FDownes said:
One more time;
Graph y = loge(x - x2).
I'm not expecting anyone to be able to show me a completed diagram of the graph (there's one in the back of my book anyways), but could someone explain how I figure out things like the vertex and asymptotes? I can see that x =/= 0 and x =/= 1, but I'm not sure how to express it mathematically.
y=ln(x-x^2)
y=lnx+ln(1-x)
Graph y=lnx and y=ln(1-x)=ln(-(x-1)) so draw ln(x), flip it around the y-axis, then translate it one unit to the right.
Now graph the addition of those two functions by adding the co-ordinates of each one.
It helps to have some reference points first, so find the asymptotes and maxima/minima: y'=1/x-1/(1-x)=0, 1-x=x, x=1/2. Stat point at (1/2, -2ln(2)). Quickly test either side on a calculator to see if it is max, min or inflexion. Since there's only one stat point, and it is a maxima, the rest of the graph is below this point and there is no curvy funny business.
As for asymptotes: now we have the form y=ln(x)+ln(1-x), we can see that the asymptotes are going to be the asymptotes of y=ln(x) and y=ln(1-x). What are they? They are x=0 and x=1 (because x>=1 makes ln(1-x) undefined).
So in summary: one maxima, 2 asymptotes equally spaced either side of the maxima, and a completely negative, continuous (within 0 < x < 1) function (because the y value of the maxima is negative). This should be enough information to tell you that the function basically looks like a parabola (more like y=-(5)*(x-1/2)^2-1.4 actually).