GENERAL MATHEMATICS

Module 4: Week 4: First Quarter

INVERSE FUNCTIONS

Objectives

The main objectives of this module are for students to determine whether a
function is one-to-one, solve for the inverse of a function, determine whether a function is
one-to-one through the use of the horizontal line test, and determine the domain and
range of an inverse function.

Learning Competencies
At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:
1. Represents real-life situations using one-to one function (M11GM-Id-1)
2. Determines the inverse of a one-to-one function (M11GM-Id-2)
3. Represents an inverse function through its: (a) table of values, and (b)
graph (M11GM-Id-3)
4. Finds the domain and range of an inverse function (M11GM-Id-4)

Let’s Recall

A. Find (f o g)(x) and (g o f)(x) for each pair of functions.

1. f(x) = x +2 and g(x) = 2x – 1
2. f(x) = 3x and g(x) = 4 – 5x + 1
3. f(x) = 2x + 9 and g(x) = 3 – 1

B. Change the equation in terms of x. (Ex. x = by + c)

1. y = 3x – 5
2. 2x – 5y = 10
3. 3y – 2x – 8 = 0
4. y = 5x – 6
5. 5x – 7y = 14

C. Change the equation in terms of y. (Ex. y = ax + c)

1. 2x – 4y = 8
2. 4y = 5x – 12
3. 3x – 6y = 9
4. 5x – 4y = 20
5. x – 2y = 12
 Let’s Understand
Definition:
Domain – the set of x-values
Range – the set of y-values

A. Finding Domain and Range of a Function

Finding the Domain

Example 1: Find the domain and range of 3x – 2y = 5

Solution:
In finding the domain, change
3x – 2y = 5
equation in terms of y and
-2y = -3x+ 5 determine if there is any
restricted value of x.

Note: Restricted values are

values that will make the
expression undefined.
Since the value of x has no restriction, • 0 divided by any number
The domain is the set of real numbers. In symbol, is always 0 (e.g. 0/4 = 0)
• Any number divided by 0
Domain: {x/x R} read as “the set of all x such that x is undefined
is an element of the real number”. (e.g. 4/0 = undefined)

Finding the Range

3x – 2y = 5
3x = 2y + 5
In finding the range,
change equation in terms
of x and determine if
there is any restricted
value of y.

Since the value of y has no restriction, the range is an element of real numbers. In
symbol, Range: {y / y R} read as “the set of all y such that y is an element of the real
number”.

Example 2 Find the domain and range of .

Solution:
Domain: The equation is already in the form of y. Take note that:
=2

x–2≥0 =0
x≥2

2
The radicand must be non-negative. Hence the radicand must be greater than or equal to
zero.
Therefore, the domain is the set of numbers greater than or equal to 2. In symbol,
Domain: {x/x 2}
Range:

y2 = x -2

x = y2 + 2 Since x is a polynomial, y can be any real number. However, the

defining equation is restricted to values of y that are greater than or
equal to 0. Hence, the range of y is R = {y / y ≥ 0}.

Example 3. Find the domain and range of .

Solution:
Domain

2x – 5 = 0
2x = 5
x = 5/2
Domain: {x/x 5/2} this means that the value of x is any real number except 5/2 which
makes the denominator 0.

Range
by cross multiplication or multiplying both sides by the LCD, 2x – 5

y (2x – 5) = x – 4
2xy – 5y = x – 4 distributing y to the binomial, 2x - 5
2xy – x = 5y – 4 putting all terms with x on one side of the equation
x (2y – 1) = 5y – 4 factoring out x on the left side of the equation

2y – 1 = 0 , y =
Range: {y / y ½}

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NOTE: When finding the domain and range of a function involving:

1. A radical with an even index: Radicand must be non-negative. Hence, the

radicand must be greater than or equal to zero.

2. A fraction: Denominator must not be equal to zero.

One-to-One Function
A function is one-to-one if every second element is paired to only one first element.
Moreover, a function has an inverse function if and only if it is one-to-one.

