Special Functions
Step functions
Greatest integer functions
Piecewise functions
Step functions: A range of values give a certain
outcome.
Your grades are based on a step function.
Grade Scale
Letter grades have the following percentage equivalents:
A+ 99-100 B+ 91-92 C+ 83-84
D+ 75-76 F 0- 69
A 96-98 B 88-90 C 80-82
D 72-74
A- 93-95 B- 85-87 C- 77-79
D- 70-71
Greatest Integer Function is a step function
The function is written as
f ( x) [| x |]
It is not an absolute value. The function rounds
down to the last integer.
Find the value of a number in the Greatest Integer
function f(x) =[| x |]
f(2.7) = 2
f(0.8) = 0
f(- 3.4) = - 4
It rounds down to the last integer
Find the value
f( 5.8) =
f() =
f(- ) =
A step function graph
How to graph a step function;
f(x)= [| x |]
Find the values of x = .., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2,
f(-2) = -2
f(-1) = - 1
f(0) = 0
f(1) = 1
f(2) = 2
Now lets look at 0.5,1.5, -0.5, -1.5
f(-1.5) = -2 It is the same as f( - 2) = -2
f(-0.5) = - 1
f( - 1) = -1
f(0.5) = 0
f(0) = 0
f(1.5) = 1
f(1) = 1
So between 0 and almost 1 it equal 0
f(0.999999999999999999999) = 0
The Constant Function
Here f(x) is equal to one number.
f(x) = 3.
Have we seen
this before?
Absolute Value function: f(x) = | x |
Let plot some points
x f(x)
0 0
1 1
-1 1
2 2
-2 2
Lets graph f(x) = - | x 3|
x
0
1
2
3
4
5
- | x 3|
- | 0 3| = - | - 3|
- | 1 3| = - | - 2|
- | 2 3| = - | - 1|
- | 3 3| = - | - 0|
- | 4 3| = - | 1 |
- | 5 3| = - | 2 |
f(x)
-3
-2
-1
0
-1
-2
(0, - 3)
(1, - 2)
(2, - 1)
(3, 0)
(4, - 1)
(5, - 2)
Lets graph f(x) = - | x 3|
(0, - 3)
(1, - 2)
(2, - 1)
(3, 0)
(4, - 1)
(5, - 2)
Piecewise Functions
Graphing different functions over different
parts of the graph.
One part tells you what to graph, then where
to graph it.
What to graph
Where to graph
3x 2 x 2
f ( x)
x 3 x 2
Piecewise Functions
2 is where the graph changes.
3x 2 x 2
f
(
x
)
Less then 2uses 3x + 2
x 3 x 2
Greater then 2 uses x - 3
We can and should put in a few x into the
function
If f(0) we use 3x + 2,
then 3(0) + 2 = 2
If f(3) we use x 3,
then (3) 3 = 0
The input tell us what
function to use.
3x 2 x 2
f ( x)
x 3 x 2
Piecewise Functions
So put in an x where the domain changes
and one point higher
and lower
(2, 8)
(2, -1)
Thank You