Operations with Functions

A. Given f (x) = x 2 – 2x, g (x) = 3x – 4, and

h (x) = –2x 2 + 1, find the function and domain for
(f + g)(x).
(f + g)(x) = f(x) + g(x) Definition of sum of
two functions
= (x 2 – 2x) + (3x – 4)
f (x) = x 2 – 2x;
g (x) = 3x – 4
The domain of f and g are both = x + xso– the
2
4 domain
of (f + g) is Simplify.

Answer:
 Operations with Functions

B. Given f (x) = x 2 – 2x, g (x) = 3x – 4, and

h (x) = –2x 2 + 1, find the function and domain for
(f – h)(x).
(f – h)(x) = f(x) – h(x) Definition of difference
of two functions
= (x 2 – 2x) – (–2x 2 + 1)
f(x) = x 2 – 2x;
h(x) = –2x 2 + 1
= 3x 2 – 2x – 1
The domain of f and h are both so the domain
Simplify.
of (f – h) is
Answer:
 Operations with Functions

C. Given f (x) = x 2 – 2x, g(x) = 3x – 4, and

h (x) = –2x 2 + 1, find the function and domain for
(f ● g)(x).
(f ● g)(x) = f (x) ● g(x) Definition of product of
two functions
= (x 2 – 2x)(3x – 4)
f (x) = x 2 – 2x;
g (x) = 3x – 4

The domain of f and g are both = 3x 3 so the2 domain

– 10x + 8x
of (f ● g) is Simplify.
Answer:
 Operations with Functions

D. Given f (x) = x 2 – 2x, g (x) = 3x – 4, and

h (x) = –2x 2 + 1, find the function and domain for

Definition of quotient of two

functions

f(x) = x 2 – 2x; h(x) = –2x 2 + 1

 Operations with Functions

The domains of h and f are both (–∞, ∞), but x = 0 or

x = 2 yields a zero in the denominator of . So, the
domain of (–∞, 0) (0, 2) (2, ∞).

Answer: D = (–∞, 0) (0, 2) (2, ∞)

Find (f + g)(x), (f – g)(x), (f ● g)(x), and for
f (x) = x 2 + x, g (x) = x – 3. State the domain of each
new function.
A.

B.

C.

D.
 Compose Two Functions

A. Given f (x) = 2x2 – 1 and g (x) = x + 3, find [f ○ g](x).

= f (x + 3) Replace g (x) with x + 3

= 2(x + 3)2 – 1 Substitute x + 3 for

x in f (x).

= 2(x 2 + 6x + 9) – 1 Expand (x +3)2

= 2x 2 + 12x + 17 Simplify.
Answer: [f ○ g](x) = 2x 2 + 12x + 17
 Compose Two Functions

B. Given f (x) = 2x2 – 1 and g (x) = x + 3, find [g ○ f](x).

= (2x 2 – 1) + 3 Substitute 2x 2 – 1 for

x in g (x).

= 2x 2 + 2 Simplify

Answer: [g ○ f](x) = 2x 2 + 2
 Compose Two Functions

C. Given f (x) = 2x 2 – 1 and g (x) = x + 3, find [f ○ g](2).

Evaluate the expression you wrote in part A for x = 2.

[f ○ g](2) = 2(2)2 + 12(2) + 17 Substitute 2 for x.

= 49 Simplify.

Answer: [f ○ g](2) = 49
Find for f (x) = 2x – 3
and g (x) = 4 + x 2.

A. 2x 2 + 11; 4x 2 – 12x + 13; 23

B. 2x 2 + 11; 4x 2 – 12x + 5; 23

C. 2x 2 + 5; 4x 2 – 12x + 5; 23

D. 2x 2 + 5; 4x 2 – 12x + 13; 23
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
A. Find .
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
To find , you must first be able to find g(x) = (x – 1) 2,
which can be done for all real numbers. Then you must
be able to evaluate for each of these
g (x)-values, which can only be done when g (x) > 1.
Excluding from the domain those values for which
0 < (x – 1) 2 <1, namely when 0 < x < 1, the domain of
f ○ g is (–∞, 0]  [2, ∞). Now find [f ○ g](x).
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain

Replace g (x) with (x – 1)2.

Substitute (x – 1)2 for x in
f (x).
Simplify.

Notice that is not defined for 0 < x < 2.

Because the implied domain is the same as the
domain determined by considering the domains of
f and g, we can write the composition as
for (–∞, 0] [2, ∞).
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
Answer: for (–∞, 0] [2, ∞).
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
B. Find f ○ g.
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
To find f ○ g, you must first be able to find ,
which can be done for all real numbers x such that x2  1.
Then you must be able to evaluate for each of
these g (x)-values, which can only be done when g (x)  0.
Excluding from the domain those values for which
0 > x 2 – 1, namely when –1 < x < 1, the domain of f ○ g is
(–∞, –1) (1, ∞). Now find [f ○ g](x).
Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain

Answer:
 Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
Check Use a graphing calculator to check this result.

Enter the function as . The graph appears

to have asymptotes at x = –1 and x = 1. Use the

TRACE feature to help determine that the domain of

the composite function does not include any values in

the interval [–1, 1].

Find a Composite Function with a Restricted
Domain
Find f ○ g.

A. D = (–∞, –1)  (–1, 1)  (1, ∞);

B. D = [–1, 1];

C. D = (–∞, –1)  (–1, 1)  (1, ∞);

D. D = (0, 1);
 Decompose a Composite Function

A. Find two functions f and g such that

when . Neither function may be the

identity function f (x) = x.

 Decompose a Composite Function

Sample answer:
 Decompose a Composite Function

B. Find two functions f and g such that

when h (x) = 3x 2 – 12x + 12. Neither function may
be the identity function f (x) = x.
h (x) = 3x2 – 12x + 12 Notice that h is
factorable.
= 3(x2 – 4x + 4) or 3(x –
2) 2 Factor.
One way to write h (x) as a composition is to let
f (x) = 3x2 and g (x) = x – 2.
 Decompose a Composite Function

Sample answer: g (x) = x – 2 and f (x) =

3x 2
A.

B.

C.

D.