a place of mind FA C U LT Y O F E D U C AT I O N

Department of
Curriculum and Pedagogy

Mathematics
Reciprocal Functions
Science and Mathematics
Education Research Group

Supported by UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund 2012-2014

Reciprocal Functions
 Reciprocal Functions

This question set deals with functions in the form:

  f ( x) 
1 1
g ( x) 
f ( x)
Given the function f(x), we will analyze the shape of the graph of g(x).

Notice the difference between the reciprocal of a function, and the

inverse of a function:
Reciprocal: Inverse:
g ( x)   f ( x)  g ( x)  f 1 ( x)
1

1
( a, b)  ( a, ) (a, b)  (b, a)
b
The reciprocal and the inverse of a function are not the same.
 Reciprocal Functions I
1
Consider the value of (the reciprocal of p) , where p  0 .
p
1
Which of the following correctly describes the approximate value of p
for varying values of p ?
p is very large p is very small
(for example, p = 1000) (for example, p = 0.0001)
1 1
A. p is large p is large
1 1
B. is close to 0 is large
p p
1 1
C. is large is close to 0
p p
1 1
D. is close to 0 is close to 0
p p
1 1
E.  0
p p
 Solution

Answer: B
Justification: Fractions with large denominators are smaller than
fractions with small denominators (for equal positive numerators).
Consider when p = 1000. Its reciprocal is a very small positive
number: 1 1
  0.001
p 1000

As p becomes larger, its reciprocal becomes smaller.

Now consider when p = 0.001. Its reciprocal is a number much
greater than 1: 1 1 1
   1000
p 0.001 1
1000
As p becomes smaller, its reciprocal becomes larger.
 Reciprocal Functions II

Consider the function g ( x)   f ( x) .

1

When 0  f ( x)  1, what are the possible values for g (x) ?

A. g ( x)  0
B. g ( x)  1
C. 0  g ( x)  1 Exponent laws:
D. g ( x)  0
g ( x)   f ( x) 
1
x 1
a  x
E. g ( x)  1 a 1
g ( x) 
f ( x)

Press for hint

 Solution

Answer: B
1
Justification: Try choosing a value for f (x) , such as f ( x)  .
2
In this case, g ( x)   f ( x)  
1 1 1
 2
f ( x) 1
2
Since g ( x)  2 , which is greater than 1, we can rule out C, D, and E.
We must check if it is possible for g (x) to be between 0 and 1 in
order to choose between answers A and B.
Notice that g ( x)  1 f ( x) is only between 0 and 1 when the numerator
is smaller than the denominator. This is not possible, because the
denominator (0  f ( x)  1) is never greater than 1.
Therefore, g ( x)  1 when 0  f ( x)  1.
 Reciprocal Functions III

Consider a function f (x) and its reciprocal function g ( x)   f ( x) .

1

Suppose that at x  p , f ( p)  g ( p) . What are all the possible

values for f ( p) ?

A. f ( p)  1
B. f ( p)  0
C. f ( p )  1
D. f ( p)  1
E. f ( p )  0,  1
 Solution

Answer: D
Justification: This question asks to find the values of f(p) where
1
f ( p) 
f ( p) . We must find a value that is equal to its reciprocal.
We can get the answer directly by solving the above equation for f(p):
1 1
f ( p) 
1
  f ( p) 
2
1  f ( p)  1 Notice: 1  ,  1 
f ( p) 1 1

If we tried to plug in f ( p)  0 , we get g ( p)  10 which is undefined.

