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Omniguides
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Stretching

This original textbook reading covers part of the AP topic. Follow the AP course outline for complete topic instruction and practice.

Stretching

Making the function longer in a specific direction. This effect is seen when you pull on a slinky or a rubber band.

x-direction: the horizontally stretched version of f(x) is represented by f(s⋅x), where s is the stretch factor, and is less than 1.

y-direction: the vertically stretched version of f(x) is represented by s⋅f(x), where s is the stretch factor, and is less than 1.

Related Glossary Terms

Amplitude

Index

Chapter 1 - Function Transforms

Glossary and deeper reading · 1 refreshers

These editorial refreshers supplement the reading. Definitions and examples are added guidance; original source wording and recorded answers remain in their original context.

  • Graph stretching and compression

    Graph scaling multiplies output values or changes how quickly the input is traversed. For y=A f(x), a factor |A|>1 stretches vertically, while 0<|A|<1 compresses vertically. For example, f(2x) compresses the graph horizontally by a factor of 1/2 relative to f(x). Negative factors also introduce reflections, and a zero factor is a separate degenerate case.

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