Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Graphing y=a|x-h|+k

y=a|x-h|+k is the equation for absolute value.
The vertex for your graph is (H,K)

The A determines whether your graph will open up or down. If your A is negative it will open down. If your A is positive it will open up. The A will also determine the slope. If A is say, -3, then the graph would have a slope of -3/1 and would open downward.

The H determines the horizontal location of the vertex and the K determines the vertical location. However it is opposite of what would be expected with the horizontal variable in the fact that if H is negative then it moves to the right and if it's positive then it moves to the left.



The green graph is the graph of the new function. It is a translation of the blue graph moved one unit down and 2 units left.