Describing Graphs

course Phy 201

6/1 7

Question: `q001. You will frequently need to describe the graphs you have constructed in this course. This exercise is designed to get you used to some of the terminology we use to describe graphs. Please complete this exercise and email your work to the instructor. Note that you should do these graphs on paper without using a calculator. None of the arithmetic involved here should require a calculator, and you should not require the graphing capabilities of your calculator to answer these questions.Problem 1. We make a table for y = 2x + 7 as follows: We construct two columns, and label the first column 'x' and the second 'y'. Put the numbers -3, -2, -1, -, 1, 2, 3 in the 'x' column. We substitute -3 into the expression and get y = 2(-3) + 7 = 1. We substitute -2 and get y = 2(-2) + 7 = 3. Substituting the remaining numbers we get y values 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13. These numbers go into the second column, each next to the x value from which it was obtained. We then graph these points on a set of x-y coordinate axes. Noting that these points lie on a straight line, we then construct the line through the points.

Now make a table for and graph the function y = 3x - 4.

Identify the intercepts of the graph, i.e., the points where the graph goes through the x and the y axes.

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Your solution:

X y

-3 3(-3)-4 = -9-4 = -13

-2 3(-2)-4 = -6-4 = -10

-1 3(-1)-4 = -3-4 = -7

1 3(1)-4 = 3-4 = -1

2 3(2)-4 = 6-4 = 2

3 3(3)-4 = 9-4 = 5

x- intercept 3x-4 = 0 y-intercept y=3(0)-4

3x = 4 y=-4

X=4/3 (4/3 , 0) (0, -4)

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aThe graph goes through the x axis when y = 0 and through the y axis when x = 0.

The x-intercept is therefore when 0 = 3x - 4, so 4 = 3x and x = 4/3.

The y-intercept is when y = 3 * 0 - 4 = -4. Thus the x intercept is at (4/3, 0) and the y intercept is at (0, -4).

Your graph should confirm this.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q002. Does the steepness of the graph in the preceding exercise (of the function y = 3x - 4) change? If so describe how it changes.

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Your solution:

The steepness of the graph does not change because the slope is constant. The graph is linear, so the steepness is the same for the whole thing.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aThe graph forms a straight line with no change in steepness.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q003. What is the slope of the graph of the preceding two exercises (the function ia y = 3x - 4; slope is rise / run between two points of the graph)?

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Your solution:

The slope is 3. (The slope is the coefficient in front of the x.)

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aBetween any two points of the graph rise / run = 3.

For example, when x = 2 we have y = 3 * 2 - 4 = 2 and when x = 8 we have y = 3 * 8 - 4 = 20. Between these points the rise is 20 - 2 = 18 and the run is 8 - 2 = 6 so the slope is rise / run = 18 / 6 = 3.

Note that 3 is the coefficient of x in y = 3x - 4.

Note the following for reference in subsequent problems: The graph of this function is a straight line. The graph increases as we move from left to right. We therefore say that the graph is increasing, and that it is increasing at constant rate because the steepness of a straight line doesn't change.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q004. Make a table of y vs. x for y = x^2. Graph y = x^2 between x = 0 and x = 3.

Would you say that the graph is increasing or decreasing?

Does the steepness of the graph change and if so, how?

Would you say that the graph is increasing at an increasing rate, increasing at a constant rate, increasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a constant rate, or decreasing at a decreasing rate?

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Your solution:

X y

0 0

1 1

2 4

3 9

The graph is increasing. The steepness of the graph increases at the x values increase. The slope of the graph is increasing at an increasing rate because it is a quadratic function.

The graph is increasing. And the slope is increasing.

The graph is increasing at an increasing rate.

However, the term that applies to the graph (increasing at an increasing rate) does not apply to the slope. All you can say from looking at the graph is that the slope is increasing.

As it turns out, the slope is increasing at a constant rate. The function is y = x^2, so its derivative is y = 2 x. The derivative is equal to the instantaneous slope. So the slope at point x is 2 x. The rate at which the slope is changing is the derivative of the slope, which is just 2 (this is the second derivative of the quadratic function). For every unit of increase in x, the slope of the graph changes by 2.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aGraph points include (0,0), (1,1), (2,4) and (3,9). The y values are 0, 1, 4 and 9, which increase as we move from left to right.

