1. Parent Functions and Transformations
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Draw the graphs of some parent functions and see what they have in common.
A parent function is the most basic function in a family.
| Function Family | Parent Function |
|---|---|
| Linear | y=x |
| Quadratic | y=x^2 |
| Cubic | y=x^3 |
| Absolute Value | y=|x| |
The graphs of the functions above are the simplest of each family.
Note that the four graphs above pass through the point (0,0). This is a characteristic of these four parent functions, but is not a characteristic of all parent functions.