How to graph and determine a function validity

607 Views Asked by At

why $ Y^4 = 8x^2 $ is not a function ? and what does the graph of this relation look like ? I couldn't draw its graph in desmoms online graph calculator. https://www.desmos.com/calculator

1

There are 1 best solutions below

2
On BEST ANSWER

We have $y^4 - 8x^2 = (y^2 - 2\sqrt2 x)(y^2 + 2\sqrt2 x)$. So if $y^4 = 8x^2$ then either $y^2 = 2\sqrt2 x$ or $y^2 = - 2\sqrt2 x$. That should help you plot it by hand. Or, you can let Wolfram Alpha do the job for you.

It's obvious from the plot that this is not a function, because each value of $x$ (except $x=0$) has two corresponding values of $y$.