Graph Using a Table of Values y=1/(x^2)

$y = \frac{1}{x^{2}}$

Step 1

Substitute $- 2$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = \frac{1}{{(- 2)}^{2}}$

Step 2

Raise $- 2$ to the power of $2$ .

$y = \frac{1}{4}$

Step 3

Substitute $- 1$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = \frac{1}{{(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 4

Simplify $\frac{1}{{(- 1)}^{2}}$ .

Raise $- 1$ to the power of $2$ .

$y = \frac{1}{1}$

Divide $1$ by $1$ .

$y = 1$

Step 5

Substitute $1$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = \frac{1}{{(1)}^{2}}$

Step 6

Solve the equation for $y$ .

Remove parentheses.

$y = \frac{1}{1^{2}}$

Remove parentheses.

$y = \frac{1}{{(1)}^{2}}$

Simplify $\frac{1}{{(1)}^{2}}$ .

One to any power is one.

$y = \frac{1}{1}$

Divide $1$ by $1$ .

$y = 1$

Step 7

Substitute $2$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = \frac{1}{{(2)}^{2}}$

Step 8

Solve the equation for $y$ .

Remove parentheses.

$y = \frac{1}{2^{2}}$

Remove parentheses.

$y = \frac{1}{{(2)}^{2}}$

Raise $2$ to the power of $2$ .

$y = \frac{1}{4}$

Step 9

This is a table of possible values to use when graphing the equation.

$\begin{array}{c} x & y \\ - 2 & \frac{1}{4} \\ - 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 1 \\ 2 & \frac{1}{4} \end{array}$

Step 10