Working with Functions and Their Inverses

In this chapter, we will learn how to combine functions and how to find inverses of functions. Basically,
functions can be combined in five different ways. We can add, subtract, multiply, divide or compose them.
Well study the operation of composition in Section 2. In Section 3, we will examine the inverses of
functions.

Lets get started by examining the process of addition and subtraction.

Ex. 1

Let

f (x) = 2x + 1 and g(x) = 3x 4 .

First, lets add

Simply substitute for

f (x) + g(x) .

f (x) and g(x) and simplify.

f (x) + g(x)
(2x + 1) + (3x 4)

2x + 1 3x 4

x3
Hence,

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

We may also choose to rename this new function. For example,

Let

f (x) + g(x) = h(x) .

Now we say

h(x) = x 3 .

Similarly, for
subtraction, lets find
Simply substitute for

Letting

f (x) g(x) .

f (x) and g(x) , and simplify.

f (x)
g(x)
(2x + 1) (3x 4)

2x + 1+ 3x + 4
5x + 5

f (x) g(x) = p(x) , we say p(x) = 5x + 5 .

Now lets examine multiplication and division of functions.

Ex. 2

Let

f (x) = 2x + 4 and g(x) = 8x 4 .

First, lets multiply to find

f (x) g(x) .

Simply substitute and multiply.

f
(x) g(x)
(2x + 4)(8x 4)
16x 2 8x 32x 16
16x 2 40x 16

Feel free to
rename this new
function.

Hence, we arrive at

f (x) g(x) = 16x 2 40x 16 .

Now lets divide to find

f (x) g(x) .

f (x)
. So all thats left to do is to substitute and simplify.
g(x)

f (x) 2x + 4
2/ (x + 2)
x+2
=
=
=
g(x) 8x 4 4/ (2x + 1)
2(2x + 1)

This is equivalent to

Again, feel free

to rename this
new function.

Hence, we arrive at

f (x) g(x) =

x+2
2(2x + 1)

In conclusion, we see that addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of functions is no different than
applying these operations to polynomials. This is true regardless of the type of function, linear or nonlinear.

Your instructor will now present several aditional examples of these concepts.
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Exercises
Let

f (x) = 2x + 4 ,

g(x) = 2x 2 + 2x ,

h(x) = 2x 2 x 3 and p(x) = x 3 7x 6 .

Perform the following operations.

1.

f (x) + h(x)

5.

f (x) g(x)

2.

g(x) f (x)

6.

h(x) g(x)

3.

p(x) g(x)

7.

p(x) h(x)

4.

g(x) + p(x)

8.

f (x) p(x)

11-21 Evaluate each of

the preceding functions at
example, Exercise 1 evaluated at

9.

10.

h(x)
p(x)
p(x)
h(x)

x = 1, 2, 1, 2 . We denote this by using brackets. For

x = 1 would be written as [ f (x) + h(x)](1) .

now present several

aditional exercises. Record them below:
Your instructor will
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Composition of Functions
(Section 2)

Composition of functions is a new concept for us. Unlike addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
of functions, here we wish to actually put one function inside the other. Dont worry, its not a difficult
operation, however, it does require care.
We define the composition of two functions as follows:

A composition of two functions

f (x) and g(x) , denoted f (x) g(x) , is an operation

on these two functions such that the range of

g(x) is the domain of f (x) .

f (x) g(x) .

Consider the domain of g(x) as a bunch of numbers, x values, which we label with the capital letter X
and the range of g(x) , y values, which we label with the capital letter Y . Then, the picture below shows
what g(x) does.

Picturing this operation may help clarify the definition. Below we illustrate the operation of

g(x)

We see that g(x) carries the elements of the domain to the elements of the range.
Now, lets continue the operation by applying the definition of composition. Remember, that the range of
g(x) is the domain of f (x) . Applying the definition we see that

g(x)

So, we see that

f (x)

The
range of

f (x) g(x)

f (x) g(x) takes the domain elements of g(x) and carries them all the way to the range
elements of f (x) g(x) .

We can also illustrate this phenomenon in another way.

For example, if
Note that the
range of g(x) ,
the 2 , is the
domain of f (x) .

g(1) = 2 and f (2) = 3 then

( f g)(1) = 3.

The notation we used

here simply
emphasizes the point
that we compose the
functions and then
evaluate the
composite function
for x = 1.

This concept does, often, take a bit of getting used to. Dont be discouraged if you dont feel completely

comfortable with it yet; thats what the exercises are for.

Your instructor will now present several aditional representations of this concept.
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Now lets see this principle at work in a couple of examples.

Ex. 3

Let

f (x) = 2x 3 and g(x) = x + 7 . Give f (x) g(x) .

Here we want to put

We proceed by substituting

g(x) inside of f (x) .

g(x) for the domain of f (x) , as follows:

f (x)
= 2(g) 3
becomes f (g)

Now we substitutefor

g.

f (g) = 2(g) 3
= 2(x + 7) 3

= 2x + 14 3

= 2x + 11
Hence,

f (x) g(x) = 2x + 11.

