adding a onto your equation will move your graph up by a. eg the
difference between y = x² - 4x + 2, and y = x² - 4x + 5, is that the latter on is
3 above the other, in all of its points. -a just means it will go down.
y = (x+a)
for these, every x value in the equation is
x + a. so instead of y = x², it will be y =
(x+a)². if you are adding a, the graph will
move to the left.. if you are subtracting a
the graph will move the the right
y = -(x)
this is a refection in the x axis, where every part of an
equation has the signs changed. so y = x² + x - 2 would be
reflected in the x axis, and would the become y = -x² -x +2.
y = (-x)
means that only every x value in the
equation has its signs changed. so y = x² + x
-2 would change to y = -x² - x -2
y = a(x)
stretch in the y direction by a scale factor of a.