Pre-Calculus 12

Section 2.2 – Arithmetic Combinations of Functions

• Much like we can combine Real Numbers using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, we
can combine Function in the exact same manner

Example1: Given the two function 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 2 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 4 find the sum, difference, product,
and quotient

Solution 1:

𝑺𝒖𝒎 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥) → (3𝑥 + 2) + (𝑥 2 − 4) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 2

*Brackets help distinguish between the two Functions*

𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥) → (3𝑥 + 2) − (𝑥 2 − 4) = −𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 6

*Do not forget to WATERBOMB the negative, this is why brackets are important*

𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕 𝑓(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥) → (3𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 2 − 4) = 3𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 − 8

*Distribute or use FOIL*

𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑓(𝑥) 3𝑥 + 2
= , 𝑥 ≠ ±2
𝑔(𝑥) 𝑥 2 − 4

*Identify any Domain Restrictions, what 𝑥 causes the denominator to be zero*

• The Domain (𝑥 − 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠) of the combination of functions 𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 is the set of real numbers that
are common to both 𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔. So we can consider the following notation.

𝑺𝒖𝒎, 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

1. 𝑺𝒖𝒎 (𝒇 + 𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙)

2. 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 (𝒇 − 𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) − 𝒈(𝒙)

3. 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕 (𝒇𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) ∙ 𝒈(𝒙)

4. 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇 𝒇(𝒙)
( ) (𝒙) = , 𝒈(𝒙) ≠ 𝟎
𝒈 𝒈(𝒙)

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Pre-Calculus 12

Example 2: Compute the given expressions, given the functions provided.

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 1, 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1, ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 , 𝑘(𝑥) = 2

a) (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)
b) (ℎ − 𝑘)(𝑥)
𝑘𝑔
c) (3)
ℎ
d) (𝑓𝑘)(1) − (ℎ𝑔)(2)
e) [ℎ ∙ (𝑓 + 𝑔)](𝑥)

Solution 2:

a) (𝒇 + 𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙) = (𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏) + (𝒙𝟐 − 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏) = 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟐

b) (ℎ − 𝑘)(𝑥) = ℎ(𝑥) − 𝑘(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 2

𝑘𝑔 𝑘(3)∙𝑔(3) 2∙(32 − 2(3) + 1) 2∙4 8

c) ( ) (3) = = = =
ℎ ℎ(3) 33 27 27

d) (𝑓𝑘)(1) − (ℎ𝑔)(2) = 𝑓(1) ∙ 𝑘(1) − ℎ(2) ∙ 𝑔(2)

= [2(1) + 1](2) − 23 ∙ (22 − 2(2) + 1)

= (3)(2) − 8(1) = 6 − 8 = −2

e) [ℎ ∙ (𝑓 + 𝑔)](𝑥) = ℎ(𝑥)[𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)] = 𝑥 3 [(2𝑥 + 1) + (𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1)]

= 𝑥 3 (𝑥 2 + 2)

= 𝑥 5 + 2𝑥 3

• These types of questions can involve very minor details – brackets, exponents laws, etc.
• Take your time, stay organized, and keep track of your process.

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Pre-Calculus 12

Example 3: Use the graphs provided below to evaluate the following

ℎ
𝑎) (𝑓 + 𝑔)(3), 𝑏) ( ) (5), 𝑐) (𝑓𝑔ℎ)(1), 𝑑) 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ: (𝑓 − ℎ)(𝑥)
𝑔

𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑦 = ℎ(𝑥)

Solution 3:

a) (𝑓 + 𝑔)(3) = 𝑓(3) + 𝑔(3) What is the output (𝑦 − 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒) when 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 3 in either function?

𝑓(3) + 𝑔(3) = −𝟏 + 𝟏 = 𝟎

ℎ ℎ(5)
b) ( ) (5) = What Is the output (𝑦 − 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒) when 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 5 in either function?
𝑔 𝑔(5)

ℎ(5) 𝟑
= = −𝟑
𝑔(5) −𝟏

c) (𝑓𝑔ℎ)(1) = 𝑓(1)𝑔(1)ℎ(1) = (−1)(3)(−1) = 𝟑

d) (𝒇 − 𝒉)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) − 𝒉(𝒙)

𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) − 𝒉(𝒙)
−2 2 − (−4) = 𝟔
0 0 − (−2) = 𝟐
1 −1 − (−1) = 𝟎
2 −2 − 0 = −𝟐
4 0 − 2 = −𝟐
6 2 − 4 = −𝟐

