Some important definitions:

The domain is the set of values that can be put

into a function.
The range is the set of values that come out of a
function.

Domain and range of some common

functions:

A function is called
one-to-one if every
value in the range
corresponds to a single
value in the domain
(and vice versa).
A function is called
many-to-one if some
values of y correspond
to several values of x

10

-4

-2

-5

-10
y
10

-2

Domain
x0

Range

y x2

x
x
x0
x0

y0
y
y0

If f is not a 1-1 function, then an inverse function

can only be defined if the domain is restricted.

1 y 1

The graphs of y f ( x ) and y f 1 ( x ) are

related they are reflections of each other in the
line y = x.

y ln(x)
1
y
x
y sin( x )
| y cos( x)

y tan x

-4

Function
y x
ye

3
,
2
2

y0

y0

-5

-10

Composite functions:
To find the composite function fg(x), you put x
into g first and then put the result into f.
Example: If f ( x) 2 ln( x) and g ( x ) 3 x 2 2
, then fg ( x) 2 ln(3x 2 2) .
Solving equations involving the modulus
function
The expression | x a | represents the difference
between x and a.
So, the solution of the equation | x a | k is
x k a or x k a

Inverse functions:
If f is a one-to-one function, then it is possible to
find an inverse function f 1 :
(1) Write the function as y = .
(2) Swap over the roles of x and y.
(3) Rearrange back into the form y = .

The domain of f 1 is the same as the range of

f.
The range of f 1 is the same as the domain of f.
The modulus function
The function
f ( x) | x | is defined
as:

y
5

y
3

10

f ( x) x if x 0

8
1

f ( x) x if x 0

To solve the equation | ax b | | cx d | it is

easiest to square both sides to remove the
modulus sign.
Equations of the form | ax b | cx d need to
be solve graphically.

This is the graph

of y | x 2 9 | .
The parts of the
graph that lie
below the x-axis
are reflected up.

6
-4

-2

4
-1

2
-2

-4

-2

2
-2

-4