20

Functions
An expression such as 4x – 9, in which the variable is x, is called
‘a function of x’. Its numerical value depends on the value of x. We
sometimes write f(x) = 4x – 9, or f: x |→ 4x – 9.

Worked examples
a For the function f(x) = 3x – 5, evaluate:
i f(2) ii f(0)
f(2) = 3 × 2 – 5 f(0) = 3 × 0 – 5
=6–5 =0–5
=1 = –5
iii f(–2)
f(–2) = 3 × (–2) – 5
= –6 – 5
= –11
b For the function f: x |→ 2 x3+ 6 , evaluate:
i f(3) ii f(1.5)
2×3+6 2 × 1.5 + 6
f(3) = 3 f(1.5) = 3

= 6 +3 6 = 3 +3 6
= 4 =3
iii f(–1)
2 × (−1) + 6
f(–1) = 3
–2 + 6
= 3
4
=3

c For the function f(x) = x2 + 4, evaluate:

i f(2) ii f(6)
f(2) = 22 + 4 f(6) = 62 + 4
= 4 + 4 = 36 + 4
= 8 = 40
iii f(–1)
f(–1) = –12 + 4
= 1 + 4
= 5

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 20 Functions

Exercise 20.1 1 If f(x) = 2x + 2, calculate:

a f(2) b f(4) c f(0.5) d f(1.5)
e f(0) f f(–2) g f(–6) h f(–0.5)
2 If f(x) = 4x – 6, calculate:
a f(4) b f(7) c f(3.5) d f(0.5)
e f(0.25) f f(–3) g f(–4.25) h f(0)
3 If g(x) = –5x + 2, calculate:
a g(0) b g(6) c g(4.5) d g(3.2)
e g(0.1) f g(–2) g g(–6.5) h g(–2.3)
4 If h(x) = –3x – 7, calculate:
a h(4) b h(6.5) c h(0) d h(0.4)
e h(–9) f h(–5) g h(–2) h h(–3.5)
3x + 2
Exercise 20.2 1 If f(x) = 4 , calculate:
a f(2) b f(8) c f(2.5) d f(0)
e f(–0.5) f f(–6) g f(–4) h f(–1.6)

2 If g(x) = 5 x3– 3 , calculate:

a g(3) b g(6) c g(0) d g(–3)
e g(–1.5) f g(–9) g g(–0.2) h g(–0.1)

3 If h: x |→ −6 x4+ 8 , calculate:
a h(1) b h(0) c h(4) d h(1.5)
e h(–2) f h(–0.5) g h(–22) h h(–1.5)

4 If f(x) = –5–8
x–7
, calculate:
a f(5) b f(1) c f(3) d f(–1)

e f(–7) ( )
f f − 3
5
g f(–0.8) h f(0)

Exercise 20.3 1 If f(x) = x2 + 3, calculate:

a f(4) b f(7) c f(1) d f(0)
e f(–1) f f(0.5) g f(–3) h f( 2 )
2 If f(x) = 3x2 – 5, calculate:
a f(5) b f(8) c f(1) d f(0)
e f(–2) f f( 3 ) ( )
g f − 12 ( )1
h f − 3
3 If g(x) = –2x2 + 4, calculate:

a g(3) b ()
g 1
2 c g(0) d g(1.5)
e g(–4) f g(–1) g g( 5 ) h g(–6)
4 If h(x) = –5 x + 15 , calculate:
2

−2
a h(1) b h(4) c h( 3 ) d h(0.5)
e h(0) f h(–3) ( )
g h 1
2
h h(–2.5)

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 Inverse functions

5 If f(x) = –6x(x – 4), calculate:

a f(0) b f(2) c f(4) d f(0.5)
( )
e f – 12 ( )
1
f) f − 6 g f(–2.5) h f( 2 )

( x + 2)( x − 4)
6 If g: x |→ , calculate:
−x
a g(1) b g(4) c g(8) d g(0)
e g(–2) f g(–10) ( )
g g − 23 h g(–8)

Exercise 20.4 1 If f(x) = 2x + 1, write the following in their simplest form:

a f(x + 1) b f(2x – 3) c f(x2)

()
d f 2x (x )
e f 4 + 1 f f(x)– x

2 If g(x) = 3x2 – 4, write the following in their simplest form:

a g(2x) b g x (4) c g( 2 x )

d g(3x) + 4 e g(x – 1) f g(2x + 2)

3 If f(x) = 4x2
+ 3x – 2, write the following in their simplest form:
a f(x) + 4 b f(2x) + 2 c f(x + 2) – 20

d f(x – 1) + 1 e f 2x() f f(3x + 2)

Inverse functions
The inverse of a function is its reverse, i.e. it ‘undoes’ the function’s
effects. The inverse of the function f(x) is written as f –1(x). To find the
inverse of a function:
• rewrite the function replacing f(x) with y
• interchange x and y
• rearrange the equation to make y the subject.

