A horizontal shift is a type of transformation that moves a graph left or right from its original position. In the context of quadratic functions, the standard form \(f(x) = (x-h)^2\) incorporates horizontal shifts easily.
When you see \(f(x) = (x - 4)^2\), it means:
- The graph of the original quadratic function \(f(x) = x^2\) is being shifted.
- The parameter \((x - 4)\) inside the function indicates the shift.
- Minus 4 signifies that each point of the graph moves 4 units to the right.
In general, if \(h\) is positive in \((x - h)\), the graph shifts to the right by \(h\) units. If it’s negative, it shifts to the left.