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Evaluating Piecewise and Step Functions

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11 views13 pages

Evaluating Piecewise and Step Functions

Uploaded by

reairine
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Evaluating Piecewise and

Step Functions
Evaluating Piecewise Functions
• Piecewise functions are functions defined
by at least two equations, each of which
applies to a different part of the domain
• A piecewise function looks like this:
Domain restrictions

Equations
Evaluating Piecewise Functions

• Steps to Evaluate Piecewise Functions


1. Look at the domain to see which equation to use
2. Plug in x-value
3. Solve! 
Ex. #1: Find
a. g(-2) and b. g(2)
Evaluating Piecewise Functions
Ex. #2

Which equation would we use to find; g(-5)? g(-2)?


g(1)?
2
g ( 5) ( 5)  2( 5)  1 16
2
g ( 2) ( 2)  2( 2)  1 1
2
g (1) 1  (1) 0
Step Functions

Looks like a flight of stairs

An example of a step function:

Graphically, the equation would look like this:


Classwork/Homework
• Evaluating WS
Domain and Range of Piecewise
Functions
• Domain (x): the set of all input numbers -
will not include points where the
function(s) do not exist. The domain also
controls which part of the piecewise
function will be used over certain values of
x.
• Range (y): the set of all outputs.
Points of Discontinuity
• These are the points where the function either “jumps” up
or down or where the function has a “hole”.
• For example, in a previous example

Has a point of
discontinuity at
x=1

The step function also has points of


discontinuity at
x=1, x=2 and x=3.
Axis of Symmetry
• The vertical line that splits the equation in
half. This ‘axis of symmetry’ can be
found by identifying the x-
coordinate of the vertex (h,k), so
the equation for the axis of
symmetry would be x = h.

For the equation y  x  1 1 the


axis of symmetry is located at x = 1
Maxima and Minima
(aka extrema)

Highest point on the Lowest point on the


graph graph

In this function, the In this function, the


minimum is at y = 1 minimum is at y = -2
Intervals of Increase and
Decrease
• By looking at the graph of a piecewise
function, we can also see where its slope
is increasing (uphill), where its slope is
decreasing (downhill) and where it is
constant (straight line). We use the
domain to define the ‘interval’.
This function is decreasing on the
interval x < -2, is Increasing on the
interval -2 < x < 1, and constant
over x > 1
Classwork/Homework
• Characteristics WS

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