How do you plot a function on a cartesian plane?

1 Answer
Apr 21, 2018

There is a procedure to graph a function.

Explanation:

  • Define the domain and codomain

  • Find the intersection between function and x-axes:
    solve #f(x)=0#

  • Calculate the first derivative and its intersection with x-axes:
    #f'(x)=0#. This points are called extrema, geometrically represent the points where the tangent of the function is horizontal. This mean that the function reach its minimum or maximum or stationary points.

  • Calculate the second derivative and its intersection with x-axes:
    #f''(x)=0#. This points (inflection point) are points on a curve at which the curve changes from being concave to convex or vice versa.
    if #f''(x)>0 # the function is convex (is smiling)
    if #f''(x)<0 # the function is concave (is sad)

Some typical example of domain.