Functions

Objectives
At the end of this session, you will be able to:

• describe different types of numbers

• define set and identify sets
• determine and evaluate a function
• find the root of a function
• apply the arithmetic operations and composition of functions
• find the inverse of a function
What is a number?
• Positive integers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,…
• Number zero 0
• Negative integers: -1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9…

Integers or Whole Numbers

What is a number?
• numbers you get by dividing one whole number by another
(nonzero) whole number.

Fractions or Rational Numbers

What is a number?
• Certain fractions are represented as decimal fractions
• For example: 21/12=1.75
• Not all fractions can be represented as decimal fractions
• For example:
What is a number?
• Every fraction can be written as a decimal fraction which may or may not
be finite
• If the decimal expansion doesn't end, then it must repeat
• For example,

• Any infinite repeating decimal expansion represents a rational number

What is a number?
• A real number is specified by a possibly unending decimal
expansion
• For example,

• Write the first few digits by rounding off

The real number line and intervals
The real number line and intervals
• Example
The real number line and intervals
• Example: To draw the half open interval [-1, 2) use a filled dot to
mark the endpoint which is included and an open dot for an
excluded endpoint.
Notation for all real numbers between two given real
numbers that form an interval

• (a; b) is the set of all real numbers x which satisfy a < x < b.
• [a; b) is the set of all real numbers x which satisfy a ≤ x < b.
• (a; b] is the set of all real numbers x which satisfy a < x ≤ b.
• [a; b] is the set of all real numbers x which satisfy a ≤ x ≤ b.
Notation for all real numbers between two given real
numbers that form an interval
• If the endpoint is not included then it may be ∞ or -∞
• For example, (-∞, 2] is the interval of all real numbers (both
positive and negative) which are ≤ 2
Set Notation
• A set is the collection of all real numbers which satisfies a
certain condition.
• Notation: A = {x | x satisfies this or that condition}
• Use upper case letters (A,B,C,D, . . . ) to denote sets
Set Notation
• For example, the interval (a, b) can be described as (a, b) = {x | a < x < b}
• The set B = {x | x2 - 1 > 0} consists of all real numbers x for which x2 - 1 > 0,
• i.e. it consists of all real numbers x for which either x > 1 or x < -1 holds
• This set consists of two parts: the interval (-∞, -1) and the interval (1, ∞)
Set Notation
• Some sets can be very difficult to identify
• For example, C = {x | x is a rational number}
• Sets can also contain just a few numbers, like D = {1, 2, 3}
• set containing the numbers one, two and three
• Or the set E = {x | x3 - 4x2 + 1 = 0}
• solutions of the equation x3 - 4x2 + 1 = 0
Set Notation
• If A and B are two sets then the union of A and B is the set which contains
all numbers that belong either to A or to B

A U B = {x | x belongs to A or B }
Set Notation
• The intersection of two sets A and B is the set of numbers which belong
to both sets

A Ո B = {x | x belongs to both A and B}

Functions
• The term function was first used by Leibniz in 1673 to denote the dependence of
one quantity on another
• In general, if a quantity y depends on a quantity x in such a way that each value
of x determines exactly one value of y, then we say that y is a “function” of
x
• A function is a rule that assigns to each element in a nonempty set A one and
only one element in set B
Functions
• The set of numbers for which a function is defined is called its domain
• The set of all possible numbers f(x) as x runs over the domain is called the
range of the function
• The rule must be unambiguous: the same x must always lead to the same
f(x)
Functions
• For example, one can define a function f by putting f(x) = √x for all
x≥0
• Rule defining f is: “take the square root of whatever number you're given“
• function f will accept all nonnegative real numbers
• The rule which species a function can come in many different forms
Functions
• Sometimes you need a few formulas, as in

