document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=205561>Question 205561</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> i am really lost and have no clue what a function is. i have a paper in front of me sorta explaining it but i am lost. what i really don't understand is what a function notation is. but any other tips or how tos for functions would be great and graphing. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #155185 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=stanbon><B>stanbon(75887)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=stanbon><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=155185\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> i am really lost and have no clue what a function is. i have a paper in front of me sorta explaining it but i am lost. what i really don't understand is what a function notation is. but any other tips or how tos for functions would be great and graphing.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-----------------------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Here's an example.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Every house in a neighborhood has a value.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The set of pairs of (house,value) is a function<BR>\n" );
document.write( "because each house has only one value.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "--------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Value for any house many be the value of many homes in the neighborhood.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "That set of pairs of (value,house) is not a function<BR>\n" );
document.write( "because each value many have many houses paired with it.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "--------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f(x) means, the value that is paired with x: like (x,f(x))<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-----------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Graphs: <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Say you have a curvy looking graph.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If every possible vertical line you could draw intersects the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "graph only once, the curve is the graph of a function.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Example:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=graph%28400%2C300%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2Cx%5E2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"graph%28400%2C300%2C-10%2C10%2C-10%2C10%2Cx%5E2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "--------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Cheers,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Stan H. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );