Can someone help me understand functions better?

<p>I have been doing alot of studing on the SAT math and feel pretty confident about the math section but those function problems throw me off all the time. Any site or anyone who can help me understand functions better? Thanks!!!</p>

<p>Well, what do you need help with? If you have specific questions, I can help.</p>

<p>more i quess with functions and graphs. i understand when you have like f(x)=(x-2) the graph moves to the right 2 places but and vice versa when you have (x+2) but here i will show you what i mean ... do you have the blue book??</p>

<p>All this domain and range stuff doesn't help you completely in the end because they'll make the functions look really weird and all. I'll post an example later, but it looks like he's talking about transformations. If the X term is positive, it moves left. Negative, it moves to the right. Now think about this: y=x^2+k. Just take out the X^2 for a second and you're left with Y=K. I remember this, so that the K is always directly relating to the Y. So if I had y=(x-5)^2 +3, I know that the x-5 goes 5 to the right and it says y=3 so I know that's up 3. Seriously though if you have a graphing calculator, you can make life easier. Just go to the Y= button and type the graph in.</p>

<p>well i understand that if you were using y=(x-5)^2+3 that the point goes right 5 and i understand that 3 makes it go up 3 but what does that ^2 do to the problem??? does that make it the parabola?? Sorry if I sound retarded here but I will figure it out soon i am sure</p>

<p>It makes it so no y is ever negative. If u think about it, any number squared is positive.</p>

<p>You might try playing with the function on a graphing calculator or some math software, change the constants see what it does. That might give you the "aha" you are looking for.</p>