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OPERATION
ON FUNCTIONS
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OBJECTIVES:
1. define operations on functions
2. identify the different operations on functions.
3. perform addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, and composition of functions

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Definition. Let f and g be functions.
1.Their sum, denoted by 𝑓 + 𝑔, is the function denoted by
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥).
2. Their difference, denoted by 𝑓 − 𝑔, is the function denoted by
(𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥).
3. Their product, denoted by 𝑓 • 𝑔, is the function denoted by
(𝑓 • 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) • 𝑔(𝑥).
4. Their quotient, denoted by 𝑓/𝑔, is the function denoted by
(𝑓/𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥)/𝑔(𝑥), excluding the values of x where 𝑔(𝑥) = 0.

5. The composite function denoted by (𝑓 ° 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥)). The

process of obtaining a composite function is called function
composition.
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 ACTIVITY
GIVEN: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 4, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 = −2𝑥
EVALUATE:
1. 𝑓 + 𝑔 −2 =4

2. 𝑓 − 𝑔 4 = 20

3. 𝑓𝑔 −3 = 30

𝑔 10
4. 𝑓
(−5) =
21
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 ACTIVITY
GIVEN: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 4, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 = −2𝑥
EVALUATE:
1. 𝑓 + 𝑔 3 = −1

2. 𝑓 − 𝑔 3 = 11

3. 𝑓𝑔 3 = −30

𝑔 5
4. 𝑓
(3) = −
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COMPOSITION
OF FUNCTION
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 Composition of Functions

Let 𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 be functions. The

composition of functions f with 𝑔 ,
denoted by (𝑓 ○ 𝑔) and read as
“𝑓 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑔”, is the new function resulted
by performing g first then performing
𝑓 on the result of 𝑔. 8
 Composition of Functions

𝑓 ○𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑔 𝑥 )

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 Composition of Functions

For example, f(x)= x2 and g = x + 2,

then write (f ○ g)(x).
(f ○ g)(x) = f(g(x))
= f(x+2)
= (x+2)2
= x2 + 4x +4
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 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES:
GIVEN: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 1
EVALUATE:
1. (𝑔 ○ 𝑓)(𝑥)

2. 𝑓 ○ 𝑔 𝑥

3. (𝑔 ○ 𝑓)(4)

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 SOLUTION
GIVEN: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 1
EVALUATE:
1. (𝑔 ○ 𝑓)(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑓 𝑥 )
= 𝑔(𝑥 2 − 2𝑥)
2
= 3 𝑥− 2𝑥) + 1
(𝑥
2
= 3𝑥 −6𝑥 +1

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 SOLUTION
GIVEN: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 1
EVALUATE:
2. 𝑓 ○ 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑔 𝑥 )
= 𝑓(3𝑥 + 1)
= (𝑥 2 − 2𝑥)
= (3𝑥 + 1) 2 −2(3𝑥 + 1)
2
= 9𝑥 + 6𝑥 + 1−6𝑥 −2
2
= 9𝑥 −1

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 SOLUTION
GIVEN: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 1
EVALUATE:
𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 2: 𝐸𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑔(8)
3. (𝑔 ○ 𝑓)(4) = 𝑔(𝑓 4 ) 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 1
𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 1: 𝐸𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑓(4) 𝑔 8 = 3(8) + 1
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 𝑔 8 = 25
𝑓 4 = (4)2 −2(4)
𝑓 4 =8

Then, (𝑔 ○ 𝑓)(4) = 𝑔(𝑓 4 ) = 25

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 EXAMPLE 2
GIVEN: 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 h(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2
EVALUATE:
1. (𝑓 ○ 𝑕)(𝑥)

2. 𝑓 ○ 𝑕 4

3. (𝑕 ○ 𝑓)(𝑥)

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 SOLUTION
GIVEN:𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑕(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2
EVALUATE:
1. (𝑓 ○ 𝑕)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑕 𝑥 )
= 𝑓(𝑥 + 2)
𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6
𝑓(𝑥 + 2) = 𝒙 + 𝟐 2 + 5(𝒙 + 𝟐) + 6
= 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 4 + 5𝑥 + 10 + 6
= 𝑥 2 + 9𝑥 + 20

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 SOLUTION
GIVEN:𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑕(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2
EVALUATE:
𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 2: 𝐸𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑓(6)
2. (𝑓 ○ 𝑕)(4) = 𝑓(𝑕 4 ) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6
𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 1: 𝐸𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑕(4) 𝑓 6 = (6)2 +5(6) + 6
𝑕 𝑥 =𝑥 + 2 𝑓 6 = 36 + 30 + 6
𝑕 4 =4 + 2 𝑓 6 = 72
𝑕 4 =6

Then, (𝑓 ○ 𝑕)(4) = 𝑓(𝑕 4 ) = 72

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 SOLUTION
GIVEN:𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑕(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2
EVALUATE:
3. (𝑕 ○ 𝑓)(𝑥) = 𝑕(𝑓 𝑥 )
= 𝑕(𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6)
𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑕(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2
𝑕(𝑥 + 2) = (𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6) + 2
= 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 8

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 EXERCISES
GIVEN: 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 5, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 = −5𝑥
EVALUATE:
1. (𝑔 ○ 𝑓)(𝑥) = −15𝑥 − 25

2. 𝑓 ○ 𝑔 𝑥 = −15𝑥 + 5

3. 𝑓 ○ 𝑔 −2 = 35

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