COMPOSITE
FUNCTIONS
1
f g
A B C
x y z
gf
Elements in Set A mapping to Set B by the function f
Elements in Set B mapping to Set C by the function g
The combined effect of functions f and g, represent
function gf which is called the composite function 2
f g
A B C
x y z
gf
f ( x) y
g[ f ( x)] z
gf ( x) z
g ( y )gf
Therefore ( x) zg[ f ( x)]
3
In general, gf fg
f 2
ff .
f 3
fff .
4
Example 1
Given that f(x)=4x-1 and
g(x)=x +2.Find the following
2
composite functions
a)fg b)gf c)f 2
5
Solution:
(a) fg f ( x 2 2) (c) f ff
2
fg 4( x 2 2) 1
f ( 4 x 1)
fg 4 x 2 8 1
4( 4 x 1) 1
fg 4 x 2 7
16 x 5
(b) gf g (4 x 1)
gf (4 x 1) 2
2
gf 16 x 8 x 3
2
GOOD!
6
Example 2
Given that f(x)=2x+7 and
g(x)=5x-9.Find the following
composite functions
a)fg b)gf
7
f (5 x 9) g ( 2 x 7)
(a) (b)
2(5 x 9) 7 5(2 x 7) 9
10 x 18 7 10 x 35 9
10 x 11 10 x 26
Well
done
8
Example 3
Given that f(x)=2x+3 and g(x)=x2-1.
Find
a)the value of fg(2)
b)the value of x for which f2(x)=7
9
Solution:
(a)
(b) f 2 ( x) ff ( x)
fg ( x) f ( x 1)
2
ff ( x) f (2 x 3)
2(2 x 3) 3
2( x 1) 3
2
4x 9
2x 12
4x 9 7
fg (2) 2(2) 2 1 2
x
9 4
1
x
2
bravo!
10
Example 4
Given the functions f(x)=x-3 and
g(x)=8/x , x=0.Find
a) gf and gf(7)
b) the value of x when gf(x)=12
11
Solution:
8
(a)
gf g ( x 3) (b) gf ( x)
8 x 3
8
x 3 12
8 x 3
gf (7)
73 12 x 36 8
8 12 x 44
4
11
gf (7) 2 x GOOD!
3
12
Example 5
The functions f and g are given as
follows.
f:x 2x , g:x 1/(x-4) , x=k
a) determine the value of k
b) find fg(2)
13
Solution:
(a)
x40 (b)
fg ( x) f (
1
)
x4
x4 1
2( )
given that x k x4
k 4 fg (2) 2(
1
)
24
1
fg (2) 2( )
2
GOOD! fg (2) 1
14
Example 6
Given that f(x)=7-2x and g(x)=4hx+k,
where h and k are constants.Find the
value of h and k for which fg(x)=13-4x
15
Solution:
fg ( x ) f [ g ( x )]
fg ( x ) f ( 4 hx k )
fg ( x ) 7 2( 4 hx k )
fg ( x ) 7 8hx 2 k
fg ( x ) 7 2 k 8hx
given that fg ( x ) 13 4 x
compare
7 2 k 13 8h 4
1
k 3 h 16
2
Example 7
Given the function f:x 4-3x and
composite function fg:x 1+2x, find
the function g
17
Solution:
f [ g ( x )] 1 2 x
4 3g ( x) 1 2 x
3 g ( x) 4 1 2 x
3 g ( x) 3 2 x
3 2x
g ( x)
3
18
Example 8
Given the function f(x)=x2+2 and the
composite function fh(x)=x2+2x+3, find
the function h
19
Solution:
f [h( x)] x 2 x 3
2
[h( x)] 2 x 2 x 3
2 2
[h( x)] x 2 x 1
2 2
[h( x)] ( x 1)
2 2
h( x ) x 1 20
Example 9
Given the function g:x 2/x , x=0 and
composite function fg:x 2x+5, find
the function f
21
f [ g ( x )] 2 x 5
2
f[ ] 2x 5
x
2
let y
x
2
x
y
2
then f ( y ) 2( )5
y
4
f ( y) 5
y
4
f ( x) 5 , x0
x 22
Example 10
Given that g(x)=1+x and
hg(x)=x +4x+9,
2 find the
function h
23
h[ g ( x)] x 2 4 x 9
h[1 x] x 2 4 x 9
let y 1 x
x y 1
then h( y ) ( y 1) 2 4( y 1) 9
h( y ) y 2 2 y 1 4 y 4 9
h( y ) y 2 2 y 6
h( x ) x 2 2 x 6
24