Your instructor will now present several aditional examples. Record the examples

below:
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Lets look at more complicated example before going on to the exercises.

Ex. 4

Let

f (x) = 2x 3 and g(x) = x 2 2x + 1. Give g(x) f (x) .

In this case, we want to put the function

f inside g .

g( f ) =( f ) 2 2( f ) + 1

Multiply and
simplify
carefully.

= (2x 3) 2
2(2x 3)+ 1
= 4 x 2 12x + 9 4 x + 6 + 1
= 4 x 2 16x + 16

g(x) f (x) = 4 x 2 16x + 16 .

Hence,

Note:

It is often more convenient to write

f (x) g(x) as f (g(x)) . Feel free to utilize either notation.

Exercises

Let

g(x) = 2x 2 + 2 ,

f (x) = 2x + 4 ,

h(x) = 2x 2 x + 1 and
Perform the following
operations.

1.

f (x) h(x)

2.

g(x) f (x)

3.

p(x) g(x)

4.

g(x) p(x)

p(x) =

5.

f (x) g(x)

6.

h(x) g(x)

7.

p(x) h(x)

8.

f (x) p(x)

9-16 Evaluate each of the preceding functions at

x = 1, 2, 1, 2 . We denote this by

using brackets. For example, Exercise 1 evaluated at

[ f (x) h(x)](1) .

x 3 7x 6
.
x +1

x = 1 would be written as

f (1) = 4 , f (2) = 12 and f (3) =9 . Also, let g(6) = 2 , g(7) = 1 and

g(12) = 3.

Let

Evaluate the following compositions.

9.

[f (x) g(x)](12)

10.

[ f (x) g(x)](2)

11.[ f (x) g(x)](6)

12.

[g(x) f (x)](2)

Inverses
(Section 3)

Inverse functions are, just as the name suggests, the inverses of functions. But what does that mean? Lets
recall the illustration we began Section 2 with.

g(x)

Here we have illustrated a function,

g(x) , taking its domain elements ( X ) and transforming them into its
range elements ( Y ).
1

The Inverse of g(x) , which we denote g (x) , does the opposite. It takes the range elements of g(x) as
are actually the domain elements of the
them into its range elements which
its domain and transforms

original function g(x) .

We picture this below.

g1

Formally, we state the definition as follows:

Given a function

f if f (a) = b then the inverse function f 1 (b) = a .

The definition implies the following:

f 1 ( f (x)) = x

f ( f 1 (x)) = x

Now that we know what an inverse is, we can proceed to the process of finding inverses given a function.
Lets say we are given a function
process:

f . In order to find the inverse, f 1 , we will follow the following

Step 1.

Replace the function notation,

p(x) for example, with the variable y .

Step 2.

Switch the

x s and y for each other.

Step 3.
Solve for y .

Lets try this.

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Ex. 5

Find

f 1 given that f (x) = 2x + 1.

Step 1.
We write

f (x) = 2x + 1 as y = 2x + 1.
Step 2.
Switch the variables.

y = 2x + 1 becomes x = 2y + 1

Solve for

Step 3.
y . Which yields

1
1
y= x
2
2

So the inverse of

f is the function

1
1
1
f (x) = 2 x 2 .
So, you see that finding inverses is not a complicated process. We will look at one more example before
presenting the exercises.

Ex. 6

Find

g1 given g(x) = x 2 + 2x + 1.
Step 1.
We write

g(x) = x + 2x + 1 as y = x 2 + 2x + 1.

Step 2.
Switch the variables.

2
y = x 2 + 2x + 1 becomes x = y + 2y + 1
Step 3.

Solve for

y . In this example some factoring is necessary.

x = y 2 + 2y + 1
x = (y + 1) 2

x = y +1
Hence,

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y = x 1 and so g1 (x) = x 1 .

Exercises
Find the inverse of the following functions.

1.

f (x) = 2x + 1

2.

f (x) = x + 2

3.
4.

x +1
x

7.

f (x) =

f (x) = x 25

8.

h(x) = (x + 1) 3

g(x) = x 2 25

9.

h(x) = x 3 + 6x 2 + 12x + 8

5.

g(x) = x + 2x + 1

6.

g(x) = 2x 2 5x 3

Let

f (x) = 2x 6 ,

g(x) = 3x and

10.

f (x) =

x+2
x 1

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

Evaluate the following. (Hint: Be sure to go in order; work inside the brackets, perform
the inverse operation and then evaluate.)
11.

f 1 (2)

12.

g1 (5)

14.

[ f (x) + g(x)]1 (2)

15.

[ f (x) g(x)]1 (3)

16. [ p(x) g(x)](1)

Your instructor will now present several aditional examples. Record

the examples below:

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13.

p1 (0)

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