Use the x-cubed tool to graph the x-cubed function. Update the function to have a Vertical Stretch of 3, a Horizontal Stretch of 1, a Vertical Shift of 0, a Horizontal Shift of 5, and a Reflection over thex-axis.
Use the x-cubed tool button
on the graphing palette to place the function on the graph. Then update the Vertical Stretch, Horizontal Stretch, Vertical Shift, Horizontal Shift, and Reflect over x-axis interactions to have the values noted above.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To graph the transformed cubic function with the given transformations, follow these steps:
Step 1: Understand the Base Function
The parent function is:
[
f(x) = x^3
]
Step 2: Apply Transformations
We need to apply the following transformations:
- Vertical Stretch by 3: Multiply the function by 3:
[
f(x) = 3x^3
] - Horizontal Stretch by 1: A horizontal stretch by a factor of ( a ) is represented as ( f(x) = (1/a \cdot x)^3 ). Since the factor is 1, the function remains unchanged.
- Horizontal Shift by 5: This means shifting the graph to the right by 5 units. Replace ( x ) with ( (x – 5) ):
[
f(x) = 3(x – 5)^3
] - Vertical Shift of 0: Since there’s no vertical shift, the function remains the same.
- Reflection over the x-axis: To reflect over the x-axis, multiply the entire function by ( -1 ):
[
f(x) = -3(x – 5)^3
]
Step 3: Final Transformed Function
[
f(x) = -3(x – 5)^3
]
Explanation of Transformations
- The vertical stretch by 3 makes the graph steeper, meaning it grows faster in magnitude.
- The horizontal stretch of 1 keeps the function’s width unchanged.
- The horizontal shift of 5 moves the function 5 units to the right.
- The vertical shift of 0 means there is no movement up or down.
- The reflection over the x-axis flips the function upside down, making all positive y-values negative and vice versa.
Graphing Instructions
- Plot the parent function ( x^3 ).
- Shift it 5 units right.
- Apply a vertical stretch by multiplying y-values by 3.
- Reflect the graph over the x-axis.
- The final function should pass through (5,0) and follow the transformed cubic shape.
Now, let’s generate a graph of this function.

Here is the graph of the function ( f(x) = -3(x – 5)^3 ). The key transformations are applied:
- Shifted 5 units to the right, moving the inflection point from (0,0) to (5,0).
- Vertically stretched by 3, making the curve steeper.
- Reflected over the x-axis, flipping the original cubic shape upside down.
This visualization confirms how the transformations affect the parent function. Let me know if you need further clarification! 🚀