2.

5
Inverse Functions

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

Definition: Composition of Functions

„ A function is a set of ordered pairs in which no two
ordered pairs have the same first coordinates and
different second coordinates.
„ If the original function is one-to-one, then the set
obtained by interchanging the coordinates in each
ordered pair is a function, the inverse function.
„ If a function is one-to-one, then it has an inverse
function and it is invertible.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 2

1
 Definition: One-to-One Function
If a function has no two ordered pairs with different first
coordinates and the same second coordinate, then the
function is called one-to-one.

Definition: Inverse Function

The inverse of a one-to-one function f is the function f -1
(read “f inverse”), where the ordered pairs of f -1 are
obtained by interchanging the coordinates in each
ordered pair of f.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 3

Example 1
Finding an inverse function
Determine if f is invertible and if so, find its inverse.

f (x) = {(1,4 ), (2,3), (−1,6), (−2,8)}

Solution

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 4

2
 Theorem: Invertible Functions
A function is invertible if and only if it is a one-to-one
function.

Horizontal Line Test

If each horizontal line crosses the graph of a function at no
more than one point, then the function is one-to-one.

Note: There is a one-to-one correspondence between the

domain and range of these functions.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 5

Example 2
Finding an inverse function
Determine if the function is one-to-one.(use the definition)
2x +1
f ( x) =
x−3
Solution

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 6

3
 Example 3
Finding an inverse function
Determine if the function is one-to-one.(use the definition)

g ( x) = x
Solution

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 7

Example 4
Horizontal line test
Use the horizontal line test to determine if the function is one-to-one.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 8

4
 Example 5
Horizontal line test
Use the horizontal line test to determine if the function is one-to-one.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 9

Procedure: Finding f -1( x) by the Switch-and-Solve

Method
To find the inverse of a one-to-one function given in function
notation:
1. Replace f ( x) by y.
2. Interchange x and y.
3. Solve the equation for y.
4. Replace y by f –1( x).
5. Check that the domain of f is the range of f –1 and the range
of f is the domain of f –1.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 10

5
 Example 6
The switch and solve method
Find the inverse of f ( x) = 4 x − 1
Solution

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 11

Example 7
The switch and solve method
x −2
Find the inverse of f (x) =
3x + 1
Solution

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 12

6
 Example 6b
A look at graphs
Graph f ( x) = 4 x − 1 and its inverse function

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 13

Theorem: Verifying Whether f and g Are Inverses

The functions f and g are inverses of each other if and only if
1. g ( f ( x)) = x for every x in the domain of f and
2. f ( g( x)) = x for every x in the domain of g.

Graphs of f and f -1
If a point (a, b) is on the graph of an invertible function f,
then (b, a) is on the graph of f –1.
Since the points (a, b) and (b, a) are symmetric with respect
to the line y = x, the graph of f –1 is a reflection of f with
respect to the line y = x.
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 14

7
 Example 8
Use composition to verify inverse functions
Determine whether the functions f ( x ) = x 3 − 1 and g ( x) = 3 x + 1
are inverses functions
Solution Find f(g(x)) and g(f(x))

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 15

Example 8
Use composition to verify inverse functions
Determine whether the functions f ( x ) = x 3 − 1 and g ( x) = 3 x + 1
are inverses functions
Solution Find f(g(x)) and g(f(x))

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 16

8
 Example 9
Graphing a function and its inverse
a.)Find the inverse of f (x) = x − 2
Solution

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 17

Example 9
Graphing a function and its inverse
b.)Graph f (x) = x − 2 and its inverse f (x) = x 2 + 2
Solution

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Slide 1- 18