How do I draw the graph of a function that is unfamiliar to me?

 It is always important to be familiar with a variety of standard functions and their graphical representation, such as sine and cosine curves, as well as exponential, quadratic and other such functions. However, sometimes you may be asked to draw function that isn't in your repertoire, and it can seem like a daunting task. In a lot of cases it is possible to simplify the procedure or identify how the function might be related to a known function. An example of how you might approach a completely unkown function is this: first, start by identifying any asymptotes, that is, are there any values of x for which the denominator is zero. Draw these onto the axes in the form of dotted lines. Then identify where the graph will intersect the x and y axes by setting first y and then x equal to zero. Next, make a table of some values of x and the corresponding y values, starting perhaps at zero and looking at both positive and negative values of x within the domain that's been given. A trend will probably arise and give an indication of the shape of the graph, and it should be possible to draw a rough sketch of the graph.