Functions

Dr. Hina Dutt

SEECS-NUST
[email protected]
 Objectives

In this section we will learn about

Definition of a function
Domain and Range of a function
Operations on functions
Composition of functions
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Is the relation shown above a function? NO Why not???
Domain is "Set A" which is the set of values you plug
in for x.

For the functions we will be dealing with, there

are two "illegals":
1. You can't divide by zero (denominator (bottom)
of a fraction can't be zero)
2. You can't take the square root of a negative
number

When you are asked to find the domain of a function,

you can use any value for x as long as the value
won't create an "illegal" situation.
 Find the domain for the following functions:
Since no matter what value you
 choose for x, you won't be dividing
f x  2 x  1 by zero or square rooting a negative
number, you can use anything you
Note: There is
want so we say the answer is:
nothing wrong with
the top = 0 just means All real numbers x.
the fraction = 0
If you choose x = 2, the denominator
will be 2 – 2 = 0 which is illegal
x3
g x   because you can't divide by zero.
x2 The answer then is:
All real numbers x such that x ≠ 2.
 Summary of How to Find the
Domain of a Function
• Look for any fractions or square roots that could cause one
of the two "illegals" to happen. If there aren't any, then the
domain is All real numbers x.
• If there are fractions, figure out what values would make the
bottom equal zero and those are the values you can't use.
The answer would be: All real numbers x such that x ≠
those values.
• If there is a square root, the "stuff" under the square root
cannot be negative so set the stuff ≥ 0 and solve. Then
answer would be: All real numbers x such that x ≠
whatever you got when you solved.
NOTE: Of course your variable doesn't have to be x, can be
whatever is in the problem.
The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Functions
 The sum f + g

 f  g x   f x   g x 
f x   2 x  3
2
g x   4 x  1
3

2 3
f  g  2x  3  4x 1
Combine like
terms & put in
3 2
 4x  2x  4 descending
order
 The difference f - g

 f  g x   f x   g x 
f x   2 x  3
2
g x   4 x  13

2

f  g  2x  3  4x 1 3

3 2
 4 x  2 x  2
 The product f • g

 f  g x   f x  g x 
f x   2 x  3
2
g x   4 x  1
3

 2

f  g  2x  3 4x 1 3

5 2 3
 8 x  2 x  12 x  3
 The quotient f /g

f f x 
 x  
g g x 

f x   2 x  3
2
g x   4 x  1
3

2
f 2x  3
 3
g 4x 1
So the first 4 operations on functions are
pretty straight forward.
The rules for the domain of functions would
apply to these combinations of functions as
well. The domain of the sum, difference or
product would be the numbers x in the
domains of both f and g.
For the quotient, you would also need to
exclude any numbers x that would make the
resulting denominator 0.
 COMPOSITION

OF FUNCTIONS

“SUBSTITUTING ONE FUNCTION INTO ANOTHER”

 The Composition Function
 f  g x   f g x 
This is read “f composition g” and means to copy the f
function down but where ever you see an x, substitute in
the g function.

f x   2 x  3
2
g x   4 x  1
3


f  g  2 4x 1  33
2

6 3
 32 x  16 x  5
 g  f x   g  f x 
This is read “g composition f” and means to copy the g
function down but where ever you see an x, substitute in
the f function.

f x   2 x  3
2
g x   4 x  1
3


g  f  4 2x  3 12
3
  f  f x   f  f x 
This is read “f composition f” and means to copy the f
function down but where ever you see an x, substitute in
the f function. (So sub the function into itself).

