3.1 Symmetry & Coordinate

Graphs

I. Symmetry

Point symmetry – two distinct points P and P’ are

symmetric with respect to point M if and only is M is

the midpoint of

When the definition is extended to a set of points,

such as a graph of a function, then each point P in

the set must have an image point P’ that is also in

the set. A figure that is symmetric with respect to a

given point can be rotated 180 degrees about that

point and appear unchanged.

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A. Symmetry with Respect to the

Origin

Symmetry with respect to the origin A function has a graph that is symmetric

with respect to the origin if and only if f(-x)

= -f(x) for all x in the domain of f.

A graph will have symmetry about the

origin if we get an equivalent equation

when all the y’s are replaced with -y and

all the x’s are replaced with -x.

So for every point (x, y) on the graph, the

point (-x, -y) is also on the graph.

It is a reflection about both the x- and y-

axis.

Ex 1 Is each graph symmetric with respect

to the origin? How do you know?The graph does not appear to be symmetric with

respect to the origin. We can verify this algebraically by

the following two-step method:

Step 1: find f(-x) and –f(x)

Step 2: if f(-x) = -f(x), then the graph has symmetry

about the origin. If not, then it is not.

If you have an equation instead of a function, you can:

Step 1: Replace all x’s with –x and all y’s with –y.

Step 2: if you get the same equation, then it is

equivalent about the origin.

𝑓 −𝑥 = 𝑥6−𝑓 𝑥 = −𝑥6 ≠No, f(x) = x6 is not symmetric with

respect to the origin.

Ex 1 Is each graph symmetric with respect

to the origin? How do you know?

Remember the two steps:

Step 1: find f(-x) and –f(x)

Step 2: if f(-x) = -f(x), then the graph has

symmetry about the origin. If not, then it is not.

−𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥3 − 5𝑥 =

Yes, 𝑓 𝑥 = −3𝑥3 + 5𝑥 is symmetric

with respect to the origin.

−𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥3 − 5𝑥

The graph appears to be

symmetric about the origin, but

lets check algebraically.

B. Line symmetry

Two points P and P’ are symmetric with respect to a line l if and only if l is the perpendicular bisector of A point P is symmetric to itself with respect to line l if and only if P is on l.

Graphs that have line symmetry can be folded along the line of symmetry so that the two halves match exactly. Some graphs, such as the graph of an ellipse, have more than one line of symmetry.

Common lines of symmetry: x-axis, y-axis, y = x and y = -x.

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Ex 2: Determine whether the graph of x2 + y = 3 is symmetric with respect to

the x-axis, y-axis, the line y = x, the line y = -x, or none of these.

You can figure this out without actually graphing the equation. Here is how:

Symmetry with

respect to the line:

Test Results

x-axis (a, b) and (a, -b) should produce

equivalent equations.

x2 + y = 3 x2 + y = 3

a2 + b = 3 a2 - b = 3

No, these are not equivalent

equations, so it is not

symmetric with respect to the

x-axis.

y-axis (a, b) and (-a, b) should produce

equivalent equations.

x2 + y = 3 x2 + y = 3

a2 + b = 3 a2 + b = 3

Yes, these are equivalent

equations, so it is symmetric

with respect to the y-axis.

y = x (a, b) and (b, a) should produce

equivalent equations.

x2 + y = 3 x2 + y = 3

a2 + b = 3 b2 + a = 3

No, these are not equivalent

equations, so it is not

symmetric with respect to the

line y = x.

y = -x (a, b) and (-b, -a) should produce

equivalent equations.

x2 + y = 3 x2 + y = 3

a2 + b = 3 b2 - a = 3

No, these are not equivalent

equations, so it is not

symmetric with respect to the

line y = -x.

Answer: y-axis

Ex 3: Determine whether the graph 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 1 is symmetric

with respect to the x-axis, y-axis, both or neither.

Test both:

Symmetry with

respect to the line:

Test Results

x-axis (a, b) and (a, -b) should produce

equivalent equations.

𝑦 = 𝑥 + 1 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 1𝑎 = 𝑏 + 1 𝑎 = 𝑏 + 1

Yes, these are

equivalent equations, so

it is symmetric with

respect to the x-axis.

y-axis (a, b) and (-a, b) should produce

equivalent equations.

𝑦 = 𝑥 + 1 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 1𝑎 = 𝑏 + 1 𝑎 = 𝑏 + 1

Yes, this are equivalent

equations, so it is

symmetric with respect

to the y-axis.

Answer: Both

II. Even, Odd, or Neither Functions

Not to be confused with End Behavior

To determine End Behavior, we

check to see if the leading degree is

even or odd

With Functions, we are determining

SYMMETRY (if the entire function is

even, odd, or neither)

To determine whether a function is even, odd, or

neither, determine whether f(-x) = f(x) (even), f(-x) =

-f(x) (odd), or neither.

A.

Symmetric with respect to the y-axis Symmetric with respect to the origin

f x x x( ) 3Even, Odd or Neither?

Ex. 1

Graphically Algebraically

𝑓 −𝑥 = (−𝑥)3−(−𝑥)

𝑓 −𝑥 = −𝑥3 + 𝑥

f x x( ) 2 1Even, Odd or Neither?

2( ) 1f x x

Graphically Algebraically

Ex. 2

f(-x)=(-x)2+1

f(-x)=x2+1

3( ) 1f x x Even, Odd or Neither?

3( ) 1f x x

Graphically Algebraically

Ex. 3

f(-x) = (-x)3-1

f(-x) = -x3-1

4( ) 2 3f x x

Even, Odd or Neither?

3( )f x x x

Ex. 4

B. Copy and complete the graph so that it is an even

function and then an odd function.

Even: symmetric

about the y-axis

Odd: Symmetric

about the origin