<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Write the formula for the function that we get when we stretch the identity toolkit function by a factor of 3, and then shift it down by 2 units.

g ( x ) = 3 x - 2

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Horizontal stretches and compressions

Now we consider changes to the inside of a function. When we multiply a function’s input by a positive constant, we get a function whose graph is stretched or compressed horizontally in relation to the graph of the original function. If the constant is between 0 and 1, we get a horizontal stretch ; if the constant is greater than 1, we get a horizontal compression of the function.

Graph of the vertical stretch and compression of x^2.

Given a function y = f ( x ) , the form y = f ( b x ) results in a horizontal stretch or compression. Consider the function y = x 2 . Observe [link] . The graph of y = ( 0.5 x ) 2 is a horizontal stretch of the graph of the function y = x 2 by a factor of 2. The graph of y = ( 2 x ) 2 is a horizontal compression of the graph of the function y = x 2 by a factor of 2.

Horizontal stretches and compressions

Given a function f ( x ) , a new function g ( x ) = f ( b x ) , where b is a constant, is a horizontal stretch    or horizontal compression    of the function f ( x ) .

  • If b > 1 , then the graph will be compressed by 1 b .
  • If 0 < b < 1 , then the graph will be stretched by 1 b .
  • If b < 0 , then there will be combination of a horizontal stretch or compression with a horizontal reflection.

Given a description of a function, sketch a horizontal compression or stretch.

  1. Write a formula to represent the function.
  2. Set g ( x ) = f ( b x ) where b > 1 for a compression or 0 < b < 1 for a stretch.

Graphing a horizontal compression

Suppose a scientist is comparing a population of fruit flies to a population that progresses through its lifespan twice as fast as the original population. In other words, this new population, R , will progress in 1 hour the same amount as the original population does in 2 hours, and in 2 hours, it will progress as much as the original population does in 4 hours. Sketch a graph of this population.

Symbolically, we could write

R ( 1 ) = P ( 2 ) , R ( 2 ) = P ( 4 ) ,  and in general, R ( t ) = P ( 2 t ) .

See [link] for a graphical comparison of the original population and the compressed population.

Two side-by-side graphs. The first graph has function for original population whose domain is [0,7] and range is [0,3]. The maximum value occurs at (3,3). The second graph has the same shape as the first except it is half as wide. It is a graph of transformed population, with a domain of [0, 3.5] and a range of [0,3]. The maximum occurs at (1.5, 3).
(a) Original population graph (b) Compressed population graph
Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Finding a horizontal stretch for a tabular function

A function f ( x ) is given as [link] . Create a table for the function g ( x ) = f ( 1 2 x ) .

x 2 4 6 8
f ( x ) 1 3 7 11

The formula g ( x ) = f ( 1 2 x ) tells us that the output values for g are the same as the output values for the function f at an input half the size. Notice that we do not have enough information to determine g ( 2 ) because g ( 2 ) = f ( 1 2 2 ) = f ( 1 ) , and we do not have a value for f ( 1 ) in our table. Our input values to g will need to be twice as large to get inputs for f that we can evaluate. For example, we can determine g ( 4 ) .

g ( 4 ) = f ( 1 2 4 ) = f ( 2 ) = 1

We do the same for the other values to produce [link] .

x 4 8 12 16
g ( x ) 1 3 7 11

[link] shows the graphs of both of these sets of points.

Graph of the previous table.
Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Recognizing a horizontal compression on a graph

Relate the function g ( x ) to f ( x ) in [link] .

Graph of f(x) being vertically compressed to g(x).

The graph of g ( x ) looks like the graph of f ( x ) horizontally compressed. Because f ( x ) ends at ( 6 , 4 ) and g ( x ) ends at ( 2 , 4 ) , we can see that the x - values have been compressed by 1 3 , because 6 ( 1 3 ) = 2. We might also notice that g ( 2 ) = f ( 6 ) and g ( 1 ) = f ( 3 ) . Either way, we can describe this relationship as g ( x ) = f ( 3 x ) . This is a horizontal compression by 1 3 .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Questions & Answers

what is defense mechanism
Chinaza Reply
what is defense mechanisms
Chinaza
I'm interested in biological psychology and cognitive psychology
Tanya Reply
what does preconceived mean
sammie Reply
physiological Psychology
Nwosu Reply
How can I develope my cognitive domain
Amanyire Reply
why is communication effective
Dakolo Reply
Communication is effective because it allows individuals to share ideas, thoughts, and information with others.
effective communication can lead to improved outcomes in various settings, including personal relationships, business environments, and educational settings. By communicating effectively, individuals can negotiate effectively, solve problems collaboratively, and work towards common goals.
it starts up serve and return practice/assessments.it helps find voice talking therapy also assessments through relaxed conversation.
miss
Every time someone flushes a toilet in the apartment building, the person begins to jumb back automatically after hearing the flush, before the water temperature changes. Identify the types of learning, if it is classical conditioning identify the NS, UCS, CS and CR. If it is operant conditioning, identify the type of consequence positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement or punishment
Wekolamo Reply
please i need answer
Wekolamo
because it helps many people around the world to understand how to interact with other people and understand them well, for example at work (job).
Manix Reply
Agreed 👍 There are many parts of our brains and behaviors, we really need to get to know. Blessings for everyone and happy Sunday!
ARC
A child is a member of community not society elucidate ?
JESSY Reply
Isn't practices worldwide, be it psychology, be it science. isn't much just a false belief of control over something the mind cannot truly comprehend?
Simon Reply
compare and contrast skinner's perspective on personality development on freud
namakula Reply
Skinner skipped the whole unconscious phenomenon and rather emphasized on classical conditioning
war
explain how nature and nurture affect the development and later the productivity of an individual.
Amesalu Reply
nature is an hereditary factor while nurture is an environmental factor which constitute an individual personality. so if an individual's parent has a deviant behavior and was also brought up in an deviant environment, observation of the behavior and the inborn trait we make the individual deviant.
Samuel
I am taking this course because I am hoping that I could somehow learn more about my chosen field of interest and due to the fact that being a PsyD really ignites my passion as an individual the more I hope to learn about developing and literally explore the complexity of my critical thinking skills
Zyryn Reply
good👍
Jonathan
and having a good philosophy of the world is like a sandwich and a peanut butter 👍
Jonathan
generally amnesi how long yrs memory loss
Kelu Reply
interpersonal relationships
Abdulfatai Reply
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Algebra and trigonometry. OpenStax CNX. Nov 14, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11758/1.6
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Algebra and trigonometry' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask