General Mathematics

Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

LESSON 6.2
Representing Inverse Functions through Tables and
Graphs
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Test Your Prerequisite Skills 2

DepEd Competency 2

Objectives 3

Warm-Up! 3

Learn about It! 4

Let’s Practice 6

Check Your Understanding 15

Key Points 16

Bibliography 16
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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Lesson 6.2
Representing Inverse Functions
through Tables and Graphs

Fig. 1. Organizing Data into Tables, Charts, and Graphs

Introduction
For any set of data, it is easier to understand and predict results if the data is written in an
organized manner. Writing the values of variables in a table helps us compare each set of
ordered pairs and find a pattern or write an equation based on these values. We can also use
a coordinate plane to create a two-dimensional illustration of the set of values.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

In your previous lessons, you were able to graph constant, linear, and quadratic functions,
whether based on an equation or on a table of values. In this lesson, you will be representing
the inverse of a function as a table of values and graph.

Test Your Prerequisite Skills

Before you get started, answer the following items on a separate sheet of paper. This will
help you assess your prior knowledge and practice some skills that you will need in studying
this lesson. Show your complete solution.

1. Plot the following points in the Cartesian Plane.

a. (1,3)
b. (4, −3)
c. (−3,0)
d. (6, −2)
e. (−4, −5)

DepEd Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to represent an inverse function
through its: (a) table of values; and (b) graph (M11GM-Id-3).

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

● Correctly determine whether a function is one-to-one through the use of

a horizontal line test.

● Correctly represent the inverse of a function using graph and table of

values.

Warm-Up!

Make Way for “The King of the Ring”!

Materials
● pen
● paper

Instructions
1. This activity can be played individually or by pair.
2. Below are the statistics of a basketball player from 2010 to 2017
2010–2011: {23.7, 8.4, 5.9}

2011–2012: {30.3, 9.7, 5.6}

2012–2013: {25.9, 8.4, 6.6}

2013–2014: {27.4, 7.1, 4.8}

2014–2015: {30.1, 11.3, 8.5}

2015–2016: {26.3, 9.5, 7.6}

2016–2017: {32.8, 9.1, 7.8}

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

3. Split the information by making three tables of his statistics (points, rebounds, and
assists).
4. The data are arranged in a set such that the first element is the average points in the
season, the second element is the average rebounds, and the third element is the
average assists.

Learn about It!

Data can sometimes be complicated and difficult to read. One way to make the data easier to
read and to interpret is through representing them in tables, charts, and graphs. The activity
in Warm Up! allows you to recall how to represent data through tables.

Essential Question
How do you represent the inverse of a function using a table of values and
graph?

Inverse functions can also be represented through tables and graphs. Consider the function
𝑦 = 3𝑥 + 1. This function has the following corresponding table of values:

𝒙 −2 −1 0 1

𝒚 −5 −2 1 4

To find the inverse, we interchange the 𝑥- and 𝑦- values in the table to come up with a new
table of values.

𝒙 −5 −2 1 4

𝒚 −2 −1 0 1

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

The second table of values is the inverse function of the first table of values. We can graph
the two functions described by the two tables of values as follows.

There are times when a given graph has no inverse. From the previous chapter, we discussed
that an inverse for a function exists if the function is one-to-one. But how can we easily
determine if a given graph is one-to-one?

The horizontal line test is performed to verify whether a function is one-to-one or not. If a
horizontal line drawn anywhere in the graph intersects the graph exactly once, then the graph
is one-to-one. Otherwise, it is not one-to-one.

Let us perform the horizontal line test on the given graph of the function below.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Each horizontal line drawn to the graph intersects the graph exactly once. It means that the
given graph is one-to-one. Therefore, the inverse of the function exists.

Essential Question
How do you perform a horizontal line test?

Let’s Practice
Example 1
Sketch the graph of 𝑓 −1 given the graph of the function 𝑓 below.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Solution
The given graph shows some of the ordered pairs such as (−1,0.5), (0,1), (1,2), and (2,4). It
can further be described using a table of values shown below.

𝒙 −1 0 1 2

y 0.5 1 2 4

The inverse of this table of values is as follows:

𝒙 0.5 1 2 4
y −1 0 1 2

Plot the points and connect them with a smooth curve.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Try It Yourself!
Sketch the graph of 𝑓 −1 given the graph of the function 𝑓.

Example 2
Perform the horizontal line test for the given graph below.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Solution
Using the horizontal line test, we have the following graph.

The horizontal line intersects the graph at two points. Therefore, the graph is not one-to-
one. It follows that the inverse function does not exist.

Try It Yourself!
Perform the horizontal line test for the given graph below. Identify if the function is one-to-
one.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Example 3
From the given graph of a function, create a table of values, and then find its inverse.

