Chapter 10. Visual Formula, Important Graphs, Inequalities, and Other Things

The activities this chapter covers allow you to use Visual Formula to work with many of the equations discussed in previous chapters. Visual Formula equips you to quickly plot the values you generate using various equations. When you do this, you can explore how changing such items as the slopes or y-intercepts of equations changes the shapes of the graphs that result. As you work with Visual Formula in this chapter, first perform the operations the steps guide you through. Then retrace the steps and change the values on your own to broaden and deepen your understanding of the equations and their features. As you go, experiment. If you create equations that do not work, click the Clear Formula 1 or Clear Formula 2 buttons to erase your work. The topics covered in this chapter include the following:

• Changing positive slopes of linear equations

• Charting parallel lines

• Adding y-intercept values to shift linear equations

• Working with absolute values

• Creating parabolas

• Flipping and shifting parabolas