Evaluating

Functions
Objective

•Evaluate functions given

values of domain which is
an integer.
Evaluating Algebraic Expressions
• Replace each variable by the given number
value.
• Do the necessary arithmetic operations,
following the rules for order of operations:
• P – parentheses
• E – exponent
• MD – multiplication and division
• AS – addition and subtraction
WARM UP! Evaluate the following expressions with the
given values.
Rule in Evaluating a Functions
Replace every x in the
function rule f(x) with the
given replacement value, then,
simplify the resulting
numerical expression.
Function notation replaces the dependent
variable, y with either f(x), g(x), or h(x).

f ___
f(x) is read as “ ___ of ___”
x

Does not mean g ___

g(x) is read as “ __ of ___”
x
multiplication!
h ___
h(x) is read as “ __ of ___”
x
 input and the
The numbers of the domain are called the ________
output
range is called the ___________.
Changes the domain
into the range

x
input

output
Function Rule
f ( x)
Evaluate the function f ( x)  3 x  1
if the domain of f(x) is { 0, 2, 4 }.
domain

Range = { 1, 7, 13 }
3x  1 range
Domain Range

0 0 1

3 0   1 1
2 7

4 13

2
32  1 7

4 Written as ordered pairs:

34  1 13 {(0,1), (2, 7), (4,13)}
Sometimes we only want to evaluate
one element of the domain.
For example, if g ( x )  x 2  3x  1 find g ( x) when x2
“find g ( x) when x  2 ”, can be written in a shorter form as “ g (2) ”.

Plug 2 into
If g ( x)  x  3x  1
2
find g (2)
the
g ( x)  x 2  3x  1 function
g ( 2) .  2   3  2   1
2 rule.

g ( 2)  4  6  1
g (2)  1
g (2)  1
 Example
If f(x) = 2x + 3, find f(5).

f 5   2 5   3

f 5   10  3

f 5   13
 Solving v. Evaluating
If f  x    23 x  3, complete the following:
a. Evaluate f 3 b. Find x if f  x   5
 2
3 3  3 5   x  3
2
3
2  3 8   x 2
3
1
12  x