Conclusion: Points where f ( x)  1 are also points on the reciprocal

of f. Points where f ( x)  0 form vertical asymptotes on the reciprocal
function.
 Reciprocal Functions IV
1
Let g ( x)  .
f ( x)
Which of the following correctly describes g (x) when f ( x)  0 and
when f ( x)  0 ?

f ( x)  0 f ( x)  0
A. g ( x)  0 g ( x)  0

B. g ( x)  0 g ( x)  0

C. g ( x)  0 g ( x)  0
D. g ( x)  0 g ( x)  0

E. 0  g ( x)  1  1  g ( x)  0
 Solution

Answer: C
Justification: When f ( x)  0 , 1 f ( x) must also be greater than
zero. The numerator is positive, and the denominator is positive. A
positive number divided by a positive number is positive.

1
When f ( x)  0 , f ( x) must also be less than zero. The numerator
is positive but the denominator is negative. A positive number
divided by a negative number is negative.

Conclusion: If f (x) is above the x-axis, g (x) is also above the x-

axis. When f (x) is below the x-axis, g (x) is also below the x-axis.
 Reciprocal Functions V

If the point (a, b) , where b  0, lies on the graph of f , what point

1
lies on the graph of g ( x)  ?
f ( x)
A. a, b 
B. b, a 
 1
C.  a, 
 b
1 
D.  , b 
a 
Notice that this question has the restriction
1 1
E.  ,  that b ≠ 0. What would happen to the point
a b on the reciprocal function if b = 0?
 Solution

Answer: C
Justification: The reciprocal function g ( x)   f ( x) takes the
1

reciprocal of the y-value for each point in f . Consider when x = a:

1
g (a)  a, f (a)  (a, b)
f (a ) when x = a
 1
g (a) 
1
since f(a) = b a , g ( a )    a, 
b  b

Notice that x-values are not changed. The point (a, b) transforms
into the point  a, 1  .
 b
1
Do not get confused with the inverse of a function g ( x)  f ( x) ,
which interchanges x and y-values. In general:
f 1 ( x)   f ( x)
1
 Summary

f (x)  f ( x) 
1

 1   f ( x)   0
1
f ( x)  1
f ( x)  1  f ( x)1  1
 1  f ( x)  0  f ( x)  1
1

f ( x)  0 vertical asymptote
0  f ( x)  1  f ( x)   1
1

f ( x)  1  f ( x)1  1
0   f ( x)   1
1
f ( x)  1
 Strategy for Graphing I

1
Consider the function f ( x)  x  1 and its reciprocal function g ( x)  .
x 1
The following example outlines the steps to graph g :
1. Identify the points where f ( x)  1 or f ( x)  1 . These points exist
on the reciprocal function. (See question 3)

f ( x)  x  1

y 1 (0,1)

y  1 (2,1)
1
g ( x) 
x 1
 Strategy for Graphing II

2. Identify the points where f ( x)  0 . Draw a dotted vertical line

through these points to show the locations of the vertical
asymptotes. (Recall taking the reciprocal of 0 gives an undefined
value.)
x  1

f ( x)  x  1

f (1)  0

1
g ( x) 
x 1
 Strategy for Graphing III

3. Consider when 0  f ( x)  1. Draw a curve from the top of the

asymptote line to the point where g ( x)  1 . When  1  f ( x)  0 ,
draw the curve from the bottom of the asymptote to g ( x)  1 .
x  1

f ( x)  x  1 The reciprocal of
small values become
large values.

1
g ( x) 
x 1
 Strategy for Graphing IV

4. Consider where f ( x)  1 . From the point f ( x)  1 , draw a curve

that approaches the x-axis from above. When f ( x)  1 , the curve
approaches the x-axis from below.
x  1

f ( x)  x  1 The reciprocal of
large values become
small values.

