Parent Functions

Bradlie Johnson
Calculus
y=a(x-h)
2
+k
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
Quadratic Function
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y=a(x-h)
2
+k
The a variable in the equation y=a(x-h)
2
+k affects the steepness of the graph.
The further a is from zero, the more narrow the graph; the closer a is to zero,
the wider the graph. Negative a values reflect the graph across the x axis.

Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+ )
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+ )
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+ )
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-, 0]
Quadratic Function
Effect of change in h on the graph of the function y=a(x-h)
2
+k
The variable h in the function y=a(x-h)
2
+k represents the x coordinate
of the parabolas vertex. If h is positive (appears as x-h), the graph shifts
to the right; if h is negative (appears as x+h), the graph shifts to the left.
Quadratic Function
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+ )
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+ )
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+ )
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0, -]
y= sin(x)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
The Graph of Sine
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y=a * sin (x)
The a variable in the equation y=a * sin (x) affects the amplitude of the graph and
thus the range. The absolute value of a is the distance between the graphs midline
and its maximum and minimum points. The further from zero the a value is, the
greater the amplitude and range of the graph. A negative a value reflects the graph.
The Graph of Sine
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-2,+2]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-0.5,+0.5]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-2,+2]
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y= sin (bx)
The b variable affects the graphs period. The further the b value is from zero,
the shorter the period and thus the steeper the slope; the closer the b value is
to zero, the longer the period. Negative b values reflect the graph.
The Graph of Sine
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
y=cos(x)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
The Graph of Cosine
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y= a* cos (x)
The a variable in the equation y=a * cos (x) affects the amplitude of the graph and
thus the range. The absolute value of a is the distance between the graphs midline
and its maximum and minimum points. The further from zero the a value is, the
greater the amplitude and range of the graph. A negative a value reflects the graph.

The Graph of Cosine
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-0.5,+0.5]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-2,+2]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-2+2]
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y= cos (bx)
The b variable affects the graphs period. The further the b value is from zero,
the shorter the period and thus the steeper the slope; the closer the b value is
to zero, the longer the period. Negative b values affect the graph in the same
way as positive b values.

The Graph of Cosine
*Note that the green and red graphs overlap
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [-1,+1]
y=x
3

Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Cubic Function
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y= ax
3

The variable a in the equation y= ax
3
affects the steepness of the graph. As a
gets closer to zero, the graph remains closer to the x axis longer and becomes
less narrow; as a gets further from zero, the graph becomes more narrow.
Negative a values reflect the graph.
Cubic Function
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y= x
3
+b
The b variable in the equation y= x
3
+b affects the graphs vertical position. If
b is greater than zero, the graph shifts up on the y axis b number of points; if b
is less than zero, the graph shifts down on the y axis b number of points.
Cubic Function
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-,+)
y= |x|
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+ ]
Absolute Value
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y= a|x|
The a variable in the equation y= a|x| affects the steepness of the graph. The
further a is from zero, the more narrow the graph; the closer a is to zero, the
wider the graph. Negative a values reflect the graph across the x axis.
Absolute Value
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (-, 0]
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y= |x-b|
The b variable in the equation y= |x-b| affects the graphs horizontal
position. If b is positive (appears as |x-b|), the graph shifts to the right b
number of points; if b is negative (appears as |x + b|), the graph shifts to the
left b number of points.

Absolute Value
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: [0,+)
y=x
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [0 ,+]
Radical Function
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y= ax
The a variable in the equation y= ax affects the steepness of the graph.
The further a is from zero, the steeper the graph. Negative a values
reflect the graph across the x axis.

Radical Function
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (-,0]
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y= x+b
The b variable in the equation y= x+b affects the graphs vertical position. If
b is positive, the graph shifts up on the y axis b number of points; if b is
negative, the graph shifts down on the y axis b number of points.

Radical Function
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [2,+)
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [-2,+)
Domain: [0,+)
Range: [1,+)
y=logx
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (- ,+ )
Logarithmic Function
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y= log
a
x
The a variable in the equation y= ax affects the steepness of the graph. The
closer a is to zero, the steeper the graph. The graph does not exist as a function
at one (it becomes a vertical line and thus fails the vertical line test), but all a
values between one and zero reflect the graph across the x axis.

Logarithmic Function
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (-,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (- ,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (- ,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (-,+)
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y= logx +b
The b variable in the equation y= logx +b affects the graphs vertical
position. If b is positive, the graph shifts up on the y axis; if b is
negative, the graph shifts down on the y axis.

Logarithmic Function
Domain: (0,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (- ,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (- ,+)
Domain: (0,+)
Range: (- ,+)
y=a
x
(y=2
x
displayed)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (0,+ )
Exponential Function
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y=a
x

The a variable in the equation y=a
x
affects the steepness of the graph. The further a is
from zero, the steeper the graph. The graph does not exist as an exponential
function at one or zero(it becomes a horizontal line), but all a values between one
and zero reflect the graph across the y axis. Negative a values reflect the graph
across the x axis.
Exponential Function
Domain: (- ,+)
Range: (0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (0,+)
Domain: (- ,+)
Range: 1
Domain: (- ,+)
Range: (0,+)
Domain: (- ,+)
Range: (- ,0)
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y=2
x+b

The b variable in the equation y=2
x+b
affects the graphs horizontal
position. If b is positive, the graph shifts to the left; if b is negative, the
graph shifts to the right.

Exponential Function
Domain: (0,+)
Range: [0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (0,+)
Domain: (-,+)
Range: (0,+)
y=1/x
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Rational Function
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y=1/x+a
The a variable in the equation y=1/x+a affects the graphs horizontal position.
If a is positive, the graphs asymptotes shift to the left a number of points; if a is
negative, the graphs asymptotes shift to the right a number of points.

Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Rational Function
Domain: (-, -2) U (-2,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Domain: (-, -1) U (-1,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Domain: (-, 1) U (1,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y=1/x +b
The b variable in the equation y=1/x +b affects the graphs vertical position. If
b is positive, the graphs asymptotes shift up b number of points; if b is
negative, the graphs asymptotes shift down b number of points.

Rational Function
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 2) U (2,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 1) U (1,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, -1) U (-1,+)
y= 1/x
2
Rational Function
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (0,+)
Effect of change in a on the graph of the function y= 1/x
2
+a
The a variable in the equation y= 1/x
2
+a affects the graphs vertical position.
If a is positive, the graph shifts up a number of points; if a is negative, the
graph shifts down a number of points. Vertical shifts affect all points as well as
asymptotes.

Rational Function
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (2,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (1,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-1,+)
Effect of change in b on the graph of the function y= b/x
2

The b variable in the equation y= b/x
2
affects the steepness of the graph. The
further a is from zero, the wider the graph; the closer a is to zero, the more
narrow the graph. Negative a values reflect the graph across the x axis.

Rational Function
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (-, 0)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (0,+)
Domain: (-, 0) U (0,+)
Range: (0,+)