Combinations of Functions

Objective
 Tobe able to perform
operations and
combinations of functions
algebraically, graphically,
and with the use of
technology.
Relevance
To be able to model a
set of raw data after a
function to best
represent that data.
Warm Up – Graph the piecewise
function.
3  x, x  0
h x    2
 x  1, x  0
Operations with Functions:

 Sum  f  g  x   f  x   g  x 
 Difference  f  g  x   f  x   g  x 
 Product
 f  g  x   f  x   g  x 
f f  x
Quotient   x   , where g  x   0


g g  x
Example: Let f(x) = 5x² -2x +3 and
g(x) = 4x² +7x -5
 Find f + g  Find f - g

f ( x)  g ( x) f ( x)  g ( x)
(5 x 2  2 x  3)  (4 x 2  7 x  5) (5 x 2  2 x  3)  (4 x 2  7 x  5)
5x 2  4 x 2  2x  7 x  3  5 5x 2  4x 2  2 x  7 x  3  5
9 x 2  5x  2 x 2  9x  8
Example:
 Start with “VARS”
Using your GDC
Example: Let f(x) = 5x² and
and g(x) = 3x – 1.
 Find f · g  Find f/g

f  x  g  x f  x
, where g  x   0
5 x  3 x  1
2 g  x
2
5x 1
5 x  3 x   5 x 1
2 2
, where x 
3x  1 3
15 x  5 x 3 2
Example:
Example: f(x)=2x + 3 and g(x) = x -7

f  g
Find   x  Find   x 
g f 

2x  3 x7 3
, x7 , x
x7 2x  3 2
Let’s take a look graphically.
Find: f ( 2)  g ( 4)
1 + 4 = 5

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 1)  g (0)
0 + -4 =-4

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 2)  g ( 1)
0 - 4 =-4

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 5)  g ( 0 )
3 - (- 4) =7

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 4)  g ( 1)
5 x 4 = 20

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 4)  g ( 2)
-3 x 5 = - 15

f ( x) g ( x)


Find: g (5)  f ( 3)

6  3 =2

f ( x) g ( x)
Composition of Functions
 A composite function is a combination of
two functions.

 You apply one function to the result of

another.
 The composition of the function f with the
function g is written as f(g(x)), which is read
as ‘f of g of x.’

 It is also known as  f  g  x  , which is read as

‘f composed with g of x.”

 In other words:  f  g  x   f  g  x  
Ex: f(x)=2x + 5 and g(x) = x - 3

 You can work out a single “rule” for the

composite function g ( f ( x)) in terms of x.

Find  f  g  x   g  f  x   g  2 x  5
  2 x  5  3
 2x  2
 Do you think  f  g  x  will give you the
same result?
 f  g  x   f  x  3
 2 x  3  5 NO!
 2x  6  5
 2x 1
REMEMBER  g  f  x   2 x  2
You Try….
f(x) = 2x + 2 g(x) = (x + 2)2

Find:  g  f  x   f  g  x 
g  2 x  2   ((2 x  2)  2) 2 f (( x  2) 2  2)  2 x 2  4 x  4  2
  2 x  4  2 x 2  8x  8  2
2

 4 x  8 x  8 x  16
2  2 x 2  8 x  10

 4 x 2  16 x  16
You may need to evaluate a composite
function for a particular value of x.

f  x   5  3 x and g  x   x 2  4 . Find  f  g  3 .
Method 1:
Work out the
 f  g  x   5  3 x 2  4
composite  3 x 2  7
function.
Then substitute  f  g  3  3 3 2  7
3 for x.
 27  7
 34
You may need to evaluate a composite
function for a particular value of x.

f  x   5  3 x and g  x   x 2  4 . Find  f  g  3 .

g  3   3  4  13
Method 2: 2

Substitute 3 into
g(x).

f 13  5  313  34

Substitute that
value into f(x).
 Now, let’s take a look at it graphically……
Find:  f  g   4

f ( x) g ( x)
f ( g  4  )  f (4)  5 g  4  4
Find:  g  f   3 

f ( x) g ( x)
f   3  0 g  0   4
Find: f  g ( 2 ) 

f ( x) g ( x)
f  3  4 g   2  3
Find: f  f ( 2 ) 

f ( x) g ( x)
f   2  0 f  0  1
Find: 
g f  g  0  

f ( x) g ( x)
g  0   4 f   4   3 g   3  1