Example: The function {(3,4), (5, −2), (−1, −1), (4, 7)} is one-to-one since every second
element is paired to only one first element.

Horizontal Line Test

If any horizontal line drawn anywhere on the graph intersects the graph exactly once,
then the graph is one-to-one. Otherwise, it is not one-to-one.

Example 1:
The graph below represents a one-to-one function since if we draw a horizontal line
anywhere on the graph, it intersects the graph at only one point.

Example 2:
The graph below does not represent a one-to-one function since we can find a horizontal
line that intersects the graph more than once. Thus, the function represented by this
graph does not have an inverse function.

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B. Inverse of the Function

A function 𝑔 is the inverse function of 𝑓 if the ordered pairs of 𝑔 are the ordered pairs of
𝑓 written in reversed order.

Example:
Consider the functions 𝑓 and 𝑔, where 𝑓 = {(1, 2), (−3, 5), (5, 7)} and 𝑔 = {(2, 1), (5, −3),
(7, 5)}. Then 𝑔 is the inverse function of 𝑓 since the ordered pairs of 𝑔 are the ordered
pairs of 𝑓 written in reversed order.
So, to get the inverse of the ordered pairs, just interchange the values of x and y-values.

Steps in Obtaining the Inverse of a Function 𝒇

1. Change 𝑓(𝑥) to 𝑦.
2. Interchange the variables 𝑥 and 𝑦.
3. Solve for 𝑦 in terms of 𝑥.
4. Change 𝑦 from Step 3 to 𝑓−1 (𝑥).

Example:
Consider the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 5. Let us find its inverse.
1. Change 𝑓(𝑥) to 𝑦.
𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 5 → 𝑦 = 3𝑥 + 5

2. Interchange 𝑥 and 𝑦.
𝑦 = 3𝑥 + 5 → 𝑥 = 3𝑦 + 5

3. Solve for 𝑦 in terms of 𝑥.

𝑥 = 3𝑦 + 5 → 𝑦 =

4. Change 𝑦 from Step 3 to 𝑓−1 (𝑥).

𝑦= → 𝑓−1=

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 Two functions f and g are inverses of each other if
f(g(x)) = x for every x in the domain of g and
g(f (x)) = x for every x in the domain of f
That is f(g(x)) = g(f (x)) = x .

Example: Show that the following functions are inverses of each other.

a. We find the composite function f of g. b. We find the composite function g of f.

g(f(x)) = g(2x + 5)

=x–5+5

=x =x
Since f(g(x)) = g(f (x)) = x, then f and g are inverses of each other.

Representing Inverse Functions using Graphs

We can draw the graph of an inverse function by plotting the points from its table of
values.

Example:
Using the table of values for 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 1 and its inverse, we can draw its graph.

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Domain of an Inverse Function
The domain of an inverse function is the range of the original function.

Example 1:
The range of 𝑓(𝑥) = + 1 is {𝒚|𝒚 ≠ 𝟏}. It follows that the domain of its inverse function
−1
𝑓 (𝑥)= is {𝒙|𝒙 ≠ 𝟏}.

Range of an Inverse Function

The range of an inverse function is the domain of the original function.

Example 2:
The domain of 𝑓(𝑥) = is {𝒙|𝒙 ≠ 𝟎}. It follows that the range of its inverse function
𝑓−1(𝑥) = is {𝒚|𝒚 ≠ 𝟎}.

Example 3: Graph the function 𝑔(𝑥) = and its inverse. Determine the domain and
range of the inverse.

Solution: First, let us determine the inverse of g(x) = and that is g-1(x) =
Second, graph the functions g(x) = g-1(x) = in one coordinate plane.
-1
It can be observed that g(x) and g (x) are symmetric along the line y = x.

Third, it can be observed that the graph of g-1(x) is asymptotic to the line x = 0. Thus, the
domain of g-1(x) is (- . The graph of g-1(x) is asymptotic to the
-1
line y = -1. Thus, the range of g (x) is (-