Question

Graph the function defined by Y=|x+3|

Answer 1

For practice, graph y = |x|.  This has a sharply-pointed v-shaped vertex at (0,0), and opens up like the parabola y = x^2 opens up.

Now move the vertex from (0,0) to (-3,0), and draw the same sloping sides starting from that point instead of from (0,0).

The resulting graph  has a sharply-pointed v-shaped vertex at (-3,0), and opens up like the parabola y = x^2 opens up.