# Plotting a function in Latex

How do you draw functions that look like this? I apologize for not providing you with an attempt to solve this problem - I am a second-day user of Latex. Greatly appreciate your help.

\documentclass[paper=a4, fontsize=11pt]{scrartcl}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc} % Use 8-bit encoding that has 256 glyphs
\usepackage{fourier} % Use the Adobe Utopia font for the document - comment this line to return to the LaTeX default
\usepackage[english]{babel} % English language/hyphenation
\usepackage{amsmath,amsfonts,amsthm} % Math packages
\usepackage{sectsty} % Allows customizing section commands
\allsectionsfont{\centering \normalfont\scshape} % Make all sections centered, the default font and small caps

\usepackage{fancyhdr} % Custom headers and footers
\usepackage{xfrac}

\begin{document}
$F_x(x) = \left\{ \begin{array}{l l} 0 & \quad \text{for x <0}\\ x^2 & \quad \text{0\leq x<0.5}\\ 1-3(1-x)^2 & \quad \text{0.5\leq x<1}\\ 1 & \quad \text{x\geq 1} \end{array} \right.$
\\

\end{document}

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You mean you want to plot it? Something like tex.stackexchange.com/questions/132476/…? – Torbjørn T. Aug 29 '14 at 13:06
Yes, this is correct. Plotting a function that has multiple arguments, I guess (?). – Olga Aug 29 '14 at 13:12
You can use something like pgfplots as the above comment shows but alternatively (and more commonly) you can plot the graph in whatever plotting software you are used to (gnuplot, excel, matlab, ....) and include the resulting image using \includegraphics – David Carlisle Aug 29 '14 at 13:13
But plots produced by matlab and excel are ugly. – JPi Aug 29 '14 at 13:21

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\begin{document}
$F_x(x) = \begin{cases} 0 & \quad \text{for x <0}\\ x^2 & \quad \text{0\leq x<0.5}\\ 1-3(1-x)^2 & \quad \text{0.5\leq x<1}\\ 1 & \quad \text{x\geq 1} \end{cases}$

\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


Edited:

Implementing the change suggested by the OP works fine for me:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\begin{document}
$F_x(x) = \begin{cases} 0 & \quad \text{for x <0}\\ 2x & \quad \text{0\leq x<0.5}\\ 6-6x & \quad \text{0.5\leq x<1}\\ 1 & \quad \text{x\geq 1} \end{cases}$

\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


Edited again to create red lines and dots, as per request:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[svgnames]{xcolor}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\begin{document}
$F_x(x) = \begin{cases} 0 & \quad \text{for x <0}\\ x^2 & \quad \text{0\leq x<0.5}\\ 1-3(1-x)^2 & \quad \text{0.5\leq x<1}\\ 1 & \quad \text{x\geq 1} \end{cases}$

\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}
\fill[Red] (axis cs:0,0) circle(0.5mm) (axis cs:0.5,0.25) circle(0.5mm) (axis cs:1,1) circle(0.5mm);
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

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Not that I am easily impressed...WOW, the graph looks impressive. I will use it as a template for other similar graphs. – Olga Aug 29 '14 at 13:34
P.S. How do you make this graph thicker? – Olga Aug 29 '14 at 13:40
Put very thick, before smooth – JPi Aug 29 '14 at 13:44
Hey! Thanks again. I tried plotting a different graph by using your template but it didn't work. It was quite strange because I only changed 2 things: x^2 became 2x, and 1-3(1-x)^2 became 6-6x. As you can tell, these are the derivatives. Any suggestions please? – Olga Aug 29 '14 at 17:30
Hmm. I'll have a look tomorrow. – JPi Aug 30 '14 at 0:51

The pstricks way. It can be compiled with pdflatex if you launch it with the --enable-write18 (MiKTeX) or --shell-escape (TeXLive, MacTeX) switch:

\documentclass[11pt, a4paper, svgnames, pdf]{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{nccmath}
\usepackage{lmodern}

\usepackage{pst-plot}

\begin{document}

\psset{unit=4cm, linewidth = 0.6pt,  ticksize = -2pt 2pt}
\begin{pspicture*}(-1.6,-0.9)(1.9,1.6)
\psaxes{->}(0,0)(-1.6,-0.9)(1.9,1.6)[ $x$, -135][ $y$,-135]%
\uput[d](-0.05,0){0}
{\psset{linestyle = dashed,, linecolor = LightSteelBlue}
\psline(0, 0.25)(0.5, 0.25)(0.5, 0)\uput[d](0.5,0){ $\mfrac{1}{2}$}\uput[l](0, 0.25){ $\mfrac{1}{4}$}
\psline(0,1)(1,1)(1,0)}
\psset{linewidth = 1.5pt, linecolor =IndianRed ,plotpoints=50,plotstyle=curve, algebraic, labelsep = 0.5em}
\psline(-1.6,0)(0,0)
\psplot{0}{0.5}{x^2}
\psplot{0.5}{1}{1-3*(1-x)^2}
\psline(1,1)(2,1)
\psdots[dotsize = 3pt](0,0)(0.5, 0.25)(1,1)
\end{pspicture*}

\end{document}


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Thanks, the graph is beautiful. I tried it, but the code isn't working for me. – Olga Aug 29 '14 at 14:50
Do you have any error message? You can compile with pdflatex, although it's based on pstricks (pdf option in \documentclass). I think I forgot you must set the compiler with the --shell-escape switch. – Bernard Aug 29 '14 at 15:53
That's right, I had an error message. How do you set the compiler with the --shell-escape switch? – Olga Aug 29 '14 at 17:31
That depends on your editor… Which one do you use? – Bernard Aug 29 '14 at 18:22
I use TexShop for Mac. Thank you. – Olga Aug 29 '14 at 18:41