Edexcel AS Mathematics: Graphs and transformations

Section 2: Transformations of graphs

Notes and Examples
These notes contain the following subsections:
Vertical translations
Horizontal translations
General translations
Vertical one-way stretches
Horizontal one-way stretches
Reflections
Finding the equation of a transformed curve
Transformations of trigonometric graphs

Vertical translations
Use graphing software (you could use the Explore: Transformations resource on Integral) to
compare the curve y = x 2 + a with the curve y = x 2 for different values of a (positive and
negative).

When the curve y = f ( x) is transformed onto the curve y = f ( x) + a , for any particular
value of x, a is added to the value of y. This has the effect of moving the whole curve a
units upwards if a is positive, and a units downwards if a is negative. This is a translation of
0
a units parallel to the y-axis, or, using vector notation, a translation of   .
a
In general:

For any function f ( x) , the curve y = f ( x) + a can be obtained from the curve y = f ( x) by
translating it through a units in the positive y direction.

The diagram below shows a curve y = f ( x) (in this case f ( x) = x ), the curve y = f ( x) + 1,
3

and the curve y = f ( x) − 2 .

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Horizontal translations
Use graphing software (you could use the Explore: Transformations resource on Integral) to
compare the curve y = ( x − a)2 with the curve y = x 2 for different values of a (positive and
negative).

When the curve y = f ( x) is transformed into the curve y = f ( x − a) , for any particular
value of y, the value of x must be a units greater to obtain the same value of y. This has the
effect of moving the whole curve a units to the right if a is positive, and a units to the left if a
is negative. This is a translation of a units parallel to the x-axis, or, using vector notation, a
a
translation of   .
0
In general:

For any function f ( x) , the curve y = f ( x − a) can be obtained from the curve y = f ( x) by
translating it through a units in the positive x direction.

The diagram below shows a curve y = f ( x) (in this case f ( x) = x ), the curve y = f ( x − 1)
2

, and the curve y = f ( x + 2) .

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General translations
Use graphing software to explore translating a curve in both the x and y directions. What
vector describes each transformation?

s
Translating the curve y = f ( x) by the vector   (i.e. s units to the right and t units
t 
vertically upwards) gives the curve y = f ( x − s) + t . This is simply a combination of the two
translations already discussed.

In general:

For any function f ( x) , the curve y = f ( x − s) + t can be obtained from the curve y = f ( x)
by translating it through s units in the positive x direction and t units in the positive y
direction.

It can be tricky to understand why translating in one direction involves adding, and
translating in the other direction involves subtracting. It is helpful to rewrite this last result
as:

When the curve y = f ( x) is translated through s units in the positive x direction and t units
in the positive y direction, the resulting curve is given by y − t = f ( x − s) .

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This shows the symmetry of the results. Translating the curve through s units in the positive
x direction is equivalent to replacing x with x − s . Translating the curve through t units in
the positive y direction is equivalent to replacing y with y − t .

A familiar illustration of this idea is the equation of a circle. The circle x + y = 1 is centred
2 2

on the origin. The circle ( x − 1) + ( y + 2) = 1 has centre (1, −2) . The circle has been
2 2

1
translated through 
− 2  . In the equation, x has been replaced by x − 1 and y has been
 
replaced by y − ( −2) .

These ideas can be generalised to any curve.

Example 1
The diagram below shows the curve y = f ( x) .

(-1, 2)

Sketch the curves:

(a) y = f ( x) + 2
(b) y = f ( x) − 1
(c) y = f ( x − 2)
(d) y = f ( x + 1)
(e) y = f ( x − 1) − 2
showing the coordinates of the turning point in each case.

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Solution

(a)
y
(-1, 4)

y = f ( x) + 2 represents a
translation of 2 units vertically
x upwards

(b)
y

y = f ( x) − 1 represents a
(-1, 1)
translation of 1 unit vertically
x downwards.

(c)
y
(1, 2)
y = f ( x − 2) represents a
translation of 2 units to the right.
x

(d)
y

(-2, 2)
y = f ( x + 1) represents a
x translation of 1 unit to the left.

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 (e)
y

(0, 0)
y = f ( x − 1) − 2 represents a
x translation of 1 unit to the right and
2 units vertically downwards

Vertical one-way stretches

Use graphing software to compare the curve y = ax( x − 2) with the curve y = x( x − 2) for
different values of a (use positive values of a for now).
When the curve y = f ( x) is transformed into the curve y = af ( x) , for any particular value
of x, the value of y is multiplied by a. This has the effect of stretching the curve by a scale
factor of a in the y direction. (Of course, if a is less than 1, then the curve will be
compressed rather than stretched).

In general:

For any function f ( x) , and any positive value of a, the curve y = af ( x) can be obtained
from the curve y = f ( x) by a stretch of scale factor a parallel to the y-axis.

y y
You can rewrite y = af ( x) as = f ( x) . So replacing y with results in a stretch of scale
a a
factor a parallel to the y-axis.

The diagram below shows a curve y = f ( x) (in this case f ( x) = x − x , the curve
3

y = 3f ( x) , and the curve y = 12 f ( x) .

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Horizontal one-way stretches
Use graphing software to compare the curve y = ax(ax − 2) with the curve y = x( x − 2) for
different values of a (use positive values of a for now).

