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This module provides practice problems designed to develop some concepts related to horizontal and vertical permutations of functions by graphing.
  1. One way of expressing a function is with a table. The following table defines the function f ( x ) .
x 0 1 2 3
f ( x ) 1 2 4 8
  1. f ( 2 ) =
  2. f ( 3 ) =
  3. f ( 4 ) =

Now, I’m going to define a new function this way: g ( x ) = f ( x ) −2 . Think of this as a set of instructions, as follows: Whatever number you are given, plug that number into f ( x ) , and then subtract two from the answer.

  1. g ( 2 ) =
  2. g ( 3 ) =
  3. g ( 4 ) =

Now, I’m going to define yet another function: h ( x ) = f ( x 2 ) . Think of this as a set of instructions, as follows: Whatever number you are given, subtract two. Then, plug that number into f ( x ) .

  1. h(2)=
  2. h(3)=
  3. h(4)=
  4. Graph all three functions below. Label them clearly so I can tell which is which!
  1. Standing at the edge of the Bottomless Pit of Despair, you kick a rock off the ledge and it falls into the pit. The height of the rock is given by the function h ( t ) = –16 t 2 , where t is the time since you dropped the rock, and h is the height of the rock.
  1. Fill in the following table.
time (seconds) 0 ½ 1 2 3
height (feet)
  1. h ( 0 ) = 0 . What does that tell us about the rock?
  2. All the other heights are negative: what does that tell us about the rock?
  3. Graph the function h ( t ) . Be sure to carefully label your axes!
h ( t ) = 16 t 2
  1. Another rock was dropped at the exact same time as the first rock; but instead of being kicked from the ground, it was dropped from your hand, 3 feet up. So, as they fall, the second rock is always three feet higher than the first rock.
  1. Fill in the following table for the second rock.
time (seconds) 0 ½ 1 2 3
height (feet)
  1. Graph the function h ( t ) for the new rock. Be sure to carefully label your axes!
  1. How does this new function h ( t ) compare to the old one? That is, if you put them side by side, what change would you see?
  2. The original function was h ( t ) = –16 t 2 . What is the new function?
    h ( t ) =
    (*make sure the function you write actually generates the points in your table!)
  3. Does this represent a horizontal permutation or a vertical permutation?
  4. Write a generalization based on this example, of the form: when you do such-and-such to a function, the graph changes in such-and-such a way.
  1. A third rock was dropped from the exact same place as the first rock (kicked off the ledge), but it was dropped 1½ seconds later, and began its fall (at h = 0 ) at that time.
  1. Fill in the following table for the third rock.
time (seconds) 0 ½ 1 2 3 4 5
height (feet) 0 0 0 0
  1. Graph the function h ( t ) for the new rock. Be sure to carefully label your axes!
  1. How does this new function h ( t ) compare to the original one? That is, if you put them side by side, what change would you see?
  2. The original function was h ( t ) = –16 t 2 . What is the new function?
    h ( t ) =
    (*make sure the function you write actually generates the points in your table!)
  3. Does this represent a horizontal permutation or a vertical permutation?

Write a generalization based on this example, of the form: when you do such-and-such to a function, the graph changes in such-and-such a way.

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Source:  OpenStax, Advanced algebra ii: activities and homework. OpenStax CNX. Sep 15, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10686/1.5
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