How do you graph y=arctan(x3)?

1 Answer
Nov 26, 2015

Start with a graph of y=arctan(x).
graph{y=arctan(x) [-10, 10, -5, 5]}
Then stretch it horizontally by a factor of 3.
graph{y=arctan(x/3) [-10, 10, -5, 5]}

Explanation:

Consider a graph of a function y=f(x) as given.
Let's see how this graph is related to a graph of a function y=f(xk), where k>1.

Assume, point (a,b) belongs to a graph of function y=f(x). It means that b=f(a).
Then b=f(akk), which means that point (ak,b) belongs to a graph of function y=f(xk).

We see now that for every point (a,b) that belongs to a graph of function y=f(x), graph of function y=f(xk) contains a point (ak,b).

Think now about a transformation of stretching a graph horizontally by a factor of k>1. It means that every point with coordinates (a,b) will be transformed into a point (ak,b) - exactly as happens with a graph of function y=f(xk), if compared with a graph of function y=f(x).

Therefore, you can graph a function y=f(xk) by starting from a graph of y=f(x) and stretching it horizontally by a factor of k.

I can recommend the Web-based course of advanced mathematics at Unizor, where a chapter linked to menu items Algebra - Graphs explains this in details.
You can also refer to chapters on Trigonometry with a relatively detailed description of all trigonometric functions and their graphs.