How do you read the graph of a function?

760 views

I can interpret functions in the formula form but I simply can’t understand how it can become a graph. How would you transform one into the other?

In: 46

19 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

A function tells you a relationship between two values. For example, the function y=2x tells you that y is twice the size of x.

A graph shows you how that relationship looks for a range of values. The process of making a graph is simple, you put a range of values into the function and plot the resulting values against the values you put in.

Most of the time you will look at a graph to understand the “rate of change” which is how the relationship (not the values themselve) changes as you change the values. For example, if I double X does Y double too? And does this happen no matter what value of X I start with? If the graph is a straight line then you know it will, but if the graph curves you know that the behaviour of the function changes based on the value of X you have.

Another use of graphs is to quickly see what the biggest and smallest values your function can make are.

You are viewing 1 out of 19 answers, click here to view all answers.