Final answer:
The function y=3x+2 is the result of applying a vertical translation of 2 units upwards to the original function y=3x.
Step-by-step explanation:
The transformation applied to the original function y=3x to get y=3x+2 is a vertical translation. To understand this transformation, we can look at the general form of a vertical translation which is y=f(x)+k, where f(x) is the original function and k is the amount the graph is translated upward or downward along the y-axis. In the given function y=3x+2, the original function is f(x)=3x and the constant k is 2, indicating that every point on the graph of y=3x is moved up by 2 units to create the graph of y=3x+2.
As an example, if we have a point (a, 3a) on the graph of y=3x, the corresponding point on the graph of the transformed function would be (a, 3a+2).