What does the function y = √x look like on a graph?

The function y = √x represents a square root function, which is characterized by a specific shape on a graph. The graph of y = √x starts at the origin (0,0) and extends to the right along the positive x-axis. As x increases, the value of y also increases but at a decreasing rate, which means that the graph gently slopes upward and becomes less steep as x grows larger. This is why the correct answer describes the line extending rightward while getting less steep, illustrating the nature of a square root function.

The graph does not form a straight line, intersect at any point in a V shape, or resemble a parabolic curve. A straight line would imply a constant rate of change, which is not the case for a square root function. The V shape typically suggests a piecewise linear function, such as absolute value, that exhibits symmetry around an axis, which bears no resemblance to the behavior of y = √x. Similarly, a parabolic curve describes quadratic functions, which are shaped differently and have a constant rate of change that does not correspond to the characteristics of the square root function.