REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

SORSOGON STATE COLLEGE

LABORATORY HIGHSCHOOL

PROJECT IN BASIC CALCULUS

SUBMITTED BY;

MANOLES

FALCOTELO

MAGPAYO

BON

ESPECIAL
GRAPHING POWER FUNCTIONS

>Power functions

is a function that can be represented in the form

f(x)=kxp

where k and p are real numbers, and k is known as the coefficient.

is a function where y= x ^ n, where n is any real constant number.

Ex: y=3x2

y=x½

How to graph power functions

Step 1:

To be able to learn how to graph a power function you should first understand and

know its parts.

F(x)= axb - the general form of a power function

>a is a simple scaling factor, moving the values of x b up or down as it increases or

decreases, respectively.

Ex: f(x)=2x3

If you change the value of a from positive to negative it changes the orientation of

the graph.
>bIs called either the exponent or the power, determines the function’s rate of

growth or decay. Depending on whether it is positive or negative. A whole number

or a fraction, it determines the function’s shape and behavior

Step 2: identifying the type of power in the function

To graph power functions more easily, it is important to know that the type of

power in a power function directly affects the behavior of its graph.

*Even Powers

When b is an even whole number like -2 ,4 ,6 etc., the function will have a certain

symmetry, its outputs for any value of x are exactly the same as its outputs for –x.

We call any function with this behavior an even function.

Ex:
As you can see the outputs for the values of x and –x are the same.

*Odd powers

If b is an odd number like -1, 3,5 etc., the function will have a certain anti-

symmetry, its outputs for any value of x are exactly the opposite of its outputs for –

x. We call any function of this behavior an odd function.

Ex:
As you can see all the outputs for the values of x and –x are opposite with each

other.

*Integer powers

Being negative or positive of the b also affects the behavior of the graph of a

power function.

>Cases for integer powers:

Even,positive

These functions decreases through increasing negative inputs, pass through (0,0),

and then increase through increasing positive inputs.

Odd, positive

These functions increases through increasing negative inputs, pass through

increasing (0,0) and then continue to increase through increasing positive inputs.

Even, negative

These functions increase through increasing negative inputs, take on arbitrarily

large positive values near X=0, are undefined at x=0, and then decrease from

arbitrarily large positive values through increasing positive inputs.

Odd, negative

These functions decrease through increasing negative inputs, take on arbitrarily

large negative values near x=o, are undefined at x=0, and decrease from any

arbitrarily large positive values through increasing positive values.

*Fractional powers

It doesn’t matter when the power is even or odd, but the negativity or positivity of

the power matters. To calculate xm/n

we must first find the nth root of x(x1/n=n√x), raise it to the mth power. The second

step is straightforward: We can raise any number to an integer power.

>Cases for fractional powers:

Positive m/n, n even

These functions are undefined for x<0. They begin at (0,0). For x>0 they increase

through increasing positive inputs. They increase at a decreasing rate if m>n.

Negative m/n, n even

These functions are defined only for x>0. For x>0 they decrease through increasing

positive inputs at a decreasing rate.

Positive m/n, n odd

These functions are defined for all x. They pass through (0,0). They are even if m

is even and odd if m is odd. If m<n, they increase through increasing positive

inputs at a decreasing rate. If m>n, they increase through increasing positive inputs

at an increasing rate.0.
Negative m/n, n odd

These functions are defined for all non-zero x. They are even if m is even and odd

if m is odd. They decrease through increasing positive inputs through increasing

positive inputs at a decreasing rate.

Step 3: making a table of values

Like in other functions, in order to identify the coordinates of a graph of a power

function, you must construct a table of values.

In equations like these

F(x)= 2x3
You just need to replace or substitute the values of x to the equation.

F(x) - -2 0 2 16

16
x -2 -1 0 1 2

But for equations with a fractional power, you first need to get its nth root and raise

it to the mth power.

F(x)= 4x3/2

3/2
In these equation the m is 3 and the n is 2 therefore F(x)=4x is equal to F(x)=

√4x3

und= undefined

F(X und und 0 2 5.56

)
x -2 -1 0 1 2

The reason why -2 and -1 are undefined is given in the cases of fractional powers.
Step 4: plotting the points

When you are able to make a table of values, you will already be able to plot those

points. Making graphs will be a lot easier if you understand the mentioned tips

earlier like the types of powers. Those things will come in handy if you are asked

to graph a power function.

