GENERAL MATHEMATICS

Module 3, Lesson 8: Inverse One-to-One Functions

I. Overview:
 This lesson will demonstrate an understanding of key concepts of functions.
II. Objectives:
 Determines the inverse of a one-to-one function.
 Finds the domain and range of an inverse function.
 Solves problems involving inverse functions.
III. Content Outline:
 Please take time to read and understand this part because all graded activities and quizzes will be
coming from these contents.

The importance of one-to-one functions is due to the fact that these are the only functions that have an
inverse, as defined below.

ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION
 A function f is one-to-one if every number in its range corresponds to exactly one
number in its domain, that is, for all x 1 and x 2 in the domain of f , if x 1 ≠ x 2 then
f (x 2) ≠ f ( x 2). Equivalently, f (x 1)=f (x 2) only when x 1=x 2.

INVERSE FUNCTION
 If f is a one-to-one function, then the inverse of f , denoted by f −1, is the function formed
by reversing all the ordered pairs in f . thus f −1={( y , x ): (x , y ) is in f }. If f is not one-to-
one, then f does not have an inverse and f −1 does not exist.

A function has an inverse if and only if it is one-to-one.

If a function f is not one-to-one, properly defining an inverse function f −1 will be problematic.
For example, suppose that f (1)=5 and f (3)=5. If f −1 exists, then f −1 (5) has to be both 1 and 3, and
this prevents f −1 from being a valid function. This is the reason why the inverse is only defined for one-
to-one functions.

Properties of Inverse Function

If f −1 exist, then
1. f −1 is a one-to-one function.
2. Domain of f −1=¿ range of f .
3. Range of f −1=¿ domain of f .

Example 1. Determine if the inverse function of f (x)=2 x +3 exists.

Solution: First, we need to determine if f is one-to-one. Let x 1 and x 2 be real numbers with
f (x 1)=f (x 2).
f (x 1)=f ¿
2 x1 +3=2 x 2 +3
2 x1 =2 x 2
x 1=x 2
Therefore, f is one-to-one and f (x), exists.
−1

To find f −1 ( x), we first let y=f (x ), interchange the roles of x and y, and solve for y.
f (x)=2 x +3
y=2 x +3 Write y=f (x )
x=2 y +3 Interchange the roles of x and y.
2 y=x−3 Isolate the y-term
x−3
y= Solve for y.
2
−1 x−3
f (x)=
2
The domains and ranges of f and f −1 consist of all real numbers. It can be verified that

f (f −1 (x))=f ( x −3
2 )=2 (
x−3
2 )
+3=x and f −1
(f ( x))=f −1 (2 x +3)=
(2 x +3)−3
2
=x .

Finding an Inverse Function

 1
1. Determine if the function f is one-to-one. If f is not one-to-one, then f does not exist.
2. In the equation for f (x) , replace f (x) by y .
3. Interchange the roles of x and y and solve for y .
1
4. Replace by f ( x ) in the new equation.
1 1
5. Find the domain of f . remember the domain of f must be the same as the range of f .

Check your work by verifying that f 1 ( f ( x))  x for all x in the domain of f and
f ( f 1 ( x))  x for all x in the domain of f 1 .

Example 2. Find the inverse of a function f ( x)  5 x  3 .

Solution:
f ( x)  5 x  3
y  5x  3
x  5y  3
5y  x  3
x3
y
5
x  3
f 1 ( x ) 
5
3x
f ( x) 
Example 3. Find the inverse of a function x2 .
Solution:
3x
f ( x) 
x2
3x
y
x2
3y
x
y2
 3y 
( y  2)( x)   ( y  2)
 y2
( y  2)( x )  3 y
( xy  2 x )  3 y
3 y  xy  2 x
y (3  x)  2 x
y (3  x) 2x

(3  x ) (3  x)
2x
y
(3  x)
2x
f 1 ( x ) 
3 x

Example 4. Find the inverse of a function f ( x)   x  2 .

3

Solution:
f ( x)   x 3  2
y   x3  2
x   y3  2
y3   x  2
1
y  ( x  2) 3
y  3 (  x  2)
f 1 ( x)  3 ( x  2)
IV. Activities:

a. Determine if f is a one-to-one or not. If a function f is a one-to-one find the inverse of the function.
1
f ( x) 
1. x2
3
f ( x)   x  4
2. 4
3. f ( x )  ( x  2)
2

4. f ( x )  x2 1
x
f ( x) 
5. x 1

6. f ( x)  9  x
7. f ( x)  x  3
3

8. f ( x)  x4
3x  3
f ( x) 
9. 2
10 f ( x)  10 x  5

V. Assignment:

Answer the following: