Hi, I am asking about a grade 10 to 12 level question.

My question is the following:

Given an equation like y = (1/2) (x-3)² + 6, when describing the distortion from the base curve y = x² is it correct to say there is a vertical compression by a factor of 2, or by a factor of 1/2 ? Which is more correct? I have seen both versions in different high school texts, and I am now unsure which is more correct.

Thank-you,

Hi Wayne,

I asked a number of people here and we are all in agreement that, since "compression" already indicates that the distortion is to make the curve "smaller", the correct term is comprression by a factor of 2.