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Graphing techniques
Some common basic graphs
Logarithmic
( ) ln y x =

Asymptote : 0 x =

Exponential
x
y e =

Asymptote : 0 y =

Ellipse
( ) ( )
2 2
0 0
2 2
1
x x y y
a b

+ =

Circle

(subset of
ellipse)
( ) ( )
2 2
0 0
2 2
1
x x y y
r r

+ =
or
( ) ( )
2 2
2
0 0
x x y y r + =

Hyperbola

2 2
2 2
1
x y
a b
=
2 2
2 2
1
y x
b a
=
As x ,
2 2
2 2
y x
b a

Hence asymptotes are y
b
x
a
= .

2 2
2 2
1
y x
b a
=
2 2
2 2
1
y x
b a
= +
As x ,
2 2
2 2
y x
b a

Hence asymptotes are y
b
x
a
= .


Note:
a) You can differentiate the two hyperbolas by finding x-y intercepts. Since one has only
x intercepts, the other only has y-intercepts.
b) You may need to do transformations for basic graphs. Example: ( ) ln 2 y x = is
obtained by translating ln y x = 2 units in the positive direction of x-axis.
y
x
1
y
x
1
b
o
(x
0
, y
0
)
r
r
(x
0
, y
0
)
y
x
y =
b
o
x
y =
b
o
x

o
o
y
x
y =
b
o
x
y =
b
o
x

b
b
Page 2 of 2
Sketching rational function
( )
( )
P
Q
x
y
x
=
( )
( )
P
Q
x
y
x
=
Steps to sketch the curve
1. Horizontal/Oblique asymptotes

( )
( )
P
Q
x
y
x
= is proper
( )
( )
P
Q
x
y
x
= is improper, do long division to get
( )
( )
( )
R
F
Q
x
y x
x
= +
Horizontal Asymptotes
0 = y
( ) F y x = is the horizontal/oblique asymptotes

2. Vertical asymptotes, solve ( ) Q 0 x =
3. x-y intercepts
4. Differentiation (find stationary points),
d
0
d
y
x
=
5. Valid/Empty y values regions (depend on what the questions asked)
a. Form a quadratic equation in terms of x
b. Since x when sketching curves, discriminant 0 D
c. Solving the inequality will give you the valid y values

Note:
a) If you have the valid/empty y values, you need not do differentiation to find turning
points since the boundary of the region will be the y values of turning points.

Number of real roots for ( ) P 0 x =

Given two graphs ( ) f y x = and ( ) g y x = . Equating them together
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) f g f g 0 P 0 x x x x x = = =
The number of real roots for the equation ( ) P 0 x = is the number of intersections between
the two graphs.

Type 1: ( ) f y x = and ( ) g y x = are both given. Manipulate ( ) ( ) f g x x = to form ( ) P 0 x =
and conclude that since the graphs of ( ) f y x = and ( ) g y x = intersects at n points.
( ) P 0 x = has n real roots.

Type 2: ( ) g y x = is not given. Manipulate ( ) P 0 x = to get ( ) ( ) f g x x = . Then sketch
( ) g y x = .

Type 3: (Advance) ( ) g y x = has unknown constant k , different values of k will give
different number of intersections.