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4 Vertical Line and Horizontal Line Test

The vertical line test can be used to determine if a graph represents a function. A graph represents a function if any vertical line drawn intersects the graph at only one point. The horizontal line test can determine if a function is one-to-one. A function is one-to-one if any horizontal line intersects the graph at only one point. The document provides examples of applying both the vertical and horizontal line tests to various graphs and functions.

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41 views

4 Vertical Line and Horizontal Line Test

The vertical line test can be used to determine if a graph represents a function. A graph represents a function if any vertical line drawn intersects the graph at only one point. The horizontal line test can determine if a function is one-to-one. A function is one-to-one if any horizontal line intersects the graph at only one point. The document provides examples of applying both the vertical and horizontal line tests to various graphs and functions.

Uploaded by

Mellat Adny
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Vertical Line Test

A test use to determine if a relation is a function. A relation is a function if there are


no vertical lines that intersect the graph at more than one point.

One-to-One Function

A function for which every element of the range of the function corresponds to exactly one
element of the domain. One-to-one is often written 1-1.

Note: y = f(x) is a function if it passes the vertical line test. It is a 1-1 function if it passes both
the vertical line test and the horizontal line test. Another way of testing whether a function is
1-1 is given below.

The vertical line test can be used to determine whether a graph represents a
function. If we can draw any vertical line that intersects a graph more than once, then
the graph does not define a function because a function has only one output value
for each input value.

Figure 12
HOW TO: GIVEN A GRAPH, USE THE VERTICAL LINE TEST TO DETERMINE IF THE
GRAPH REPRESENTS A FUNCTION.
1. Inspect the graph to see if any vertical line drawn would intersect the curve
more than once.
2. If there is any such line, determine that the graph does not represent a
function.
EXAMPLE 14: APPLYING THE VERTICAL LINE TEST

Which of the graphs represent(s) a function y = f(x)?

Figure 13
SOLUTION

If any vertical line intersects a graph more than once, the relation represented by the
graph is not a function. Notice that any vertical line would pass through only one
point of the two graphs shown in parts (a) and (b) of Figure 13. From this we can
conclude that these two graphs represent functions. The third graph does not
represent a function because, at most x-values, a vertical line would intersect the
graph at more than one point.

Figure 14
Does the graph in Figure 15 represent a function?

Figure 15
Using the Horizontal Line Test
Once we have determined that a graph defines a function, an easy way to determine if it is a one-to-
one function is to use the horizontal line test. Draw horizontal lines through the graph. If any
horizontal line intersects the graph more than once, then the graph does not represent a one-to-one
function.
HOW TO: GIVEN A GRAPH OF A FUNCTION, USE THE HORIZONTAL LINE TEST TO
DETERMINE IF THE GRAPH REPRESENTS A ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION.
1. Inspect the graph to see if any horizontal line drawn would intersect the curve
more than once.
2. If there is any such line, determine that the function is not one-to-one.
EXAMPLE 15: APPLYING THE HORIZONTAL LINE TEST

Consider the functions (a), and (b) shown in the graphs in Figure 16.

Figure 16
Are either of the functions one-to-one?
SOLUTION

The function in (a) is not one-to-one. The horizontal line shown in Figure
17 intersects the graph of the function at two points (and we can even find horizontal
lines that intersect it at three points.)

Figure 17
The function in (b) is one-to-one. Any horizontal line will intersect a diagonal line at
most once.

Constant F(x)=2

Identity f (x)=x

Absolute value f(x)=∣x∣


Quadratic f(x)=x2

Cubic f(x)=x3

Square root f(x)=√x

Vertical Line Test

The vertical line test is a method that is used to determine whether a given relation
is a function or not. The approach is rather simple. Draw a vertical line cutting
through the graph of the relation, and then observe the points of intersection.

Why does this work?


The vertical line test supports the definition of a function. That is, every x-value of a
function must be paired to a single y-value. If we think of a vertical line as an infinite
set of x-values, then intersecting the graph of a relation at exactly one point by a
vertical line implies that a single x-value is only paired to a unique value of y.

In contrary, if the vertical line intersects the graph more than once this suggests that
a single x-value is being associated with more than one value of y. This condition
causes the relation to be “disqualified” or not considered as a function.

If a vertical line intersects the graph in all places at exactly one point, then the
relation is a function.

Here are some examples of relations that are also functions because they pass the
vertical line test.

Cutting or Hitting the Graph at Exactly One Point

f(x)=x+1

Graph of the quadratic function (parabola) f(x)=x2−2

Graph of the cubic function f(x)=x3


If a vertical line intersects the graph in some places at more than one point, then
the relation is NOT a function.

Here are some examples of relations that are NOT functions because they fail the
vertical line test.

Cutting or Hitting the Graph in More Than One Point

Graph of the “sideway” parabola x = y2

Graph of the circle x2 + y2 = 9

Graph of the relation x = y3 − y + 2

Horizontal Line Test

The horizontal line test is a convenient method that can determine whether a given
function has an inverse, but more importantly to find out if the inverse is also a
function.

Remember that it is very possible that a function may have an inverse but at the
same time, the inverse is not a function because it doesn’t pass the vertical line test.

So here’s the deal!


If the horizontal line intersects the graph of a function in all places at exactly one
point, then the given function should have an inverse that is also a function. We say
this function passes the horizontal line test.

Here are some examples of functions that pass the horizontal line test:

Horizontal Line Cutting or Hitting the Graph at Exactly One Point

• Graph of the line f(x)=−x+2.

• Graph of the square root function f(x)=x+1

On the other hand, if the horizontal line can intersect the graph of a function in some
places at more than one point, then the function involved can’t have an inverse that
is also a function.

We say this function fails the horizontal line test.

Here are some examples of functions that fail the horizontal line test:

Horizontal Line Cutting or Hitting the Graph at More Than One Point

• Graph of the parabola f(x)=x2−2.

• Graph of absolute value function f(x)=∣x∣


• Graph of semi-circle f(x)=7−x2

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