## sheetalvee Group Title how to graph y=|1/2x| ? one year ago one year ago

1. lovekblue Group Title

do u know how to graph 1/2 x

2. .Sam. Group Title

Is it $y=|\frac{1}{2x}|$

3. lovekblue Group Title

just move all the -y values to the +y

4. sheetalvee Group Title

no is it y=|1/2 x|

5. sheetalvee Group Title

I dont understand

6. .Sam. Group Title

Are you planning to sketch or plot?

7. lovekblue Group Title

absolute value is moving all -ve values to +ve so the right side of the graph stays the same, but since the left side is -ve when u plug in values less than in x. let's say y = -5 , the absolute value will be 5 (-5, -5 ) will be (-5, 5)

8. sheetalvee Group Title

sam I need to stetch it. and Lovekblue the graph needs to be in a V shape

9. sheetalvee Group Title

Im really confused

10. ChmE Group Title

lets create a table. write down an x y table. put a few easy points. -4, -2, 0, 2 4. Then find the y-values for these. This will help you see a little better what lovekblue was trying to say. Absolute value graphs will look like a "V"

11. sheetalvee Group Title

okay, and I would find the y-values by substituting the x values into y=|1/2 x| ?

12. ChmE Group Title

correct.

13. sheetalvee Group Title

okay I got -2,-1,0,1,2

14. ChmE Group Title

do you see that if you graph that the line comes down from the left, hits zero, and takes back up to the right looking like a V. This is the graph!!

15. sheetalvee Group Title

Thanks ! :)

16. ChmE Group Title

Yup, when in doubt just start picking easy points. Always a quick method to get an idea especially on a test.

17. sheetalvee Group Title

alright :)

18. ChmE Group Title

I should let you know about this site. Wolframalpha.com Type in anything you want and it will solve and graph it.