• Functions which are defined by different formulas on different intervals are

called piecewise defined functions
Example
• Example 1
Determine if each of the following are functions.
(1) y = x2 + 1
(2) y2 = x + 1
(3) y = x2 - x + 3
Solution
• (1) Function
• Given an x, there is only one way to square it and then add 1 to the result
• no matter what value of x you put into the equation, there is only one possible value of y
Solution
• (2) Not a function
• If x=3; y2 = x + 1
• y2 = (3) + 1
• y2 = 4
• y = +2 or -2
• Note that this only needs to be the case for a single value of x to make an
equation not be a function.
• For instance we could have used x=-1 and in this case we would get a
single y(y=0).
• However, because of what happens at x=3 this equation will not be a
function.
Solution
• (3) Function
• no matter what value of x you put into the equation, there is only one possible value
of y
Function Notation
• a way of writing the y in a function that allows to simplify notation
• The function y = x2 - 2x + 3 can be written as:
• f(x) = x2 - 2x + 3
• h(x) = x2 - 2x + 3
• w(x) = x2 - 2x + 3
• g(x) = x2 - 2x + 3
• R(x) = x2 - 2x + 3
• y(x) = x2 - 2x + 3
Function Notation
• Why is this useful?
function at x=3 as f(3)
• Function notation gives us a nice compact way of representing function values
• How do we actually evaluate the function?
• Everywhere we see an x on the right side we will substitute whatever is in the parenthesis on the left
side
f(3) = (3)2 - 2(3) + 3
= 9 – 6 +3
=6
Example
• Example 2
Given f(x) = - x2 + 6x – 11 find each of the following.
(1) f(2)
(2) f(-10)
(3) f(t)
(4) f(t-3)
(5) f(x-3)
(6) f(4x-1)
Solution
f(x) = - x2 + 6x – 11

(1) f(2) = -(2)2 – 6(2) – 11 = -3

(2) f(-10) = -(-10)2 – 6(10) – 11 = -171

• Be careful when squaring negative numbers

(3) f(t) = -(t)2 – 6(t) – 11 = -t2 – 6t – 11

• Substitute for the x’s WHATEVER is in the parenthesis on the left (often, something other than a
number)
Solution
(4) f(t-3) = -(t-3)2 – 6(t-3) – 11 = -t2 + 12t – 38
• Fairly complex evaluations, make sure that you can do these kinds of
evaluations
(5) f(x-3) = - (x-3)2 – 6(x-3) – 11 = -x2 + 12x – 38
• Don’t get confused if an x appears inside the parenthesis on the left
(6) f(4x-1) = -(4x-1)2 – 6(4x-1) – 11 = -16x2 + 32x – 18
• Change the equation being plugged into the function
Root of a Function
• a number for which makes the function equal to zero
f(x) = 0

• the number r is a root of a polynomial f(x) if and only if f(r) = 0

• For example, with the function f(x)=2−x, the only root would be x=2,
because that value produces f(x)=0
Example
• Example 3
Determine the root of P(x) = 5x3− 4x2 + 7x − 8
Solution
• The root of that polynomial is 1 because, according to the definition:

• P(x) = 5x3− 4x2 + 7x − 8

• P(1) = 5(1)3 − 4(1)2 + 7(1) − 8

=5−4+7−8
=0
Example
• Example 4
Determine all the roots of G(x) = x2 −x − 6
Solution
• Solve for x2 −x − 6 = 0

x2 −x − 6 = (x + 2)(x − 3)
(x + 2)(x − 3) = 0
x = -2
x=3

x = -2: (-2)2 −(-2) − 6 = 0 ; 4 + 2 – 6 = 0

x = 3: (3)2 − (3) − 6 = 0 ; 9 – 3 – 6 = 0
Arithmetic Operations on Functions
• Sum: (f + g)(x) = f(x) + g(x)
• domain: the intersection of the domains of f and g
• Difference: (f − g)(x) = f(x) − g(x)
• domain: the intersection of the domains of f and g
• Product: (f ∗ g)(x) = f(x) ∗ g(x)
• domain: the intersection of the domains of f and g
• Quotient: (f/g)(x) = f(x)/g(x)
• domain: the intersection of the domains of f and g with the points where g(x) = 0 excluded
Example
• Example 5
Given f(x) = 3x + 2 and g(x) = 4 – 5x, find (f + g)(x), (f – g)(x), (f ×
g)(x), and (f / g)(x).
Solution

• apply the operations plus, minus, times, and divide on respective operations
• (f + g)(x) = f(x) + g(x) = [3x + 2] + [4 – 5x]
= 3x – 5x + 2 + 4 = –2x + 6
• (f – g)(x) = f(x) – g(x) = [3x + 2] – [4 – 5x]
= 3x + 5x + 2 – 4 = 8x – 2
• (f × g)(x) = [f(x)][g(x)] = (3x + 2)(4 – 5x)
= 12x + 8 – 15x2 – 10x
• (f/g)(x) = f(x) / g(x) (3x + 2) / (4 – 5x)
= –15x2 + 2x + 8
Example
• Example 6
Given f(x) = 2x, g(x) = x + 4, and h(x) = 5 – x3,
find (f + g)(2), (h – g)(2), (f × h)(2), and (h/g)(2).
Solution
• find the values of the functions at x = 2

