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Have you ever seen a graph like the one below? Probably not. All of the functions you have worked with up to this point have been continuous. Continuous graphs are those that do not have a break or gap. The graph below is called a piecewise function because it is made up of several different pieces.

Piecewise functions are used for several applications in the real-world, such as pricing different options of rental vehicles, prices of stamps or shipping, and selling merchandise that have different sizes.

In this lesson, you will learn about piecewise functions that have two or three pieces, such as the one above.

 

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Graph piecewise functions.
  • Identify piecewise functions.
  • Relate the domain of a function to its graph and, where applicable, to the quantitative relationship it describes.

The above objectives correspond with the following Alabama Course of Study: Algebra I Objectives: 29

 

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