Calculus MTH 3100

Chapter 1: Intro. to Calculus

L2 1.3 COMBINATIONS OF FUNCTIONS AND

INVERSES

Plan:
 Algebraic Combinations
 Composite Functions
 One-to-one Functions
 The Inverse of a Function
 Finding the Range of a Function
 The Even and Odd Functions

Algebraic Combinations

Like numbers, functions can be added, subtracted,

multiplied and divided (except where the
denominator is zero) to produce new functions.

Definition: If f and g are functions, then for every

x that belongs to the domains of both f and g

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(that is, for x  D( f )  D( g ) ), we define functions f

+ g, f – g, and fg by the formulas

(f + g)(x) = f(x) + g(x),

(f - g)(x) = f(x) - g(x),

(f g)(x) = f(x) g(x).

At any point of D( f )  D( g ) at which g ( x)  0 , we

f
can also define the function g by the formula
 f  f ( x)
  ( x )  where g ( x)  0 ,
g g ( x)
Functions can also be multiplied by constants: If c
is a real number, then the function cf is defined for
all x in the domain of f by
(cf)(x)=cf(x)

Example: Combining Functions Algebraically

The functions defined by the formulas

f ( x)  x and g ( x)  1  x ,

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have domains D( f )  0,  and D( g )   ,1 . The

points common to these points are the points

0,    ,1  0,1 .

The following table summarizes the formulas and
domains for the various algebraic combinations of
the two functions. We also write f  g for the
product function fg .

Function Formula Domain

f g ( f  g )( x )  x  1  x 0,1  D  f   D( g )
f g ( f  g )( x )  x  1  x [0,1]
g f ( g  f )( x )  1  x  x [0,1]
f g ( f g )( x)  f ( x) g ( x)  x(1  x) [0,1]
f f f ( x) x [0,1)
( x)  
g g g ( x) 1 x (x=1 excluded)
g g g ( x) 1 x (0,1]
( x)  
f f f ( x) x
(x=0 excluded)

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Composite Functions

Definition: Composition of Functions

If f and g are functions, the composition g f of
f and g is the function defined by

( g f )( x)  g ( f ( x))
( f g )( x)  f ( g ( x))

Example:

If f(x) = 2x and g(x) = x - 1. Find formulas

for g f and f g

Solution:

( g f )( x)  g ( f ( x))  g (2 x)  1  2 x  1

( f g )( x)  f ( g ( x))  f ( x  1)  2( x  1)  2 x  2

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Example:

Find functions f and g such that

( g  f )( x)  x3

Solution:

( g f )( x)  g ( f ( x))  x  3
 if f ( x)  ( x  3)  g ( x)  x

THE INVERSE FUNCTION AND

EVEN/ODD FUNCTIONS

One-to-one Functions

Definition: A function f is one-to-one (1-1) in

case no two elements of the domain have the same
image under f.
Thus, if f is (1-1) function, then

f ( x1 )  f ( x2 )  x1  x2
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For each y in the range of f, there is exactly one x

in the domain of f such that f(x) = y.

A (1-1) function

A function that is not (1-1)

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Example: Determine whether each function

is one-to-one.

( a ) f ( x)  x 5 (b) f ( x)  x 2  1

Solution:

(a) Since distinct numbers have distinct fifth

powers, this function is one-to-one.
(b) This function is not one-to-one, since, for
example, f(-x) = f(x) , and two different numbers
have the same image.

Example: Is g ( x )  3 x  2 one to one?

Solution:
g(x) is one to one if

g ( x1 )  g ( x2 )  x1  x2

3 x1  2  3 x2  2
3 x1  3 x2
x1  x2
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Thus g is one to one.

Note: A line defines is a function if it passes the
vertical line test. It is a one-to-one function if
it passes the horizontal line test.

The Inverse of a Function

Definition: If f is a function, the inverse of f

can be written as f 1 is the function such that for
each x in the domain of f ,

( f 1  f )( x)  x

Theorem: A function f has an inverse

function f 1 if and only if f is one-to-
one.

