Functions (Study unit 1)

MTHS 111

North-West University
Gabriel.Magalakwe@nwu.ac.za

19-23 February 2024

Lesson Outcomes

At the end of today’s lesson you should be able to define and use
(a) Logarithmic functions,

(b) radian measure,

(c) Trigonometric function,

(d) Inverse trigonometric function.

Be able to solve and analyse or use the above.
What is logarithmic function?
A logarithmic function is a mathematical function that represents
the inverse operation to exponentiation.
In other words, it expresses the power to which a fixed number,
called the base, must be raised to produce a given value.
The general form of a logarithmic function is:

y = loga (x),
where: y is the value of the logarithmic function,
x is the input value,
a is the base of the logarithm.
In this context:
a must be a positive real number greater than 1, often referred to
as the ”base” of the logarithm. Common bases include e (the base
of the natural logarithm), 10 (common logarithm), or 2 (binary
logarithm). e must be a positive real number.
logarithmic function

Definition 13
The logarithmic Function f −1 (x) = loga x, a ̸= 1, x > 0 is the
inverse function of the exponential function
f (x) = ax , a ̸= 1, x ∈ R.
Refer to pg 16-17 of the study guide for the above definition.
Also, see 6.3 in Stewart 8ED 1.1. Also MRC/MIC: Study
unit 2.
Theorem 10

loga x = y ⇐⇒ ay = x, x > 0,
x
loga (a ) = x, x ∈ R,
loga x
a = x, x > 0.
Graphical representation of log and its inverse
logarithmic function

Theorem 11 Important properties of logarithmic functions

loga x + loga y = loga xy ,

 
x
loga x − loga y = loga ,
y
loga (x r ) = r loga x,
loga a = 1,
loga 1 = 0,
logb x
loga x = .
logb a
Natural logarithmic function

Theorem 11 The natural logarithmic function

ln x = loge x

ln x = y ⇐⇒ e y = x, x > 0,
x
ln (e ) = x, x ∈ R,
e ln x = x, x > 0,
ln e = 1,
ln 1 = 0,
ln x
loga x = .
ln a
Why they are important

As much as logarithmic functions are important several reasons

across various fields, including mathematics, science, engineering,
and finance.
Importance:
Logarithmic functions provide a way to scale numbers
exponentially while preserving proportional relationships.
They help transform exponential relationships into linear ones,
simplifying calculations and analysis.
This makes them useful for representing large ranges of values in a
more manageable form.
Difference

The main difference between the logarithm (log) and natural

logarithm (ln) functions lies in their bases.
The logarithm function typically refers to the base-10 logarithm,
denoted as log10 (x).
The natural logarithm function refers to the base-e logarithm,
denoted as ln (x).
For example, ln(e 5 ) = 5, because e 5 = e 5 , where e is the base of
the natural logarithm.
Sample problem

Simplify the following expressions

1
(a) 3 ln 8 + ln 3, Answer ln 6
(b) e −2 ln 5 , Answer 1
25
10
(c) ln(ln e e ), Answer 10
2 −y 2
(d) ln(x + y ) + ln(x − y ) − 2 ln z, Answer ln x z2
√
(1+x 2 ) x
(e) ln(1 + x 2 ) + 21 ln x − ln(sin x), Answer ln sin x
Sample problem

Solve for x
ln 7−3
(a) e 2x+3 − 7 = 0, Answer x = 2
(b) 10(1 + e −x )−1 = 3, Answer x = ln 37
(c) ln(5 − 2x) = −3, Answer x = 5
2 − 12 e −3
(d) logx (6 + 4x − x 2 ) = 2, Answer x = 3
(e) ln(4 − x) + ln 2 = 2 ln x, Answer x = 2
Radian measure

Radian measure is a unit of angular measurement where angles are

quantified based on the arc length along the circumference of a
circle divided by its radius. Widely used in mathematics and
physics, it offers a natural way to express angles in terms of
circular length, simplifying calculations involving trigonometric
functions and calculus.
The definition of one radian is as follows:
A radian is the angle formed at the center of a circle by an arc
with a length equal to the radius of the circle
In other words, if you take a circle with a radius r and an arc on
that circle s whose length is equal to r , then the angle subtended
by that arc at the center of the circle is exactly one radian.
Mathematically, if
s represents the length of the arc,
r represents the radius of the circle, and
θ represents the angle in radians, then:

s = r θ.
A radian measure is a fundamental unit for expressing angles in
trigonometry and geometry. It defines an angle by considering the
ratio between the length of an arc on the circumference of a circle
and the radius of that circle.
NB: the above is important to relate the angle to circular
distance when the radius in known.
Definitions
Definition 14:
Suppose an angle θ is subtended at the centre of a circle with

radius r by an arc of length |a| (see the sketch in the study guide).
a
The real number r is called the radian measure of the angle θ.

The radius r is always taken as positive.

a
The number a is taken as positive (so that r > 0) if the angle is
a
measured anti-clockwise and negative (so that r < 0) if the angle

is measured clockwise.

Definition 15:
An angle of one radian is that angle which is subtended at the

centre of the circle by an arc of length (measured anti-clockwise)

equal to the radius of the circle.

One radian

One radian is the measure of a central angle in a circle that

intercepts an arc on the circumference equal in length to the radius

of the circle.

