To analyze the transformations of the function \( f(x) = \frac{1}{2}(x + 7)^2 + 4 \) from the parent function \( g(x) = x^2 \) (which is a basic quadratic function), we can break down each transformation step by step.
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Horizontal Shift: The expression \( (x + 7) \) indicates a left shift of 7 units. This happens because when you add a number inside the function (in this case, \( +7 \)), it shifts the graph left.
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Vertical Compression: The factor \( \frac{1}{2} \) in front of the squared term indicates a vertical compression because it reduces the height of the graph by half. This means that the graph is "squished" vertically.
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Vertical Shift: The \( +4 \) at the end indicates an upward shift of 4 units. This is simply moving the entire graph up by 4 units.
Thus, putting all of these transformations together, we have:
- Left 7 units
- Vertical compression (by a factor of \( \frac{1}{2} \))
- Up 4 units
So in summary, the transformations from the graph of the parent function \( x^2 \) to the graph of \( f(x) = \frac{1}{2}(x + 7)^2 + 4 \) are:
- Left 7 units
- Vertical compression
- Up 4 units
The correct answers based on the options provided are:
- Left 7 units
- Up 4 units
- Vertical compression