The increases between these points are 1, 3 and 5, so the graph not only increases, it increases at an increasing rate

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q005. Make a table of y vs. x for y = x^2. Graph y = x^2 between x = -3 and x = 0.

Would you say that the graph is increasing or decreasing?

Does the steepness of the graph change and if so, how?

Would you say that the graph is increasing at an increasing rate, increasing at a constant rate, increasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a constant rate, or decreasing at a decreasing rate?

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Your solution:

X y

-3 9

-2 4

-1 1

0 0

The graph is decreasing on this domain. The steepness decreases at the x values get smaller. The slope is decreasing at a decreasing rate because it is starting to level out.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aFrom left to right the graph is decreasing (points (-3,9), (-2,4), (-1,1), (0,0) show y values 9, 4, 1, 0 as we move from left to right ). The magnitudes of the changes in x from 9 to 4 to 1 to 0 decrease, so the steepness is decreasing.

Thus the graph is decreasing, but more and more slowly. We therefore say that the graph is decreasing at a decreasing rate.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q006. Make a table of y vs. x for y = `sqrt(x). [note: `sqrt(x) means 'the square root of x']. Graph y = `sqrt(x) between x = 0 and x = 3.

Would you say that the graph is increasing or decreasing?

Does the steepness of the graph change and if so, how?

Would you say that the graph is increasing at an increasing rate, increasing at a constant rate, increasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a constant rate, or decreasing at a decreasing rate?

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Your solution:

X y

0 0

1 1

2 sqrt(2)

3 sqrt(3)

The graph is increasing. The steepness of the graph decreases at the x values get larger. The graph is increasing at a decreasing rate: it begins to level out.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aIf you use x values 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 you will obtain graph points (0,0), (1,1), (2,1.414), (3. 1.732), (4,2). The y value changes by less and less for every succeeding x value. Thus the steepness of the graph is decreasing.

The graph would be increasing at a decreasing rate.

If the graph represents the profile of a hill, the hill starts out very steep but gets easier and easier to climb. You are still climbing but you go up by less with each step, so the rate of increase is decreasing.

If your graph doesn't look like this then you probably are not using a consistent scale for at least one of the axes. If your graph isn't as described take another look at your plot and make a note in your response indicating any difficulties.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q007. Make a table of y vs. x for y = 5 * 2^(-x). Graph y = 5 * 2^(-x) between x = 0 and x = 3.

Would you say that the graph is increasing or decreasing?

Does the steepness of the graph change and if so, how?

Would you say that the graph is increasing at an increasing rate, increasing at a constant rate, increasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a constant rate, or decreasing at a decreasing rate?

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Your solution:

X y

0 5

1 5/2

2 5/4

3 5/8

The graph is decreasing. The steepness of the graph is decreasing on the interval given, as the x-values increasing. The graph is decreasing at a decreasing rate.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`a** From basic algebra recall that a^(-b) = 1 / (a^b).

So, for example:

2^-2 = 1 / (2^2) = 1/4, so 5 * 2^-2 = 5 * 1/4 = 5/4.

5* 2^-3 = 5 * (1 / 2^3) = 5 * 1/8 = 5/8. Etc.

The decimal equivalents of the values for x = 0 to x = 3 will be 5, 2.5, 1.25, .625. These values decrease, but by less and less each time.

The graph is therefore decreasing at a decreasing rate. **

Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q008. Suppose you stand still in front of a driveway. A car starts out next to you and moves away from you, traveling faster and faster.

If y represents the distance from you to the car and t represents the time in seconds since the car started out, would a graph of y vs. t be increasing or decreasing?

Would you say that the graph is increasing at an increasing rate, increasing at a constant rate, increasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a decreasing rate, decreasing at a constant rate, or decreasing at a decreasing rate?

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Your solution:

The graph of y vs. t would be increasing because as the time increases, the distance away also increases. The slope of the graph would be increasing at an increasing rate because the car moves away with an increasing rate, making the distance travelled in each second greater than the one before.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`a** The speed of the car increases so it goes further each second. On a graph of distance vs. clock time there would be a greater change in distance with each second, which would cause a greater slope with each subsequent second. The graph would therefore be increasing at an increasing rate. **

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

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Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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&#This looks good. Let me know if you have any questions. &#

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