Example:
Find the inverse of each function, if it exists.

( a ) f ( x)  3 x  2 (b) f ( x)  x3  4
(c ) f ( x )  x 2 (d ) f ( x)  x 2 if x  [0, )

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Solution:

(a) f is a (1-1) function , then the inverse of f exists

such that,

x  ( f  f 1 )( x)  f ( f 1 ( x))  3 f 1 ( x)  2
x2
 f 1 ( x) 
3

(b) f is a (1-1) function, then the inverse of f exists

such that,

x  ( f  f 1 )( x)  f ( f 1 ( x))   f 1 ( x)  4
3

 f ( x)  x  4  f ( x)   x  4
1
1 3 1 3

(c) This function is not one-to-one, so it will have

no inverse function.

(d) Thus, x  [0, ), f ( x)  x 2 is one-to-one, so it

will have inverse function,

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 
2
1 1 1
x(f f )( x)  f ( f ( x))  f ( x)
 f 1 ( x)  x for x  [0, )

Finding the Range of a Function

The notion of inverse of a function also gives us a

technique for finding the range of a function,
based on the fact that the range of a function f is
1
the domain of its inverse f .

Example:

Find the domains and ranges of the following

functions:

x4 1
(a ) f ( x)  (b) f ( x) 
x 3 x 3
1
(c ) f ( x ) 
4  x2

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Solution:

(a) The domain of this rational function is

easily seen to be the set of all real numbers
except 3.

To find the range, we find the inverse of f.

In order to simplify the process, we will

write y  f  x  , interchange x and y (thus,
expressing y as f  x  ), and solve for y:
1

From the inverse definition,

y4
x  f ( y)   x ( y  3)  y  4
y 3
 xy  y  3 x  4
3x  4
 y ( x  1)  3 x  4  y  f 1 ( x)
x 1
 Domain f 1  ( ,1)  (1, )  range of f

(b) Since x  3 must be positive for this function

to be defined, we see that the domain of f is

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3, . The range clearly consists of positive

numbers. To be more specific, we find f 1 :

Let y  f 1 ( x)  x  f ( y)

1
 x  x y  3  1, x  0
y 3

1
 y 3  2
, x0
x

1
 y  2  3  f 1 ( x), x  0
x

 Domain f 1  (0, )  range f  (0, )

(c) Since 4  x2 must be positive, we find that the

domain of f is (-2, 2). We again note that the
range consists only of positive numbers. Next,
1
we find f :

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1
If y  f 1 ( x), then x  f ( y)  x , x0
4 y 2

1 1 1
 4  y2   y2  4   y   4
x2 x2 x2

1 1 1
 4 2
0  2
4  x2  4  x
x x 2

1 1 1 
 x or x  range f   ,  
2 2 2 

The Even and Odd Functions

Definition:
(1) A function f is an even function if and only
if f(-x) = f(x) for all x.

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(2) A function f is an odd function if and only

if f(-x) = - f(x) ) for all x.

Example:

f (  x)    x   x 2  f ( x)
2
f ( x)  x 2 is even because
f (  x)    x    x 3   f ( x )
3
f ( x)  x3 is odd because

The even and odd function properties.

(1) Even  Even = Even,

(2) Odd  Odd = Odd.

(3) Even  Odd = Neither Even nor Odd.

(4) Odd  Even = Neither Even nor Odd.

(5) Even  Even = Even,

(6) Odd  Odd = Even.

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(7) Even  Odd = Odd.

Example:

Determine whether each function is even or odd.

(a) f ( x)  x (b) f ( x)  x  2
1 1 .
(c ) f ( x )  (d ) f ( x)  2
x x

Solution:

(a) f ( x)   x  x  x  f ( x)  f is even.

(b) f ( x)   x  2  ( x  2)  x  2  x  2  f ( x) 
f is neither even nor odd

1
(c) f ( x)     f ( x)  f is odd
x

1 1
(d ) f (  x)    f ( x)  f is even
( x) 2
x 2

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