10 Basic Parent Functions

Parent Function Graph Graph

𝐲=𝐱 y = |x|
Linear, Odd Absolute Value, Even
Domain: (−∞,∞) Domain: (−∞,∞)
Range: (−∞,∞) Range: [0,∞) End
End Behavior: Behavior:
x → − ∞, y → − ∞ x → − ∞, y → ∞ x
x → ∞, y → ∞ → ∞, y → ∞
Critical points: Critical points:
(−1,−1), (0,0), (1,1) (−1,1), (0,0), (1,1)

𝐲=𝐱𝟐 Quadratic, 𝐲
Radical, Neither
Even
(Square Root)
Domain: (−∞,∞)
Domain: [0,∞)
Range: [0,∞) End
Range: [0,∞) End
Behavior:
Behavior:
x → − ∞, y → ∞ x x → 0,y → 0
→ ∞, y → ∞ x → ∞, y → ∞
Critical points: Critical points:
(−1,1), (0,0), (1,1) (0,0), (1,1), (4,2)

𝐲=𝐱𝟑 𝒚
Cubic, Odd Cube Root, Odd
Domain: (−∞,∞) Domain: (−∞,∞)
Range: (−∞,∞) Range: (−∞,∞) End
End Behavior: Behavior:
x → −∞, y → −∞ x → −∞, y → −∞ x
x → ∞, y → ∞ → ∞, y → ∞
Critical points: Critical points:
(−1,−1), (0,0), (1,1) (−1,−1), (0,0), (1,1)
 𝐲 = 𝐛𝐱, b > 1 𝐲 = 𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐛 𝐱, b > 1
(y = 2x) (y = log2 x)
Exponential, Neither Log, Neither
Domain: (−∞,∞) Domain: (0,∞)
Range: (0,∞) End Range: (−∞,∞) End
Behavior: x→−∞, Behavior:
y→0 x→∞, x → 0+, y → −∞ x
y→∞ → ∞, y → ∞
Critical points: Critical points:
(−1, ), (0,1), (1,b) b
1
( 1, −1), (1,0), (b,1) b
Asymptote: y = 0 Asymptote: x = 0

Parent Function Graph Parent Function Graph

𝟏
𝟏
𝐲=
𝐲= 𝟐
𝐱 𝐱
Rational, Odd
Rational, Even
(Inverse)
(Inverse Squared)
Domain:
Domain:
(−∞,0) (0,∞) (−∞,0) (0,∞)
Range:
Range:
(−∞,0) (0,∞) (0,∞) End
End Behavior:
Behavior:
x → −∞, y → 0 x x → −∞, y → 0 x
→ ∞, y → 0 → ∞, y → 0
Critical points:
Critical points:
(−1,−1), (1,1) (−1,1), (1,1)
Asymptotes: y Asymptotes: x
= 0, x = 0 = 0, y = 0

y= int(x) = ⟦𝐱⟧
Greatest Integer,
Neither y=C
Domain: ( y = 2)
(−∞,∞) Range: Constant, Even
{y: y Z} Domain:
(Z = integers) End ( −∞,∞) Range:
Behavior: {y: y = C} End
x → −∞, y → −∞ x Behavior:
→ ∞, y → ∞ x → −∞, y → C x
Critical points: → ∞, y → C
x : [−1,0) y : −1 Critical points:
x : [0,1) y : 0 x (−1,C), (0,C), (1,C)
: [1,2) y:1

Transformation Rules
 Vertical Shift g(x) = f(x) + c shifts up
g(x) = f(x) – c shifts down

Horizontal Shift g(x) = f( x + c) shifts left

g(x) = f( x – c) shifts right

Reflections g(x) = - f(x) flips over the x

g(x) = f(- x) flips over the y

Vertical Stretch or Compression g(x) = c f(x) if c > 1 stretches vertically

if 0 < c < 1 compresses vertically

Horizontal Stretch or Compression g(x) = f(cx) if c > 1 compresses horizontally

if 0 < c < 1 stretches horizontally

[Link] M-G1