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x : x
Does that look
Let’s like a foreign
translate:
language?
The curly braces
just tell us we have a set of
numbers.
The x reminds us
that our set contains x-values.
x
The colon says,
such that
x:
The symbol that looks like an e
(or a c sticking its tongue out)
says, belongs to . . .
x: x
And the cursive, or script,
R
is short for the set of real numbers.
x: x
So we read it, “The set
of x such that x belongs to
R, the set of real numbers.”
x : x
When we put 11 in for x,
y was 17.
If x 11
y 17
So 17 belongs to
the range of the function,
y 2 x 5.
y : y
“The set of y, such that
y belongs to R,
the set of real numbers.”
It is not always true that
the domain and range
can be any real number.
Sometimes mathematicians
want to study a function over
a limited domain.
They might think about
the function
2
y x 4
where x is between –3 and 3.
It could be written,
2
y x 4 3 x 3
Sometimes the function itself
limits the domain or range.
1
y
x3
In this function,
can x be any real number?
What would happen if x
were 3?
1
y
x3
We we
Then canwould
never have to
divide by 0.
So we would have to eliminate
3 from the domain.
1
y
x3
The domain would be,
x : x 3
Can you think of a number
which could not belong to the
range?
1
y
x3
y couldWhy?
never be 0.
What would x have to be
for y to be 0?
1
y
x3
Theis range
There of thewe
no number function is, 1
can divide
by to get 0, so 0 cannot
y : y 0
belong to the range.
The most common rules of algebra
that limit the domain of functions
are:
Rule 1: You can’t divide by 0.
Rule 2: You can’t take the
square root of a
negative number.
We’ve already seen an example
of Rule 1: You can’t divide by 0.
Think about Rule 2,
You can’t take the square root
of a negative number.
Given the function,
y x,
what is the domain?
What is y when x is 16?
y 16
x
1. x : x 5
2. x : x
3. x : x 9
4. x : x