Week 2 1.5, 1.

6 Inverse, Exponential Functions Fall 2017

Q: What is an inverse function?

A: An inverse function “undoes” the original

function.
e.g. f ( x ) = 3x , then its inverse function is
f −1 ( x ) = x / 3 .

NOTE A function has an inverse if and only if it is a one-to-one function, i.e. one input,
x, gives only one output, f ( x ) .

Use Horizontal Line Test to check whether a function has an inverse or not.

One x gives one f (x) 1-1 f ( x1 ) = f ( x 2 ) NOT 1-1

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Example 1 Verify that f ( x ) = x 1 / 3 − 1 and g ( x ) = ( x + 1) are inverses by showing
that f [g ( x )] = x and g [ f ( x )] = x .

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  3
Example 2 Evaluate tan −1   without calculators by using the concept of inverse

 3 
functions.

(
Example 3 Simplify tan cos −1 x ) by referring to the appropriate triangle or
trigonometric identity.

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An exponential function, x = a y , ( a > 0 ). It is a 1-1 function, i.e. an inverse function
exists and with the form:
log a x = y (logarithmic function)
1. log b xy = log b x + log b y 4. log b x n = n log b x
x 5. log b b = 1
2. log b = log b x − log b y
y
1 6. b log b x = x
3. log b = − log b x
x

x = a y and its inverse log a x = y are log a x increases on the interval x > 0
symmetric about the line y = x for a > 1 when a > 1

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Example 4 Find log 2 + log 2 24 .
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The number e is:

- natural exponential base.

- with value between 2 and 3 ( e ≈ 2.71828 )
- graph y = e x has slope m = 1 when crossing the y-axis

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 When e y = x , ( x > 0 ), then we have natural logarithm of x, log e x = y
where
log e x = ln x
Properties:
1. ln e = 1
2. e ln x = x

Change of base formula (change from base b to base e, or base c):

ln x log c x
log b x = = ( x > 1)
ln b log c b
Example 5 Write 2 ln 5 + 3 ln 4 as the natural log of a single expression.

2
−2 x
Example 6 Given 2 x = 8 . Solve for x.

HW
1.5 # 5, 37, 39, 45
1.6 # 1, 4, 10, 23, 26