f x   2 x  3
2
g x   4 x  1
3

 2
f  f  2 2x  3  3 2
 The DOMAIN of the
Composition Function
The domain of f composition g is the set of all numbers x
in the domain of g such that g(x) is in the domain of f.
1
f x   g x   x  1
x
1 The domain of g is x  1
f g 
x  1 domain of f  g is x   : x  1
We also have to worry about any “illegals” in this composition
function, specifically dividing by 0. This would mean that x  1 so the
domain of the composition would be combining the two restrictions.
 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions
1
f x   x  5 g x  
x 1
Or we could find g o f (x) and determine the domain and
range of the resulting expression.
1
g  f ( x) 
x6
Domain: x   : x  6 Range: y   : y  0
However this approach must be used with CAUTION.
 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions
1
f x   x  5 g x   f  g ( x)  ?
x 1
We could first look at the natural domain and range of f(x)
and g(x).
1 y   : y  0 x  0
g x  
x 1
For f(x) to cope with the output from g(x) f x   x  5
we must ensure that the output does not
include 0
Hence we must exclude 1 from the domain of g(x)
x   : x  1 y   : y  5
 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions
1
f x   x  5 g x  
x 1
Or we could find f o g (x) and determine the domain and
range of the resulting expression.
1
f  g ( x)  5
x 1
Domain: x   : x  1 Range: y   : y  5
However this approach must be used with CAUTION.
 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions
f x   x g x   x 2
g  f ( x)  ?
We could first look at the natural domain and range of f(x)
and g(x).
y   : y  0
f x   x x  0
g x   x 2

x   : x  0
y   : y  0
 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions
f x   x g x   x 2

Or we could find g o f (x) and determine the domain and

range of the resulting expression.

g  f ( x)  x
x   and y  
Not:

Domain: x   : x  0 Range: y   : y  0

However this approach must be used with CAUTION.

 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions
f x   2 x g x   x  2 f  g ( x)  ?
We could first look at the natural domain and range of f(x)
and g(x).
y   : y  0 x  0
g x   x  2
f(x) can cope with all the numbers in the f x   2 x
range of g(x) because the range of g(x)
is contained within the domain of f(x)
f o g (x) is a function for the natural domain of g(x)
x   : x  2 y   : y  0
 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions
f x   2 x g x   x  2 g  f ( x)  ?
We could first look at the natural domain and range of f(x)
and g(x).
y   x  
f x   2 x
g(x) cannot cope with all the numbers in g x   x  2
the range of f(x). Need to restrict the
domain f(x) to give an output that g(x)
can cope with.
y   : y  0
 The DOMAIN and RANGE of
Composite Functions

f x   2 x g x   x  2 g  f ( x)  ?
g o f (x) is not a function for the natural domain of g(x) unless we
We could first look at the natural domain and range of f(x)
restrict the domain of f(x)
and g(x).
yy:y 2 xx: x2
f x   2 x
g(x) cannot cope with all the numbers in g x   x  2
the range of f(x). Need to restrict the
domain f(x) to give an output that g(x)
can cope with.
x   : x  1 y   : y  0
 An Example of
Composite Functions

f x   x  5 2
g ( f ( x))  2 x  13x  14

g ( x)  ?

Try it !!
 Method 1
f x   x  5 g f x   2 x  13x  14
2

2
g f ( x)  2 x  13 x  14
2
 g ( x  5)  2 x  13x  14
2
g ( x  5)  2( x  5)  ???
2
 2 x  20 x  50  ???
2
g ( x  5)  2( x  5)  7 x  36
2
 2( x  5)  7( x  5)  1
 Method 1
f x   x  5 g f x   2 x  13x  14
2

2
g f ( x)  2 x  13 x  14
2
 g ( x  5)  2 x  13x  14
2
g ( x  5)  2( x  5)  ???
2
 2 x  20 x  50  ???
2
g ( x  5)  2( x  5)  7 x  36
2
 2( x  5)  7( x  5)  1
 Method 1
f x   x  5 g f x   2 x  13x  14
2

2
g ( x  5)  2( x  5)  7 x  36
2
 2( x  5)  7( x  5)  1

2
 g ( x)  2 x  7 x  1
 Method 2
f x   x  5 g f x   2 x  13x  14
2

Let y  f ( x)  x  5  x  y5
2
g f ( x)  2 x  13x  14
2
g ( y )  2 x  13 x  14
2
g ( y )  2( y  5)  13( y  5)  14
2
 2 y  20 y  50  13 y  65  14
2
 2 y  7 y 1
 Method 2
f x   x  5 g f x   2 x  13x  14
2

2
g ( y )  2( y  5)  13( y  5)  14
2
 2 y  20 y  50  13 y  65  14
2
 2 y  7 y 1
2
 g ( x)  2 x  7 x  1
Practice Questions