Final answer:
To create the equation for the given square root function with a translation down 4 units and a vertical compression factor of 1/2, use the general equation y = a * sqrt(x - h) + k.
Step-by-step explanation:
We are asked to create an equation for a square root function that translates down 4 units and has a vertical compression factor of 1/2. The general equation for a square root function is y = a * sqrt(x - h) + k, where (h, k) is the vertex and a is the vertical stretch/compression factor. Given that the function translates down 4 units, we have the equation y = a * sqrt(x) - 4. And since the function has a vertical compression factor of 1/2, we can rewrite the equation as y = (1/2) * sqrt(x) - 4.