Functions: Domain and Operations

Mathematics 100

Institute of Mathematics

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Outline

1 Functions
Domain of Some Functions
Operations on Functions

2 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), (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 −4 −3 −2 −1
y = f (x) = x2 + 1 17 10 5 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) ∈ 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: p
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 + an−1 xn−1 + . . . + a1 x + a0 ,

where an , an−1 , . . . , a1 , a0 ∈ R with an 6= 0 and n is a nonnegative integer

dom f = R

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Domain of Some Functions

h(x)
Rational Functions - functions of the form f (x) = , where h and g are
g(x)
polynomial functions, and g is not the constant zero function

dom f = {x ∈ R : g(x) 6= 0}

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Domain of Some Functions

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

If n is a positive even integer, then dom f = {x ∈ R : g(x) ≥ 0}.

If n is a positive odd integer, then dom f = {x ∈ R : g(x) ∈ R}.

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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 = R

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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 ≥ 0
(2 − x)(2 + x) ≥ 0

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Domain of Some Functions

Solution cont’d.:
Table of Signs:

(−∞, −2) (−2, 2) (2, +∞)

Test number −3 0 3
2−x + + −
2+x − + +
(2 − x)(2 + x) − + −

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

Therefore, dom h = [−2, 2].

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Domain of Some Functions

Example
4
Find the domain of f (x) = .
x2 − 9

Solution:
Since f is a rational function,

dom f = {x ∈ R : x2 − 9 6= 0} = {x ∈ R : x 6= ±3} = R \ {±3}.

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Domain of Some Functions

Example
p
Find the domain of g(x) = |x + 3| − 4.

Solution:
Since g is a radical function,

dom g = {x ∈ R : |x + 3| − 4 ≥ 0}
= {x ∈ R : |x + 3| ≥ 4}
Next, we solve the inequality |x + 3| ≥ 4:

x+3≥4
x + 3 ≤ −4
x≥4−3 or
x ≤ −7
x≥1

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

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Domain of Some Functions

Example
√
3
x+2
Find the domain of h(x) = .
x2 −1

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 ∈ 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 f (x)
g (x) = g(x) , g(x) 6= 0;
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}. R

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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) = 4−x+ 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) 4−x 4−x
(x) = =√ = .
g g(x) 3+x 3+x

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Operations on Functions

Solution cont’d.:
The domains of f and g are:

dom f = {x ∈ R : x ≤ 4} = (−∞, 4],

dom g = {x ∈ R : x ≥ −3} = [−3, +∞).

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 ∈ 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:

dom f = {x ∈ R : 4 − x2 ≥ 0} = [−2, 2],

dom g = {x ∈ R : 3 − x ≥ 0} = (−∞, 3].

Now, let us find the composition

√
(f ◦ g)(x) = f (g(x)) = f ( 3 − x)
q √
= 4 − ( 3 − x)2
p
= 4 − (3 − x)
√
= 1 + x.

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Composition of Two Functions

Solution cont’d.:
√
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 ∈ 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 = R and dom g = (0, +∞).
For f ◦ g:
 
1
(f ◦ g)(x) = f (g(x)) = f √
x
 
 1 
=  √ + 3 − 2

x
1
= √ +3−2
x
√
1+ x
= √
x
Thus, dom (f ◦ g) = (0, +∞).
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Composition of Two Functions

Solution cont’d.:
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
Let f (x) = 1 − x and g(x) =  . Find the composite function f ◦ g
x + 1
and its domain.

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