ExplorationAbsoluteValueFunctions

Usetheresourceasaguidetohelpyouanswerthequestions

Part1DefiningAbsoluteValueFunctions

1. Explainwhatabsolutevaluemeans.

2. Ifyouhaveanegativenumberandplugitintotheabsolutevaluefunction,whatshould
yougetasaresult?

Part2DomainandRange

1. Whatisthedomainforanabsolutevaluefunction?

2. Whatistherangeforanabsolutevaluefunction?

Part3GraphingAbsoluteValueFunctions

Theabsolutevaluefunction, f (x) = |x| ,canalsobethoughtofasapiecewisefunction.Graph

theabsolutevaluefunctionbelowandwriteoutthepiecewisefunction.

Part4GeogebraExploration
UsethisGeogebraWorksheettohelpyoubetterunderstandtransformationsoftheabsolute
valuefunction.

Theabsolutevalueparentfunctionis f (x)

= |x| .Inthegeogebraapplication,checkthe

ParentFunctionboxtoshowtheparentfunctionatalltimes.

1. Lookatthetablefortheabsolutevalueparentfunction.Whenyoupluginavaluefor
x,howdoestheresultingyvaluerelatetothex?

Changingtheavalue
Wewillnowlookatwhathappenswhenthereisacoefficientinfrontoftheabsolutevalue.
Wewillcallthiscoefficient a .Sothenewabsolutevaluefunctionwillbe: f (x)

= a|x|

1. Usingtheaslider,changethevalueofato2.Whateffectdoesthishaveonthe
parentfunction(whichisinred)?Describethechangefromtheparentfunction.

2. Usetheaslidertochangethevalueofato1.Whateffectdoesthishaveonthe
parentfunction?Describethechangefromtheparentfunction.

3. Usetheaslidertochangethevalueofato0.5.Whateffectdoesthishaveonthe
parentfunction?Describethechangefromtheparentfunction?

**Settheasliderbacktoa=1tobeginthenextpartoftheactivity.

Changingthecvalue
Wewillnowlookatwhathappenswhenwesubtractoraddavaluetothexinsidethe
absolutevalue.Thisvalueingeogebrais c butinstandardformitwillbe h .Thenew
absolutevaluefunctionforthisactivitywillbe: f (x)

= |x c|.

1. Usethecslidertochangethecvaluetoc=1.Whateffectdoeschangingcto1
insteadof0haveontheparentabsolutevaluefunction?Describethechangefromthe
parentfunction.

2. Usethecslidertochangethecvaluetoc=1.Whateffectdoeschangingcto1
insteadof0haveontheparentabsolutevaluefunction?Describethechangefromthe
parentfunction.

3. Ingeneral,whattransformationoccurswhenthecvalueispositive?

4. Ingeneral,whattransformationoccurswhenthecvalueisnegative?

**Setthedsliderbacktod=1tobeginthenextpartoftheactivity.

Changingthedvalue
Wewillnowlookatwhathappenswhenwesubtractoraddanumberafterwehavetakenthe
absolutevalueofanumber.Thisvalueingeogebrais d butinstandardformwewillseethis
transformationas k .Thenewabsolutevaluefunctionforthisactivitywillbe: f (x)

= |x| + d.

1.

Usethedslidertochangethevalueofdtod=1.Whateffectdoeschangingdfrom
d=0tod=1haveontheparentabsolutevaluefunction?Describethechangefromthe
originalparentfunction.

2.

Usethedslidertochangethevalueofdtod=1.Whateffectdoeschangingdfrom
d=0tod=1haveontheparentabsolutevaluefunction?Describethechangefromthe
originalparentfunction.

3.

Ingeneral,whattransformationoccurswhenthedvalueispositive?

4.

Ingeneral,whattransformationoccurswhenthedvalueisnegative?

SummaryofTransformationsofAbsoluteValueFunctions

Directions:Useyourfindingsfromthegeogebraexplorationtofillintheblanksinthefollowing
summaryoftransformationsoftheparentabsolutevaluefunction.Ifyouareunsureof
something,gobacktothegeogebraapplicationandtrymovingtheslidersaroundtoseeif
youcancomeupwithageneralrule.

f (x) = a|x h| + k

1. VerticalStretchesandCompressionsandHorizontalReflections
When a isgreaterthan1,theabsolutevaluefunctionisvertically___________
comparedtotheparentabsolutevaluefunction.

When a islessthanoneandgreaterthanzero,theabsolutevaluefunctionis
vertically___________comparedtotheparentabsolutevaluefunction.

When a islessthanzerobutgreaterthannegativeone,theabsolutevalue
functionisvertically___________comparedtotheparentabsolutevalue
function.Theabsolutevaluefunctionisalso____________aboutthe__axis.

What a islessthannegativeone,theabsolutevaluefunctionisvertically
__________comparedtotheparentabsolutevaluefunction.Theabsolutevalue
functionisalso______________aboutthe__axis.

2. Verticaltranslations(slides)
When h ispositive,theabsolutevaluefunctionisshifted_____unitstothe
______.

When h isnegative,theabsolutevaluefunctionisshifted_____unitstothe
______.

3. Horizontaltranslations(slides)
When k ispositive,theabsolutevaluefunctionisshifted______unitstothe
_______.

When k isnegative,theabsolutevaluefunctionisshifted______unitstothe
_______.