Worked examples
a Find the inverse of each of the following functions:
i f(x) = x + 2 ii g(x) = 2x – 3
y = x + 2 y = 2x – 3
x = y + 2 x = 2y – 3
y = x − 2     y = x + 3
2
So f −1(x) = x − 2 So g−1(x) = x + 3
2

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 20 Functions

x−3
b If f(x) = 3 calculate:
i f 
–1(2) ii f 
–1(–3)

First calculate the inverse function f–1(x):

y= x−3
3
y−3
x=
3

y = 3x + 3
So f–1(x) = 3x + 3
i f–1(2) = 3(2) + 3 = 9
ii f–1(–3) = 3(–3) + 3 = –6

Exercise 20.5 Find the inverse of each of the following functions:

1 a f(x) = x + 3 b f(x) = x + 6
c f(x) = x – 5 d g(x) = x
e h(x) = 2x f p(x) = x3
2 a f(x) = 4x b f(x) = 2x + 5
c f(x) = 3x – 6 d f(x) = x +2 4
3x – 2
e g(x) = 4 f g(x) = 8 x5+ 7
1
3 a f(x) = 2 x + 3 b g(x) = 14 x – 2
c h(x) = 4(3x – 6) d p(x) = 6(x + 3)
2
e q(x) = –2(–3x + 2) f f(x) = 3 (4x – 5)

Exercise 20.6 1 If f(x) = x – 4, evaluate:

a f  –1(2) b f 
–1(0) c f 
–1(–5)

2 If f(x) = 2x + 1, evaluate:
a f  –1(5) b f 
–1(0) c f 
–1(–11)

3 If g(x) = 6(x – 1), evaluate:

a g–1(12) b g 
–1(3) c g 
–1(6)

2x + 4
4 If g( x) = 3 , evaluate:
a g–1(4) b g 
–1(0) c g 
–1(–6)

1
5 If h(x) = 3 x – 2, evaluate:

b h–1(0) c h–1(–2)
( )
a h–1 − 12

4x – 2
6 If f( x) = 5 , evaluate:
a f–1(6) b f–1(–2) c f–1(0)

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 Composite functions

Composite functions
Worked examples
a If f(x) = x + 2 and g(x) = x + 3, find fg(x).
fg(x) = f(x + 3)
= (x + 3) + 2
=x+5
b If f(x) = 2x – 1 and g(x) = x – 2, find fg(x).
fg(x) = f(x – 2)
= 2(x – 2) –1
= 2x – 4 – 1
= 2x – 5
c If f(x) = 2x + 3 and g(x) = 2x, evaluate fg(3).
fg(x) = f(2x)
= 2(2x) + 3
= 4x + 3
fg(3) = 4 × 3 + 3
= 15

Exercise 20.7 1 Write a formula for fg(x) in each of the following:

a f(x) = x – 3 g(x) = x + 5
b f(x) = x + 4 g(x) = x – 1
c f(x) = x g(x) = 2x
d f(x) = 2x g(x) = 2x
2 Write a formula for pq(x) in each of the following:
a p(x) = 2x q(x) = x + 4
b p(x) = 3x + 1 q(x) = 2x
c p(x) = 4x + 6 q(x) = 2x – 1
d p(x) = –x + 4 q(x) = x + 2
3 Write a formula for jk(x) in each of the following:
a j(x) = x 4– 2 k(x) = 4x
b j(x) = 3x + 2 k(x) = x 2− 3
1
c j(x) = 2 x3+ 5 k(x) = 2 x + 1

d j(x) = 14 (x – 3) k(x) = 8 x5+ 2

4 Evaluate fg(2) in each of the following:
a f(x) = x – 4 g(x) = x + 3
b f(x) = 2x g(x) = –x + 6
c f(x) = 3x g(x) = 6x + 1
x
d f(x) = 2 g(x) = –2x

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 20 Functions

Exercise 20.7 (cont) 5 Evaluate gh(–4) in each of the following:

a g(x) = 3x + 2 h(x) = –4x
2x
b g(x) = 12 (3x – 1) h(x) = 5

c g(x) = 4(–x + 2) h(x) = 2 x4+ 6

d g(x) = 4 x5+ 4 h(x) = – 13 (–x + 5)

Student assessment 1
1 For the function f(x) = 5x – 1, evaluate:
a f(2) b f(0) c f(–3)

2 For the function g: x |→ 3x2− 2 , evaluate:

a g(4) b g(0) c g(–3)

( x + 3)( x – 4)
3 For the function f(x) = 2
, evaluate:
a f(0) b f(–3) c f(–6)
4 Find the inverse of each of the following functions:
3( x – 6)
a f(x) = –x + 4 b g(x) = 2
3
5 If h(x) = 2 (–x + 3), evaluate:
a h–1(–3) b h–1 2 ( 3)
6 If f(x) = 4x + 2 and g(x) = –x + 3, find fg(x).

Student assessment 2
1 For the function f(x) = 3x + 1, evaluate:
a f(4) b f(–1) c f(0)
2 For the function g: x |→ – x3– 2 , evaluate:
a g(4) b g(–5) c g(1)
3 For the function f(x) = x2 – 3x, evaluate:
a f(1) b f(3) c f(–3)
4 Find the inverse of the following functions:
( x − 2)
a f(x) = –3x + 9 b g(x) = 4
5 If h(x) = –5(–2x + 4), evaluate:
a h–1(–10) b h–1(0)
6 If f(x) = 8x + 2 and g(x) = 4x – 1, find fg(x).

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