Functions: Domain and Operations

Mathematics 100
Institute of Mathematics

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Outline

Functions
Domain of Some Functions
Operations on Functions

Lecture Exercise

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Functions

"Intuitive" Definition
A function can be thought of as a correspondence from a set X of real
numbers x to a set Y of real numbers y, where y is unique for a specific value
of x.
We say that "y is a function of x", and write this symbolically as
y = f (x),

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(read y equals f of x).

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Functions

Example
The equation y = x2 + 1 defines a function from the set of real numbers to the
set of real numbers.
x
y = f (x) = x2 + 1

4
17

3
10

2
5

1
2

Another way to denote a function is by the rule method which is used to

describe a set.
The function given above can be denoted by
f = {(x, y)

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R2 : y = x2 + 1}.

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Functions
The function can be pictured by an arrow diagram.

Remark:
Observe that a function can have the same value at two different values
of x from X, but each x is assigned to a single element y of Y .

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Functions

Definition
Let X and Y be nonempty sets.
A function f from X to Y , denoted f : X Y , is a rule that assigns to each
element x X a unique element y Y .
The set of all admissible values of x is called the domain of the function,
written dom f .
The set of all resulting values of y is called the range of the function,
written ran f .

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Remarks

A function may be written as y = f (x) where x is called the independent

variable while y is the dependent variable.
Alternatively, a function f is a set of ordered pairs (x, y) in which no two
distinct ordered pairs have the same first coordinate. Moreover, (x, y) f
if and only if y = f (x).

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Functions

Example
The equation x + y = 1 defines a function.
To see this, we isolate the dependent variable on the left hand side so that
y = x + 1.
Note that for any given value of x, there is exactly one value for y.

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Functions

Example
The equation |y| = x + 1 does not define a function.
Observe that (x, y) = (1, 2) and (x, y) = (1, 2) both satisfy the given
equation.
So there are two distinct ordered pairs having the same x-coordinate that
satisfy the given equation.

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Functions

Example
Is x2 + y = 3 a function?
Solution:
It is equivalent to
y = x2 + 3.
Any value of x will give exactly one resulting value of y.
Therefore, the given equation defines y as a function of x.

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Functions

Example
Is x2 + y 2 = 4 a function?
Solution:
Solve for y in terms of x:
y=

4 x2 .

So any value of x will correspond to two values of y.

Therefore, it is not a function.

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Functions
Example
The equation y =

4 x2 defines a function.

Recall: y denotes the principal square root of 4 x2 , which is unique,

whenever it is defined.

Example
The expression y 3x + 2 does not define a function.
Note that the ordered pairs (x, y) = (1, 5) and (x, y) = (1, 6) satisfy the given
expression.

The examples which do not define a function are called relations.

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Domain of Some Functions

Polynomial Functions - functions of the form

f (x) = an xn + an1 xn1 + . . . + a1 x + a0 ,
where an , an1 , . . . , a1 , a0
dom f =

R with an 6= 0 and n is a nonnegative integer

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Domain of Some Functions

h(x)
, where h and g are
g(x)
polynomial functions, and g is not the constant zero function

Rational Functions - functions of the form f (x) =

dom f = {x

R : g(x) 6= 0}

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Domain of Some Functions

Functions involving radicals - functions of the form f (x) =

p
n

g(x)

R : g(x) 0}.
R : g(x) R}.

If n is a positive even integer, then dom f = {x

If n is a positive odd integer, then dom f = {x

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Domain of Some Functions

Example
Consider the function f (x) = x 3.
dom f =

R, since f is a polynomial function

Example
Consider the quadratic function defined by g(x) = x2 + 5x + 6.
dom g =

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Domain of Some Functions

Example
Find the domain of h(x) =

4 x2 .

Solution:
Since h is a radical function with even index, then
dom h = {x

R : 4 x2 0}.

Solve the inequality:

4 x2

(2 x)(2 + x) 0

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Domain of Some Functions

Solution contd.:
Table of Signs:

Test number
2x
2+x
(2 x)(2 + x)

(, 2)
3
+

(2, 2)
0
+
+
+

(2, +)
3

Note that equality holds when x = 2 or x = 2.

Therefore, dom h = [2, 2].

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Domain of Some Functions

Example
Find the domain of f (x) =

4
.
x2 9

Solution:
Since f is a rational function,
dom f = {x

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R : x2 9 6= 0} = {x R : x 6= 3} = R \ {3}.