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Pre-Calculus 12

Section 2.2 – Practice Problems

1. Use the following functions 𝑓, 𝑔, ℎ, 𝑖, 𝑗, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘, to find:

1 2
𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 3, 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 1, ℎ(𝑥) = 3, 𝑖(𝑥) = , 𝑗(𝑥) = 𝑥2 − 1, 𝑘 ( 𝑥) =
𝑥 𝑥+2

a) (𝑔 + 𝑗)(2) b) (𝑓 − 𝑘)(−2)

c) (ℎ𝑖)(3) d) (𝑗𝑘)(−3)

𝑔 𝑖
e) ( ) (4) f) ( ) (−4)
𝑓 𝑘

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Pre-Calculus 12

ℎ h) (𝑘 − 𝑖)(7)
g) ( ) (−2)
𝑗

2. Use the following functions 𝑓, 𝑔, ℎ, 𝑖, 𝑗, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘, to find the function and its Domain:

1 2
𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 3, 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 1, ℎ(𝑥) = 3, 𝑖(𝑥) = , 𝑗(𝑥) = 𝑥2 − 1, 𝑘 ( 𝑥) =
𝑥 𝑥+2

a) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) b) (𝑗 + 𝑖)(𝑥)

𝑖 ℎ
c) ( ) (𝑥) d) ( ) (𝑥)
ℎ 𝑖

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Pre-Calculus 12

e) (𝑔𝑘)(𝑥) 𝑔
f) ( ) (𝑥)
𝑘

𝑓 h) (𝑔𝑗)(𝑥)
g) ( ) (𝑥)
𝑗

3. Find each expression, given that the function of 𝑓, 𝑔, ℎ, 𝑘, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙, are defined as follows:

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 1, 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 1, ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑥3 , 𝑘(𝑥) = 3, 𝑙(𝑥) = 𝑥2 − 1

𝑓 𝑙 𝑓 𝑙
a) ( ) (𝑥) − ( ) (𝑥) b) ( ) (0) − ( ) (0)
𝑙 𝑓 𝑙 𝑓

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Pre-Calculus 12

c) [ℎ(𝑓 + 𝑙)](𝑥) d) (ℎ𝑓)(𝑥) + (ℎ𝑙)(𝑥)

e) [𝑙(𝑘 − ℎ)](𝑥) f) 𝑙𝑘(𝑥) − 𝑙ℎ(𝑥)

g) (𝑔 + 𝑔)(𝑥) h) (𝑔 − 𝑔)(𝑥)

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Pre-Calculus 12

i) (𝑘𝑔)(𝑥) j) (𝑔 + 𝑔)(−2) − (𝑘𝑔)(−2)

𝑓 𝑔
4. Find (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥), (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥), (𝑓𝑔)(𝑥), (𝑓𝑓)(𝑥), (𝑔) (𝑥) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑓 ) (𝑥), 𝑖𝑓:
a) 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 4, 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2 b) 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 3, 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 1

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Pre-Calculus 12

1 d) 𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥, 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2

c) 𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥, 𝑔(𝑥) =
𝑥

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Pre-Calculus 12

5. Use the graphs below, to graph the following combinations

a) a) (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)

b) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)
𝑓
c) (𝑔 − 𝑓)(𝑥)

𝑔
d) (−𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)

1
e) (2𝑓 + 2 𝑔) (𝑥)

b) c)

d) e)

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Pre-Calculus 12

6. Use the graphs below, to graph the following combinations

a)
a) (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)

b) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)
𝑓

c) (𝑔 − 𝑓)(𝑥)

𝑔 d) (−𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)

1
e) (2𝑓 + 𝑔) (𝑥)
2

b) c)

d) e)

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Pre-Calculus 12

7. Use the graphs below, to graph the following combinations

a)
a) (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)

b) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)
𝑓

c) (𝑔 − 𝑓)(𝑥)

d) (−𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)
𝑔

1
e) (2𝑓 + 𝑔) (𝑥)
2

b) c)

d) e)

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Pre-Calculus 12

8. Use the graphs below, to graph the following combinations

a)
f) (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)

g) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)
𝑓

h) (𝑔 − 𝑓)(𝑥)

𝑔 i) (−𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)

1
j) (2𝑓 + 𝑔) (𝑥)
2

b) c)

d) e)

See Website for Detailed Answer Key 13

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Pre-Calculus 12

Extra Work Space

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