Composition of functions

• constructing a function from 2 functions

• (g o f) = g[f(x)]
– for all x in domain of f such that f(x) is in
domain of g
– f is applied first and g is second
– Read f by g
• (f o g)(x) = f [g(x)] that
– for all x in domain of g such that g(x) is in
domain of f
– g is applied first and f is second
– Read g by f
 Find (g o f)(x)

f(x) = x 2 - 3x g(x) = 2x + 1

(g o f)(x) = g[f(x)]
= 2(f(x)) + 1
= 2(x 2 - 3x) + 1
= 2x 2 - 6x + 1
 (f o g)(x)

f(x) = x 2 - 3x g(x) = 2x + 1

(f o g)(x) = f[g(x)]
= (g(x))2 - 3(g(x))
= (2x + 1)2 - 3(2x + 1)
= 4x2 + 4x + 1 - 6x - 3
= 4x2 - 2x - 2
 CAUTION!

f(x) = x + 1 g(x) =  (x - 4)

domain of g(x) has to be [4,)

– also range of f
– domain of f has to be [3, )
(g o f)(2) is not possible,
– you must restrict domain of g so range of f is
part of domain of g
method 1
method 2
(f ° g)(3) = f [g(3)] (f ° g)(3) = f [g(3)]
evaluate g(3) determine f [g(x)]
substitute the result in f for x general function
evaluate f substitute 3 for x in (f ° g)

f(x) = 2x - 5, g(x) = 4x 2 + 1
f(x) = 2x - 5, g(x) = 4x 2 + 1
f [g(x)] = 2(4x 2 + 1) - 5
find g(3) = 4(3) 2 +1 = 37 = 8x 2 + 2 - 5
f(37) = 8x 2 - 3
= 2(37) - 5 evaluate f [g(3)]
= 69 = 8(3)2 - 3
= 69
(more work, better for evaluating
several values of x)
Find domain of composite function

f ( x)  x 2  9 domain f(x) all real #

g ( x)  9  x 2 domain g(x) [-3,3]

( f g )

f ° g (x) = f[g(x)]
=  9x 2
 9
2

= 9–x2–9
= -x 2 Domain could be any real # but the first
function g(x) sets our domain.
domain is [-3, 3]