How do you graph sqrtx", if "x>0 and -1/2x+3", if "x≤ 0?

1 Answer
Jul 23, 2018

see explanation

Explanation:

Consider sqrt(x)" where "x>0

Set y=sqrt(x) where x>0=> x!=0

Any number that is negative times its self will give a positive answer.

Any number that is positive times itself will give a positive answer.

So in this case y can be either positive or negative so we write:
y=+-sqrt(x)

This is a roundabout way of writing (+-y)^2=x" where "y!=0

So really this is a quadratic in y which is of the shape uu but 'rotated' 90^o to the right.

Tony B
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Consider: y=-1/2x+3 where x<0 =>x!=0

Firstly this is an equation of a straight line: form y=mx+c
The gradient (m->-1/2) is negative so the line slopes downward reading left to right on the x-axis.

The constant c is of value +3 so the line crosses the y-axis (y-intercept) at y=3. However, it is not permitted for x to be greater than or equal to 0 so the actual y-intercept is an 'excluded value'.

The plot well terminate at the y-axis so there is no line on and to the right of the y-axis.

Pick any value for x: I* choose 10

then y=1/2x+3color(white)("ddd") ->color(white)("ddd") y=-1/2(-10)+3 = +8

Mark the point (x,y)=(-10,8)
Using a ruler line this up with the value of 3 on the x-axis and draw your line making sure you do not go beyond the y-axis into the zone x>=0
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