1
g ( x) 
x 1
 Strategy for Graphing V

1
The final graph of g ( x)  is shown below.
x 1

1
g ( x)  f ( x)  x  1
x 1
1
g ( x) 
x 1
 Reciprocal Functions VI

A. B.
The graph of f is shown
below. What is the correct
graph of its reciprocal
function, g ?

f ( x)  3 x  2
C. D.
 Solution

Answer: D
Justification: Since f (1)  1 , its reciprocal must also pass through
the point (1,1). This eliminates answers B and C.
Additionally, f is positive for x  2 3 and
negative for x  2 3 .
This must also be true for the reciprocal
function, so answer A must be eliminated
because it is always positive. The only
remaining answer is D.
What other features can be used to
identify the reciprocal function? What can
we say about points (1,1) and ( 13 ,1) ?
 Reciprocal Functions VII

A. B.
The graph of f is shown
below. What is the correct
graph of its reciprocal
function, g ?

f C. D.
 Solution

Answer: A
Justification: When x  2, f ( x)  1 . The reciprocal function also
has this horizontal line since the reciprocal of 1 is still 1. This
eliminates answers B and D.

Since f(0) = 0, g(x) must have an

asymptote at x = 0. This only leaves
function A.
 Reciprocal Functions VIII

A. B.
The graph of f is shown
below. What is the correct
graph of its reciprocal
function, g ?

C. D.
f
 Solution

Answer: C
Justification: Consider the point (0, 2) on f . This point will
1
(0, ) as g
appear on . Only function C passes through this point.
2
What other features can be used to
identify the reciprocal function?
 Reciprocal Functions IX

A. B.
The graph of f is shown
below. What is the correct
graph of its reciprocal
function, g ?

f
C. D.
 Solution

Answer: A
Justification: The reciprocal function must be positive when the
original function is positive, and negative when the original function
is negative. This eliminates answers B and D.

The reciprocal function must have

asymptotes at x  2 because the
original function has zeroes at these
values of x. Only graph A satisfies
both of these conditions.
f ( x)  0.5x 2  2
1
g ( x) 
0.5 x 2  2
 Reciprocal Functions X

A. B.
What is the graph of the
reciprocal function
 f ( x)  
1 1
?
 2x 1

C. D.
 Solution

Answer: D
Justification: Find where the original function f ( x)  2 x  1
crosses the lines y  1,0 :

 1  2 x  1 0  2 x  1 1  2 x  1
x 1 1 x0
x
2
 f ( x)1
passes through  f ( x)1
has an  f ( x)1
passes through
the point (1, -1). asymptote at x = 0.5. the point (0, 1).

Only graph D satisfies these 3 conditions.

This question can also be solved by first graphing f ( x)  2 x  1,
then determining the reciprocal graph.
 Reciprocal Functions XI

The graph shown to the

right is in the form:

 f ( x)1  1
mx  b

What are the values of m

and b?
A. m  1, b  1
B. m  2, b  1
C. m  0.5, b  1
D. m  2, b  1
E. m  0.5, b  1
 Solution

Answer: C
Justification: The function f is in
the form f ( x)  mx  b . We need to
find a pair of points that lie on f to Points that lie on the
determine its equation. One good green lines belong to
(4, 1) both f and its reciprocal
choice is (-4, 1) and (0, -1), since
these points lie on both f and f-1.
Another choice for a point is (-2, 0), (2, 0)
since there is an asymptote at x = -2.
(0,  1)
Using any of the 3 points mentioned
above, find the slope of the line:
(1)  1
m  0.5
0  (4)
The y-intercept is at (0, -1), so
b  1
 Reciprocal Functions XII

A. B.
What is the graph of the
cotangent function?
 f ( x)  cot(x) 
1 1
tan( x)

f ( x)  tan(x)
  0.5 0 0.5    0.5 0 0.5 

C. D.

  0.5 0 0.5    0.5 0 0.5    0.5 0 0.5 

 Solution

Answer: B
Justification: The points that lie
on both the tangent and cotangent
function are  4 ,1 and   4 ,1 .
The tangent function also has
asymptotes at x   2  k , where k
is an integer. At these values of x,
the cotangent function must return
0. The cotangent function has
asymptotes at x = kπ.
f ( x)  tan(x)   0.5 0 0.5 

 f ( x)1  cot(x)  1
tan( x)