GRAPHING PIECEWISE FUNCTIONS CALCULATOR HOW TO

The worksheet was designed to make sure students are understanding how to graph by hand. Students are given Graphing Piecewise Worksheet. Once we have discussed how to graph students need to try more problems. I sometimes need to help students determine how to input the inequality for question 4 Students need to use < then = immediately after the < for the application to use the correct notation. To help students focus on the left endpoint, I ask students about the point and ask if there was a point there when you graphed question 2. If a student has not noticed that the graph for questions 2 has no endpoint I make sure return to the student and see how they have completed question 4. I answer questions and make sure that students see know the value of the left endpoint for Questions 2 and 3 is undefined. As students work on this activity I move around the room. I make sure students understand the goal is for them to find a process for graphing piecewise-defined functions by hand. Students are given Writing Piecewise Activity to read over. Today we will use the computer application Desmos Graphing Calculator to see how to graph a function with restrictions on the domain. Prior to this lesson, my students have evaluated and written piecewise-defined functions. Can a function have a point where it is not defined?Īs we finish the discussion I will ask if there is a bigger idea behind this: 'What is important when you evaluate a function?' I am hoping students will comment on the importance of analyzing the restrictions on the domain, to make clear where some functions have places where they are undefined.Does -1 agree with the first definition? How about the second part of the graph?.I will have students defend their answers. Others will say there is no answer.Īfter a minute or 2, I will ask student volunteers for answers.

Some students will choose a definition to evaluate. I anticipate that there will be some student confusion about what the answer should be. This is also the point where the function changes from one definition to another. The second value, f(-1), gives students a value that is undefined. The first value, f(2), is similar to the problems they worked in previous lessons. Students are given different domain values to evaluate. Today's Bell Work shows students how a piecewise-defined function may be undefined.

Graphing piecewise functions calculator