• f(2) = 2(2) = 4
• g(2) = (2) + 4 = 6
• h(2) = 5 – (2)3 = 5 – 8 = –3
Solution
• Now, evaluate the listed expressions:

• (f + g)(2) = f(2) + g(2) = 4 + 6 = 10

• (h – g)(2) = h(2) – g(2) = –3 – 6 = –9
• (f × h)(2) = f(2) × h(2) = (4)(–3) = –12
• (h / g)(2) = h(2) ÷ g(2) = –3 ÷ 6 = –0.5
Composition of Functions
• Composition of f with g : (f o g)(x) = f((g(x))
• domain of f o g consists of all x in the domain of g for which g(x) is in the domain of f
Example
• Example 7
Given f(x) = 2x + 3 and g(x) = –x2 + 5, find ( f o g)(x).
Solution
• find the formula that results from plugging the formula forg (x) into the
formula for f (x)

• ( f o g)(x) = f (g(x))
= f (–x2 + 5)
= 2(–x2 + 5) + 3
= –2x2 + 10 + 3
= –2x2 + 13
Example
• Example 7
Given f(x) = 2x + 3 and g(x) = –x2 + 5, find (g o f )(x).
Solution
• find the formula that results from plugging the formula forf (x) into the
formula for g (x)

• (g o f )(x) = g( f(x))
= g(2x + 3)
= –(2x + 3)2 + 5
= –(4x2 + 12x + 9) + 5
= –4x2 – 12x – 9 + 5
= –4x2 – 12x – 4
Composition of Functions - Note
• ( f o g)(x) is not the same as (g o f )(x)
• In general: assume that the compositions (f o g)(x) and (g o f )(x) are going to be different
• composition is not the same thing as multiplication
• open dot "o" is not the same as a multiplication dot "•", nor does it mean the same thing
Composition of Functions - Note
• While the following is true:
• f(x) • g(x) = g(x) • f(x)
• always true for multiplication
• ( f o g)(x) = (g o f )(x)
• generally false for composition
Inverse Function
• inverse of f is a function which maps f(x) to x in reverse
• inverse of the function f is denoted by f -1
• inverse of a function is found by interchanging its range and domain
• domain of F becomes the range of the inverse and the range
of F becomes the domain of the inverse of F
• inverse of a function is not always a function and should be checked by the
definition of a function
• a function only has an inverse if it is one-to-one
One-to-One Function
• every element in the domain is paired with a unique element in the range
• every element in the range is paired with a unique element in the domain
• only one-to-one functions can have inverse functions
How to get the inverse of a function?
• Step 1: Replace f(x) with y
• Step 2: Move y to the right side of the equation
• Step 3: Make x the subject of the equation
• Step 4: Replace x by f -1(x) and replace y by x
Example
• Example 8
Find the inverse of f(x) = 2x + 3.
Solution
• Rewrite f(x) = 2x + 3 as y = 2x + 3.
• y = 2x + 3
• 2x + 3 = y
• 2x = y – 3
• x = y-3 / 2
• f -1 (x) = x – 3 / 2
Example
• Example 8
Find the inverse of g(x) = x / 2– 5.
Solution
• Rewrite g(x) = x/2 – 5 as y = x/2 – 5.
• y = x/2 – 5
• x/2 – 5 = y
• x/2 = y + 5
• x = 2 (y + 5)
• g-1 (x) = 2 (x + 5)
Summary
• Types of numbers:
• integers or whole numbers
• fractions or rational Numbers
• real numbers

• A set is the collection of all real numbers which satisfies a certain condition
• A U B = {x | x belongs to A or to B or both}
• A Ո B = {x | x belongs to both A and B}
Summary
• In general, if a quantity y depends on a quantity x in such a way that each
value of x determines exactly one value of y, then we say that y is a
“function” of x
• A root of a function is nothing more than a number for which the function is
zero
• f(x), is equivalent to solving f(x) = 0
Summary
• Arithmetic Operations on functions
• Sum: (f + g)(x) = f(x) + g(x),
• Difference: (f − g)(x) = f(x) − g(x)
• Product: (f ∗ g)(x) = f(x) ∗ g(x)
• Quotient: (f/g)(x) = f(x)/g(x)

• Composition of f with g : (f o g)(x) = f((g(x))

Summary
• The inverse of f is a function which maps f(x) to x in reverse, denoted by f -1
• Steps in getting the inverse of a function:
• Step 1:. Replace f(x) with y
• Step 2: Move y to the right side of the equation
• Step 3: Make x the subject of the equation
• Srep 4: Replace x by f-1(x) and replace y by x