Solution
The table of values from the graph of the function is shown below.

𝒙 1 2 2.5 3

𝒚 3 1 0 −1

Interchange the 𝑥- and 𝑦- coordinates to find the inverse of the function.

𝒙 3 1 0 −1

𝒚 1 2 2.5 3

The graph of the inverse of the given function is shown below.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Try It Yourself!
Create a table of values from the graph of the function given below. Find the values of the
inverse of the function.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Real-World Problems
Example 4
The regular taxi fare in Metro Manila is computed as follows:
Flag down rate: ₱40.00
Distance rate: ₱3.50 for every 300 meters, which starts
at 500 meters
Waiting time ₱3.50 for every 2 minutes
(traffic or stops):

Assuming that there is no waiting time, the taxi fare is given approximately by the function
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𝑓(𝑥) = 40 + 600 (𝑥 − 200). Create a table of values of taxi fare for the first two kilometers, and

find its inverse.

Solution
Let us start at 500 meters since this is where the distance rate takes effect. We add 300 meters
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to 𝑥 in the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 40 + (𝑥 − 200). Thus, we have the taxi fare guide as follows:
600

𝒙 𝒚
Distance (in meters) Taxi Fare (in ₱)
500 43.50
800 47.00
1 100 50.50
1 400 54.00
1 700 57.50
2 000 61.00

Use the steps discussed in the previous lesson to find the inverse of the function.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Step 1: Change 𝑓(𝑥) to 𝑦.

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𝑓(𝑥) = 40 + (𝑥 − 200)
600
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𝑦 = 40 + (𝑥 − 200)
600

Step 2: Interchange the variables 𝑥 and 𝑦.

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𝑥 = 40 + (𝑦 − 200)
600

Step 3: Solve for 𝑦 in terms of 𝑥.

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𝑥 − 40 = (𝑦 − 200)
600
600(𝑥 − 40) = 7(𝑦 − 200)
600𝑥 − 24 000 = 7𝑦 − 1 400
7𝑦 = 600𝑥 − 22 600
600𝑥 − 22 600
𝑦=
7

Step 4: Change 𝑦 from Step 3 to 𝑓 −1 (𝑥).

600𝑥 − 22 600
𝑓 −1 (𝑥) =
7

𝟔𝟎𝟎𝒙−𝟐𝟐 𝟔𝟎𝟎
Therefore, 𝒇−𝟏 (𝒙) = 𝟕
.

If we try to substitute the values of taxi fare in the table of values, the distances are given
below.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

𝒙 𝒚
Taxi Fare (in ₱) (Distance in meters)
43.50 500

47.00 800

50.50 1 100

54.00 1 400

57.50 1 700

61.00 2 000

The graphs of both the function and its inverse are shown below.

Try It Yourself!
The area of a circular table top is given by the function 𝐴(𝑟) = 𝜋𝑟 2 ,
where 𝑟 is the radius in feet. Create a table of values of area for the
first three feet. Find the inverse of the function.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Check Your Understanding

1. Represent the following functions and their inverse functions through tables of
values. Use the values 𝑥 = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4} for the function.
a. 𝑦 = −3𝑥 + 5
b. 𝑦 = −5𝑥 − 6
c. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 4
1
d. 𝑓(𝑥) = 2 𝑥 + 8

e. 𝑦 = √𝑥 + 5

2. Perform the horizontal test in each graph to verify whether the given function is one-
to-one.
a.

b.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

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3. The formula for converting Celsius to Fahrenheit is given by the function 𝐹 = 5 𝐶 + 32.

Represent the function through a table of values using 𝐶 = {5, 10, 15, 20}. Graph the
inverse of this function.

Key Points

● In representing inverse functions through a table of values, we can interchange

the 𝑥- and 𝑦-coordinates in a table of values of a function to come up with a table of
values for its inverse function.
● In representing inverse functions using graphs, we can draw the graph of an inverse
function by plotting the points from its table of values.
● The horizontal line test states that if any horizontal line drawn anywhere on the
graph intersects the graph exactly once, then the graph is one-to-one. Otherwise, it is
not one-to-one.

Bibliography

Boyadzhiev, Irina. “Inverse Function.” Geogebra. Retrieved March 21, 2019 from
https://www.geogebra.org/m/BXGpVsKJ.

Pierce, Rod. “Inverse Functions.” Maths Is Fun. Retrieved March 21, 2019 from
http://www.mathsisfun.com/sets/function-inverse.html.

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Grade 11 • Unit 6: Inverse Functions

Stapel, Elizabeth. “Inverse Function: Definition of “Inverse” / Drawing the Inverse from a
Graph.” Purplemath. Retrieved March 21, 2019 from
https://www.purplemath.com/modules/invrsfcn.htm.

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