Select the upper middle button which displays the graph of a parabola. This takes you to an applet which displays the graph of a function and the graph of the function's inverse.

The function is defined by the black equation and graph and the function's inverse is defined by the red equation and graph. The sliders at the right change the values of a,b,h and k in the function .

Adjust the sliders, and observe the equations of the function and its inverse.

Question #1
How is the equation of the function's inverse obtained?

Adjust the sliders, and observe the coordinates of the black and red points. The black point is a point on the graph of the original function and the red point is a point on the graph of the function's inverse.

Question #2
How are the coordinates of the function's inverse obtained?

Question #3
The black and red points are always equidistant from the line defined by the equation

Select the "Set Function" button. Now select the top righthand button.

The sliders at the right change the values of a,b,h and k in the function . Adjust the sliders and compare the graphs of the original function and its inverse function.

Question #4
The graph of the inverse function is a reflection of the graph of the original function about the line defined by the equation

   Print a PDF copy of this page