Ex: 2x2

Because it has an even power we can conclude that the graph looks like this
Being familiar with those mentioned rules earlier, graphing became a lot easier. If

you learned and mastered those rules, it is more likely to you to avoid mistakes in

graphing a power function.

Identifying End Behavior of Power Functions

the graphs of f(x)=x2f(x)=x2, g(x)=x4g(x)=x4 and and h(x)=x6h(x)=x6, which are

all power functions with even, whole-number powers. these graphs have similar

shapes. However, as the power increases, the graphs flatten somewhat near the

origin and become steeper away from the origin.

Even-power functions

To describe the behavior as numbers become larger and larger, we use the idea of

infinity. We use the symbol ∞∞ for positive infinity and −∞−∞ for negative

infinity. When we say that “x approaches infinity,” which can be symbolically

written as x→∞x→∞, we are describing a behavior; we are saying that xx is

increasing without bound.

With the even-power function, as the input increases or decreases without bound,

the output values become very large, positive numbers. Equivalently, we could

describe this behavior by saying that as xx approaches positive or negative infinity,

the f(x)f(x) values increase without bound. In symbolic form, we could write

as x→±→±∞,f(x)→→∞(3.4.4)(3.4.4)as x→±→±∞,f(x)→→∞

Figure 3.4.33.4.3 shows the graphs of f(x)=x3f(x)=x3, g(x)=x5g(x)=x5,

and h(x)=x7h(x)=x7, which are all power functions with odd, whole-number

powers. Notice that these graphs look similar to the cubic function in the toolkit.

Again, as the power increases, the graphs flatten near the origin and become

steeper away from the origin.

Odd-power function

These examples illustrate that functions of the form f(x)=xnf(x)=xn reveal

symmetry of one kind or another. In the previos graph we see that even functions

of the form f(x)=xnf(x)=xn, nn even, are symmetric about the y-axis. In this we see

that odd functions of the form f(x)=xnf(x)=xn, nn odd, are symmetric about the

origin.

For these odd power functions, as xx approaches negative

infinity, f(x)f(x) decreases without bound. As xx approaches positive

infinity, f(x)f(x) increases without bound. In symbolic form we write

as x→−→−∞,f(x)→−→−∞as x→→∞,f(x)→→∞(3.4.5)(3.4.6)(3.4.5)as x→−→−∞

,f(x)→−→−∞(3.4.6)as x→→∞,f(x)→→∞

The behavior of the graph of a function as the input values get very

small (x→−→−∞)(x→−→−∞) and get very large x→→∞x→→∞ is referred to as

the end behavior of the function. We can use words or symbols to describe end

behavior.
Any function that can be written in the form

ƒ1x2 = k # xa

, where k and a are nonzero constants,

is a power function . The constant a is the power , and k is the constant of

variation , or constant of proportion . We say ƒ1x2 varies as the ath power of

x , or ƒ1x2 is proportional to the ath power of x .

The power function formulas with positive powers are statements of direct

variation ,

and power function formulas with negative powers are statements of inverse

variation .

Unless the word inversely is included in a variation statement, the variation is

assumed

to be direct,
Analyzing Power Functions

State the power and constant of variation for the function, graph it, and analyze

(a) ƒ1x2 = 23 x (b) g1x2 = 1

x2

solution:

The graphs of

(a) ƒ1x2 = 23 x = x1/3 and

(b) g1x2 = 1/x2 = x -2

(a) Because ƒ1x2 = 23 x = x1/3 = 1 # x1/3 , its power is 1/3, and its constant of

variation is 1. The graph of ƒ is shown in Figure a.

Domain: 1-∞, ∞2

Range: 1-∞, ∞2

Continuous

Increasing for all x

Symmetric with respect to the origin (an odd function)

Not bounded above or below

No local extrema

No asymptotes

End behavior: lim

xS-∞ 23 x = -∞ and lim

xS∞ 23 x = ∞

Interesting fact: The cube root function ƒ1x2 = 23 x is the inverse of the cubing

function.

(b) Because g1x2 = 1/x2 = x -2 = 1 # x -2 , its power is -2 , and its constant of

variation is 1. The graph of g is shown in Figure b.

Domain: 1-∞, 02h10, ∞2

Range: 10, ∞2

Continuous on its domain; discontinuous at x = 0

Increasing on 1-∞, 02 ; decreasing on 10, ∞2

Symmetric with respect to the y -axis (an even function)

Bounded below, but not above

No local extrema

Horizontal asymptote: y = 0 ; vertical asymptote: x = 0

End behavior: lim

xS-∞
11/x2
2 = 0 and lim
xS∞
11/x2
2=0