Inverse Function

Things to Remember

Function One-to-one Correspondence

A function is a special type of relation in A function 𝑓 is one-to-one if no elements in

which each element of the domain is the domain of 𝑓 correspond to the same
paired with exactly one element in the element in the range of 𝑓. In other words,
range each 𝑥 in the domain has exactly one image
in the range. And, no 𝑦 in the range is the
same image of more than one 𝑥 in the
domain.

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HELLO STUDENTS!
This lesson talks about inverse function and the
process of solving it.

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5
Inverse Function
What kind of function it is?

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“ An inverse function is a function that
undergoes the action of the another. A
function 𝑔 is the inverse of a function 𝑓 if
whenever 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) then 𝑥 = 𝑔 𝑦 . In other
words, applying 𝑓 and then 𝑔 is the same
thing doing nothing. We can write this in
terms of the composition of 𝑓 and 𝑔 as
𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥.

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LEARNING COMPETENCIES

At the end of the lesson, you are expected

to:
▰ identify an inverse relation;
▰ solve inverse function; and
▰ verify if two functions are inverse

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BIG
CONCEPT
How can we identify if a function is
inverse?

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One-to-one Function

A function 𝑓 is one-to-one if for each 𝑥 in the domain of 𝑓

has exactly one 𝑦 in the range and has no 𝑦 in the range is
the image of more than one 𝑥 in the domain.

Alternate definition:

A function 𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑥 with domain 𝐷 is one-to-one on 𝐷 if and

only if for every 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 in 𝐷, then 𝑓 𝑥1 = 𝑓(𝑥2 ) implies
that 𝑥1 = 𝑥2 .

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One-to-one Function

Which of the following illustrates one-to-one function?

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HORIZONTAL LINE TEST

A function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is one-to-one if and only if no horizontal

line intersects the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) with more than one
point.
y
Example 1:
(0, 7) (4, 7)
The function 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 7 is not
one-to-one on the real number y=7
because the line 𝑦 = 7 intersects the
2
graph at (0, 7) and 4, 7 .
x
2
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HORIZONTAL LINE TEST

Apply the horizontal line test to the following graphs below to

determine if it is one-to-one or not.
a.) 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 b.) 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 1
y y
8 8

4 4

-4 4 -4 4
x x

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INVERSE RELATION

Every function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) has an inverse relation 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑦).

Function y = |x| + 1 Inverse relation x = |y| + 1

x y y x
2 2
1 3 1 3
0 2 0 2
-1 1 -1 1
-2 -2
Domain Range Range Domain 12
INVERSE RELATION

The ordered pairs of the function 𝑓 are reversed to produced

the ordered pairs of the inverse relation.

Given the function 𝑓 = 1, 1 , 2, 3 , 3, 1 , (4, 2) , its domain

is 1, 2, 3, 4 and its range 1, 2, 3

The inverse function of 𝑓 is 1, 1 , 3, 2 , 1, 3 , (2, 4)

The domain of the inverse relation is the range of the

original function.

The range of the inverse relation is the domain of the

original function. 13
INVERSE RELATION

The graphs of a relation and its inverse are reflections in the line 𝑦 = 𝑥.

Find the graph of the inverse relation geometrically from the graph of 𝑓 𝑥
(𝑥 3 −2)
= y=x
4 y
The ordered pairs of 𝑓
2
are given by the
(𝑥 3 −2)
equation 𝑦 =
4

-2
x
The ordered pairs of the 2
inverse are given by the
( x 3  2)
equation 𝑥 =
(𝑦3 −2)
( y 3  2) -2
y
4
x 4 14
4
INVERSE FUNCTION

Let 𝑓 denote a one-to-one function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥). The inverse of

𝑓, denoted by 𝑓 −1 , is a function such that 𝑓 −1 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 for
every domain of 𝑓 and 𝑓 𝑓 −1 𝑥 = 𝑥 for every 𝑥 in the
domain of 𝑓 −1 .

NOTE:

1. To find the inverse of a function algebraically, interchange

𝑥 and 𝑦 and solve for 𝑦.

