Chapter 0: Problem 9
Plot the graph of each equation. Begin by checking for symmetries and be sure to find all \(x\) - and \(y\) -intercepts. \(x^{2}+y^{2}=4\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The graph is a circle centered at the origin with a radius of 2.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Equation Type
The given equation is \(x^2 + y^2 = 4\). This is an equation of a circle where the general form is \(x^2 + y^2 = r^2\). Therefore, this represents a circle centered at the origin \((0,0)\) with radius \(r = \sqrt{4} = 2\).
02
Check for Symmetries
To check for symmetry, test the equation for invariance under specific transformations. For a circle equation, it is symmetric with respect to the x-axis, y-axis, and the origin by nature. Substituting \(x\) with \(-x\), \(y\) with \(-y\), or both does not change the equation: \((-x)^2 + y^2 = 4\) and \(x^2 + (-y)^2 = 4\). Thus, it is symmetric across all axes.
03
Find the x-intercepts
To find the x-intercepts, set \(y = 0\) in the equation and solve for \(x\).\[x^2 + 0^2 = 4\]\[x^2 = 4\]\[x = \pm 2\]This gives the intercepts as \((2, 0)\) and \((-2, 0)\).
04
Find the y-intercepts
To find the y-intercepts, set \(x = 0\) in the equation and solve for \(y\).\[0^2 + y^2 = 4\]\[y^2 = 4\]\[y = \pm 2\]This gives the intercepts as \((0, 2)\) and \((0, -2)\).
05
Sketch the Graph
The graph is a circle centered at the origin \((0, 0)\) with radius \(2\). Use the intercepts found at points \((2, 0)\), \((-2, 0)\), \((0, 2)\), and \((0, -2)\) to aid in sketching. The circle encompasses all these points and is symmetric about both axes. The graph should be a full circle touching each of these intercepts.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Graphical Symmetry
Graphical symmetry is a fascinating concept in mathematics that can significantly simplify the process of graphing equations. A symmetric graph remains unchanged when reflected over certain axes or through certain points. In our example, the equation of a circle, given by \(x^2 + y^2 = 4\), is inherently symmetric.
- **X-axis symmetry**: Replace \(y\) with \(-y\). Our equation becomes \(x^2 + (-y)^2 = 4\), which is still the same. This means that the graph is symmetric about the x-axis.
- **Y-axis symmetry**: Replace \(x\) with \(-x\). The equation then is \((-x)^2 + y^2 = 4\). Again, it looks the same, indicating y-axis symmetry.
- **Origin symmetry**: Replace \(x\) with \(-x\) and \(y\) with \(-y\). This transformation still leaves our equation unchanged, confirming that the circle is symmetric about the origin.
X-Intercepts
Finding the x-intercepts of a circle involves setting the y-value to zero and solving for x. For the circle with equation \(x^2 + y^2 = 4\), find the x-intercepts by setting \(y = 0\). This simplifies the equation to \(x^2 = 4\). Solving this gives us \(x = 2\) and \(x = -2\).
- The x-intercepts are found at the points \((2,0)\) and \((-2,0)\).
Y-Intercepts
To find the y-intercepts of the circle, we need to set x to zero and solve for y. Using the equation \(x^2 + y^2 = 4\), setting \(x = 0\) simplifies it to \(y^2 = 4\). Solving this gives \(y = 2\) and \(y = -2\).
- This means the y-intercepts occur at the points \((0, 2)\) and \((0, -2)\).
Radius of a Circle
The radius of a circle is a fundamental measure that dictates its size. In our equation of a circle, \(x^2 + y^2 = r^2\), the number in place of \(r^2\) gives us important information. For the given equation \(x^2 + y^2 = 4\), the radius \(r\) is calculated as the square root of 4, which equals 2.
- The radius forms a straight line from the center of the circle \((0,0)\) to any point on the circle.
- In our circle, every point is exactly 2 units away from the center in any direction. This forms a perfect round shape.