Problem 41

Question

Determine whether each function is even, odd, or neither. Then determine whether the function's graph is symmetric with respect to the \(y\) -axis, the origin, or neither. $$h(x)=x^{2}-x^{4}$$

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer
The function \(h(x) = x^{2}-x^{4}\) is an even function with a graph that is symmetric with respect to the \(y\)-axis.
1Step 1: Check if the function is even
Substitute \(x\) with \(-x\) in the equation, so \(h(-x) = (-x)^{2}-(-x)^{4}\). This simplifies to \(h(-x) = x^{2}-x^{4}\), which is the same as the original equation, so \(h(x) = h(-x)\). Therefore, the function is even.
2Step 2: Check if the function is odd
Substitute \(x\) with \(-x\) in the equation, so \(h(-x) = (-x)^{2}-(-x)^{4}\). This simplifies to \(h(-x) = x^{2}-x^{4}\), which doesn't satisfy the condition \(f(-x) = -f(x)\). Therefore, the function is not odd.
3Step 3: Determine the symmetry of the graph
Since the function is even, its graph is symmetric with respect to the \(y\)-axis and not symmetric with respect to the origin.