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This applet helps you explore the changes that occur to the graph of
a function when its independent variable x is multiplied by a
positive constant a (horizontal stretching or compression). The functions to be explored are of the form
f(a*x)
where f(x) is any of the three functions:
f(x)=||x|-2| (a "W" shaped graph)
f(x)=x2
or
f(x)=x3
If needed, Free graph paper is available.
TUTORIAL
objective:investigate the effects of the multiplication of the independent variable x of a function by a positive constant a.
1 - Click on the button above "click here to start" and MAXIMIZE the window obtained.
2 - Use the slider to set constant a to values smaller than 1 and observe the effect on the graph. Do these values of a compress or stretch the graph?
3 - Use the slider to set constant a to values larger than 1 and observe the effect on the graph. Do these values of a compress or stretch the graph?
Note: You have the choice (left panel, top) of any of the three functions
f(x)=||x|-2| (this has a "W" shaped graph), f(x)=x2 or f(x)=x3.
More pages and topics related to graph transormation (scaling, shifting) can be found in this site.
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