( x)   2
x2
10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

2
32. f ( x)  2
x 1
10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

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Finding the equation of an hyperbola:
 Fill in the values of p and q from the asymptotes on the sketch.
 Substitute the given point into this equation to find the “a” value.

Example:
Find the equation of f in the diagram below:
y
f

y=2
O x

(-1;-6)●

Solution: a
y 2
x0
Subst (-1;-6)
a
6  2
1
-8 = -a i.e. a = 8

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 f ( x)  2
x

Exercise 4:
Find the equation of the graphs of the following functions:
4.1 y
● (1;5)

y=2
O x

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4.2 y

● (3;2)
(1;1)

O x

4.3 y
x=1

O x

y = -2

●(1½ ; -4)

4.4 y

-6 O x
(-2;-3)

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The Exponential function y abx p  q
Draw onto the set of axes given below, the graphs of:
f ( x)  2 x
g ( x)  2 x  2 Use the table function on your calculators
x
1
h( x )   
2

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

Draw onto the set of axes given below, the graphs of:
b( x )  2 x  2
c ( x )  3 .2 x  2 Use the table function on your calculators
e( x )   2 x

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

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NOTE the following:
 y = q affects the horizontal asymptote ( the  movement)

 the p value affects the movement of the graph to the left or right (the  movement)
 if 0 < b < 1, the function decreases, and if b > 1, the function increases. Also, the larger
the numerical value of b, the steeper the graph; the smaller b is , the shallower the graph.
 the a value also affects the shape: the larger the value of a, the steeper the graph; the
smaller a is , the shallower the graph.
Also, if a < 0, the graph is reflected about the x-axis.
 y-intercept: let x = 0
x-intercept: let y = 0, and solve the resulting exponential equation. (this may require the
use of logarithms, which is Gr 12 work)
When sketching the Exponential function:
1. Draw in and label the horizontal asymptote.
2. Find and plot the y-intercept.
3. Use the table function on your calculator, or plot selected points, to complete an
accurate graph.
Example:
Draw the graph of the equation f ( x)  3 x  3
o horizontal asymptote: y = -3
o y-intercept (let x = 0): y  30  3
 y = -2 i.e (0 ; -2)
o x-intercept (let y = 0): 0  3 x  3 3  3 x x = 1 i.e (1 ; 0)

o choose x = 2, so y  32  3  6 i.e (2 ; 6)

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

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Exercise 5

Use the grids provided, and sketch the graphs of the following equations:

5.1 f ( x)   2 x  2

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

x 1
1
5.2 y 
2

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

15
 x
1
5.3 g ( x)     1
2

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

5.4 m( x)  2.3 x 1 1

10 y

−10 −5 5 10

−5

−10

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Finding the equation of an exponential function.
When considering y  a b x  p  q , you will always be given 2 or 3 of the values of a, b, p or q.
 Fill in the q value. (You are usually given this.)
 Substitute the given point into the equation to find the missing unknown.

Example: y f
In the diagram, f ( x)  b x  q .
Find the equation of f. O 1

y = -2

Solution: (Note: a = 1)
f ( x)  b x  2

Sub (1 ; 0) into above: 0  b1  2

b2

i.e f ( x)  2 x  2

Exercise 6

Find the equations of the graphs of the following functions:

6.1 y  a.2 x  q y

3
O x

6.2 y  bx  q
y

● (1;4)

y=2
O x

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6.3 y  bx  q y
(-1;0) O x

y = -2

6.4 y  2x p  q y

● (1;6)

y=2

O x

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