2. Domain of 𝑓 = Range of 𝑓 −1, and Range of 𝑓 = Domain

of 𝑓 −1 . 15
INVERSE FUNCTION

Example 1: Find the inverse function of 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 2.

𝑦 = 3𝑥 + 2 Original equation defining 𝑓

𝑥 = 3𝑦 + 2 Switch 𝑥 and 𝑦

3𝑦 + 2 = 𝑥 Reverse side of the equation

(𝑥−2)
𝑦= Solve for 𝑦
3

𝑥−2
Therefore, 𝑓 −1 = .
3
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INVERSE FUNCTION

5
Example 2: Find the inverse function of 𝑓 𝑥 = .
𝑥−3
5
𝑦= Original equation defining 𝑓
𝑥−3

5
𝑥= Switch 𝑥 and 𝑦
𝑦−3

𝑦−3 𝑥 =5 Multiply both side by (𝑦 − 3)

𝑦𝑥 − 3𝑥 = 5 Distribute 𝑥

3𝑥+5
𝑦= Solve for 𝑦
𝑥

3𝑥+5
Therefore, 𝑓 −1 = . 17
𝑥
INVERSE FUNCTION

Example 3: Find the inverse function of 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3.

𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 3 Original equation defining 𝑓

𝑥= 2𝑦 − 3 Switch 𝑥 and 𝑦

𝑥 2 = 2𝑦 − 3 Square both sides

2𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 3 Isolate 2𝑦

𝑥 2 +3
𝑦= Solve for 𝑦
2

−1 𝑥 2 +3
Therefore, 𝑓 = .
2 18
VERIFYING INVERSE FUNCTION

Given a function 𝑓(𝑥), to verify whether some other

function 𝑔(𝑥) is the inverse of 𝑓(𝑥) the following
should hold true:

𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 =𝑥

Or

𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 =𝑥
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VERIFYING INVERSE FUNCTION

𝑥+1
Example 1: Verify that the function 𝑓 𝑥 = is the inverse
2
of 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 1

(𝑓 𝑥 + 1 ( 2𝑥 − 1 + 1 2𝑥
𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = = = =𝑥
2 2 2

𝑥+1
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 = 2𝑔 𝑥 − 1 = 2 −1= 𝑥+1 −1=𝑥
2

It follows that 𝑔 = 𝑓 −1 .
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VERIFYING INVERSE FUNCTION

Example 2: Verify that the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 − 2 is the

𝑥+2
inverse of 𝑓 𝑥 =
3

(𝑓 𝑥 + 2 ( 3𝑥 − 2 + 2 3𝑥
𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = = = =𝑥
3 3 3

𝑥+2
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑔 𝑥 − 2 = 3 −2= 𝑥+2 −2=𝑥
3

It follows that 𝑔 = 𝑓 −1 .
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CHECKING YOUR UNDERSTANDING

A. Find the inverse of each relation.

1. 1, −3 , −2, 3 , 5, 4 , (6, 4)
2. 0, 0 , 5, −6 , 1, −1 , 7, −7
3. −5, 7 , −6, −8 , 1, −2 , (10, 3)

B. Find the inverse of each function.

3. 𝑓 𝑥 = −5𝑥 − 7
4. 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 4
2−𝑥
5. 𝑓 𝑥 =
5
6. 𝑓 𝑥 = 6𝑥 + 11

C. Verify that 𝑓 and 𝑔 are inverse function.

𝑥−2
7. 𝑓 𝑥 = 5𝑥 + 2; 𝑔 𝑥 =
5
𝑥 2 +4 22
8. 𝑓 𝑥 = ;𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑥 − 4
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SUMMARY

Inverse function, denoted To verify whether some other function

by 𝑓 −1 , of a one-to-one 𝑔(𝑥) is the inverse of 𝑓(𝑥) the following
function 𝑓 is defined as should hold true:

𝑓 −1 𝑥 = (𝑦, 𝑥) 𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 =𝑥

Such that, or
𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 =𝑥

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 What’s Next?

Please do a Review about

Indices/Exponents
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