When the curve y = f ( x) is transformed into the curve y = f (ax) , for any particular value
1
of y, the value of x must be multiplied by to obtain the same value of y. This has the
a
1
effect of stretching the curve by a scale factor of in the x direction. (Of course, if a is
a
greater than 1, then the graph will be compressed rather than stretched).

In general:

For any function f ( x) , and any positive value of a, the curve y = f (ax) can be obtained
1
from the curve y = f ( x) by a stretch of scale factor parallel to the x-axis
a

 x
Similarly, the graph of y = f   is obtained from the graph of y = f ( x) by a stretch of
a
y
scale factor a parallel to the x-axis. So, just as replacing y with results in a stretch of
a

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 x
scale factor a parallel to the y-axis, replacing x with results in a stretch of scale factor a
a
parallel to the x-axis.

The diagram below shows a curve y = f ( x) (in this case f ( x) = x − 4 x ), the curve
3

y = f (2 x) , and the curve y = f ( 13 x) .

Example 2
The diagram below shows a curve y = f ( x) .

The graph cuts the x-axis at (1,0) and (−1,0) and the y-axis at (0, −2) .

Sketch the curves:

(a) y = f (2 x)
(b) y = 3f ( x)

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(c) y = f ( 13 x )
(d) y = 14 f ( x)
giving the coordinates of the points where the graph crosses the coordinate axes in each
case.

Solution

(a)
y = f (2 x) represents a one-way
1
stretch scale factor 2 parallel to
the x-axis.

The graph cuts the x-axis at

( 12 ,0 ) and ( − 12 ,0 ) and the
y-axis at (0, −2) .

(b)
y = 3f ( x) represents a one-way
stretch scale factor 3 parallel to
the y-axis.

The graph cuts the x-axis at

(1,0) and (−1,0) and the y-axis
at (0, −6) .

(c)
y = f ( 13 x ) represents a one-way
stretch scale factor 3 parallel to
the x-axis.

The graph cuts the x-axis at

(3,0) and (−3,0) and the y-axis
at (0, −2) .

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 (d)
y = 14 f ( x) represents a one-way
1
stretch scale factor 4 parallel to
the y-axis.

The graph cuts the x-axis at

(1,0) and (−1,0) and the y-axis
at ( 0,− 12 ) .

Reflections
Use graphing software to investigate graphs of the form y = −f ( x) and y = f (− x) .

In fact these are just special cases of the one-way stretches you already know about. The
equation y = −f ( x) represents a stretch with scale factor −1 parallel to the y axis, which is
the same as reflection in the x axis. The equation y = f (− x) represents a stretch with scale
factor −1 parallel to the x axis, which is the same as reflection in the y axis.

y = −f ( x) is the equation of the curve obtained when the curve y = f ( x) is reflected in the
x axis
y = f (− x) is the equation of the curve obtained when the curve y = f ( x) is reflected in the
y axis

Finding the equation of a transformed curve

Example 3
Each of the following transformations is applied to the graph of the quadratic function
f ( x) = x 2 + 2 x − 1 . Find the equation of the new curve in each case.
(a) Horizontal translation 3 units to the left
(b) Stretch, scale factor 2, parallel to the y-axis
(c) Reflection in the y-axis

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Solution
(a) The result of a horizontal translation 3 units to the left is y = f ( x + 3)

Replace x with x + 3 in the equation

y = ( x + 3)2 + 2( x + 3) − 1
= x2 + 6 x + 9 + 2 x + 6 − 1
= x2 + 8x + 8

(b) The result of a stretch, scale factor 2, parallel to the y-axis is y = 2f ( x)

Multiply the whole of the right hand side of the equation by 2

y = 2( x 2 + 2 x − 1)
= 2 x2 + 4 x − 2

(c) The result of a reflection in the y-axis is y = f (− x)

Replace x with − x in the equation

y = (− x)2 + 2(− x) − 1
= x2 − 2 x − 1

Transformations of trigonometric graphs

All the rules above can be applied to trigonometric graphs.
You can investigate the effect of translations and stretches of the graphs of trigonometric
functions using graphing software, or the Explore resource Transformations of trigonometric
graphs on Integral.

Example 4
Sketch the graphs of
(a) y = 1 + sin x

(b) y = cos( x − 60)

Solution

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(a)

y = 1 + sin x is a translation of the graph y = sin x by 1 unit in the positive y direction

(so 1 unit vertically upwards).

(b)

y = cos( x − 60) is a translation of the graph y = cos x by 60 in the positive x direction (to the right).

Horizontal stretches affect the period of a trigonometric graph. For example, the curve
1
y = cos 2 x is obtained by stretching the curve y = cos x by a factor of (i.e. compressing2
it). This curve therefore has a period half that of the period of the graph of y = cos x .

Vertical stretches affect the amplitude of a trigonometric graph. For example, the curve
y = 2sin x is obtained by stretching the curve y = sin x by a factor of 2. The period of this
curve is the same as that of y = sin x , but its amplitude is doubled.

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Example 5
Write down the equation of the following graph:

Solution
Compare the graph with that of y = sin x

The x coordinate of every point on the graph of y = sin x has been halved.

Therefore the equation is y = sin 2 x .

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