This resource's objective is to recognize the linear and quadratic parent functions given a graph or verbal description.

What is a parent function?

A parent function is the most basic form of a function.  It has the same basic properties as others like it, but it has not been moved or stretched in any direction or skewed in any way.

Why do we care?

Parent functions allow us to quickly tell certain traits of their “children.”  For example, my parents have brown eyes and I have brown eyes.  Most people could guess the color of my eyes by meeting my parents.

IMPORTANT!  You must know whether the traits of a function are related to linear (y = x) or quadratic (y = x²) parent functions.

If you would like to review the parent functions of several different graphs, click on this presentation to review the names and shapes of the algebraic parent functions.