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Domain of Some Functions

Example
Find the domain of g(x) =

|x + 3| 4.

Solution:
Since g is a radical function,
dom g

{x

= {x

R : |x + 3| 4 0}
R : |x + 3| 4}

Next, we solve the inequality |x + 3| 4:

x+34
x43

or

x1

x + 3 4
x 7

Therefore, dom g = (, 7] [1, +).

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Domain of Some Functions

Example

Find the domain of h(x) =

x+2
.
1

x2

Solution:
Since h is written as a fraction, we want all values of x for which its
denominator is nonzero. At the same time, the numerator must be defined.
numerator - always defined for any real number value of x
denominator dom h = {x

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R : x2 1 6= 0} = R \ {1}.

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Operations on Functions

Definition
If f and g are functions, then their
sum, denoted by f + g, is the function defined by
(f + g)(x) = f (x) + g(x);
difference, denoted by f g, is the function defined by
(f g)(x) = f (x) g(x);
product, denoted by f g, is the function defined by (f g)(x) = f (x) g(x);
quotient,
denoted by f /g, is the function defined by


f (x)
f
g(x) 6= 0;
g (x) = g(x) ,
with dom (f + g) = dom (f g) = dom (f g) = dom f dom g,
and dom (f /g) = (dom f dom g) \ {x : g(x) = 0}.

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Operations on Functions

Example

Let f (x) = 4 x and g(x) = 3 + x. Find the functions f + g, f g, f g and

f /g, and find their respective domains.
Solution:
(f + g)(x) = f (x) + g(x) =

4x+

3 + x,

(f g)(x) = f (x) g(x) = 4 x 3 + x,

p

(f g)(x) = f (x) g(x) = 4 x 3 + x = (4 x)(3 + x),

r

 
f
f (x)
4x
4x
(x) =
=
.
=
g
g(x)
3+x
3+x

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Operations on Functions
Solution contd.:
The domains of f and g are:

R : x 4} = (, 4],
dom g = {x R : x 3} = [3, +).

dom f = {x

The intersection of these domains is (, 4] [3, +) = [3, 4]. Thus,

dom (f + g) = dom (f g) = dom (f g) = [3, 4].
Since g(3) = 0, x = 3 must be excluded from the domain of the quotient
function. Hence,
dom (f /g) = (3, 4].

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Composition of Two Functions

Definition
If f and g are functions, their composite function, denoted by f g, is
defined by
(f g)(x) = f (g(x)).
The domain of f g is the set of all real numbers x in the domain of g such
that g(x) is in the domain of f . That is,
dom (f g) = {x

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R : x dom g and g(x) dom f }.

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Composition of Two Functions

Example
Find f g and its domain given f (x) =

4 x2 and g(x) =

3 x.

Solution:
We first state the domains of f and g:

R : 4 x2 0} = [2, 2],
dom g = {x R : 3 x 0} = (, 3].

dom f = {x

Now, let us find the composition

(f g)(x) = f (g(x))

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= f ( 3 x)
q

=
4 ( 3 x)2
p
=
4 (3 x)

=
1 + x.

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Composition of Two Functions

Solution contd.:

Even though 1 + x is defined for all x 1, we must restrict the domain of

f g to those values that are also in the domain of g. Thus,
dom (f g) = {x

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R : x 1 and x 3} = [1, 3].

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Composition of Two Functions

Example
Given f (x) = |x + 3| 2 and g(x) = 1x . Find the composite functions f g
and g f , and their respective domains.
Solution:
Note that dom f =
For f g:

R and dom g = (0, +).

(f g)(x) = f (g(x))



1
= f
x


 1


=  + 3 2
x
1
= +32
x

1+ x

=
x

Thus, dom (f g) = (0, +).

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Composition of Two Functions

Solution contd.:
For g f :
(g f )(x) = g(f (x))

= g (|x + 3| 2)
1
= p
|x + 3| 2

Now, |x + 3| 2 > 0 when x (, 5) (1, +).

Since we need f (x) > 0 in order for g(f (x)) to be defined, we have
dom(g f ) = (, 5) (1, +).

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Lecture Exercise



x 1
. Find the composite function f g
1 x and g(x) = 
x + 1
and its domain.

Let f (x) =

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