To put it simply, imagine a circle with a radius of 1 unit. If you

draw an arc on its circumference with a length equal to the radius

(which is 1 unit), the angle formed at the center of the circle is

one radian.
Calculate the following:
(a) The arc length of a 4cm radius circle subtended by 60◦ .
(b) The angle that subtended an arc length of 2cm in a 3cm
radius circle.
Answers:
4π
(a) s = 3
2
(b) θ = 3
Trigonometric functions

Definition 16:
To define the trigonometric functions sin and cos, consider a

circle with centre on the origin of a set of axes and with unit

radius. Let t be a real number. Now measure the distance |t| from

the point A in the sketch along the circumference of the circle

(anti-clockwise if t > 0 and clockwise if t < 0) and mark the point

Pt on the circumference. Suppose Pt is the point (xt ; yt ).

The functions sin and cos are then defined as sin t = yt and

cos t = xt for all real numbers t.

Graphical representation
Trigonometric functions
Trigonometric functions are mathematical functions that relate
angles in a right triangle to the ratios of the lengths of its sides.
These functions are fundamental in trigonometry and have
widespread applications in various fields, including mathematics,
physics, engineering, and computer science.
Definition 17:
sin x π
tan x = , x ̸= (2n + 1) , n ∈ Z,
cos x 2
cos x
cot x = , x ̸= n π, n ∈ Z,
sin x
1 π
sec x = , x ̸= (2n + 1) , n ∈ Z,
cos x 2
1
csc x = , x ̸= n π, n ∈ Z,
sin x
where Z represents a set of integers.
For inverse trigonometric functions refer to SG p9 21-23 and
Stewart Section 6.6. Also, refer MIC chapter 4.
Identities
Identities
Sample problem

Determine
√
3 π
(a) arc sin( 2 ) answer 3
√
(b) sin(arc cos( √13 )) answer √2
3
√ √
2 2
(c) sin(2arc tan 2) answer 3
(d) sec−1 (2) answer π
3
Trig graphs
Trig graphs
Trig graphs
Inverse trigonometry functions
Sample problem

Determine all values of x ∈ [0, 2π] that will satisfy the following
equations
(a) 3 cot2 x = 1 answer x = π3 , 2π 4π 5π
3 , 3 , 3
(b) sin x = sin(2x) answer x = 0, π3 , π, 5π
3 , 2π
(c) 2 + cos(2x) = 3 cos x answer x = 0, π3 , 5π
3 , 2π
√
(d) cos(2x) > 23 answer 0 ≤ x < π 11π
12 ; 12 <x < 13π
12 ;
23π
12 < x ≤ 2π.
The limit of a function
The limit of a function, denoted as limx→a f (x) describes the
behaviour of the function as the input x approaches a specific
value a. It signifies the value that f (x) approaches as x gets
arbitrarily close to a, without necessarily reaching a itself.
Understanding limits is fundamental in calculus for analysing
continuity, derivatives, integrals, and the behaviour of functions in
different contexts.
In order to facilitate the investigation about the existence and
value of the limit, we introduce the concepts limit from left
(left limit) and limit from the right (right limit). The following is
often used
Theorem 12:

lim f (x) = L ⇐⇒ lim+ f (x) = lim f (x) = L.

x→a x→a x→a−
Limit of a function

Limit is 12 .
Sample problem
(a)
lim 5t 2 − 2t + 3, Answer:75
t→4
(b)
lim (k 3 + 2)(k 2 − 5k), Answer: − 174
k→3
(c)
lim (−7x 3 + 4x 2 − 6x + 3), Answer: − ∞
x→∞
(d)
lim (7x 3 + 4x 2 − 6x + 3), Answer: − ∞
x→∞
(e)
lim (−7x 3 + 4x 2 − 6x + 3), Answer:∞
x→∞
(f)
lim (7x 4 − 4x 2 − 6x + 3), Answer:∞
x→∞
(g)
lim (−7x 4 + 4x 2 − 6x + 3), Answer: − ∞
x→∞
(a)
x 2 − x − 12
lim , Answer: − 7
x→−3 x +3
(b)
m+2 1
lim , Answer: −
m→−2 m2 −m−6 5
2|x|
(c) limx→0+ x , Answer:2
2|x|
(d) limx→0− x , , Answer: − 2
(e) limx→0 2|x|
x , Answer:does not exist
(f)
4 + 2r 8 + 9x 5
lim ,, Answer:∞
r →−∞ 1 + 3r 2 − 7r 5

(g)
3x 3 + 3k − 1
lim ,, Answer:0
k→∞ 3k 2 − 7k + k 4
Sample problems

(a) p √
lim d 3 − 3d − 1, Answer: 109
d→5
√
(b) limx→0+ x, Answer:0
√
(c) limx→0− x, Answer: does not exist
√
(d) limx→0 x, Answer: does not exist
(e) √
5b 6 + b √
lim , Answer: − 5
b→−∞ b3 − 8
(f) √ √
3+x − 3 1
lim , Answer: √
k→∞ x 2 3
Sample problems
Calculate the limits for the following piecewise defined functions
x 2 − 5 if x ≥ 3,

|x| =
2x − 1 if x < 3.

(a)
lim f (x)
x→3+
(b)
lim f (x)
x→3−
(c)
lim f (x)
x→3
(d)
lim f (x)
x→5
(e)
lim f (x)
x→1
Dankie vir julle aandag