5 The volume of a cube with edges of length x is

You can use mathematical functions

given by the function f (x) = x

to represent things from your own life.

a Find f (5).
For example, suppose the number of

b Explain what f (5) represents. pizzas your family eats depends on

the number of football games you

 

6    watch. If you eat 3 pizzas during ever y

 

football game, the function would be

a Evaluate

‘number of pizzas’ (p) = 3 times

  

i g (6) ii g (−2) iii g (0) iv g  

‘number of football games’ (g)

 

or p = 3g. Can you think of another

b Evaluate

real-life function? It could perhaps be

i g (1) ii g (1.5) iii g (1.9) iv g (1.99)

about the amount of money you spend

v g (1.999) vi g (1.9999)
or the number of minutes you spend

c What do you notice about your answers to b? talking on the phone.

d Is there a value of x for which g (x) does not exist?

e Graph the function on your GDC and look what happens

when x = 2. Explain.

Exam-Style Question

The initial velocity

2 −1

7 The velocity of a par ticle is given by v (t) = t − 9 m s .

means the velocity at

a Find the initial velocity.

the star t, when t = 0.

b Find the velocity after 4 seconds.

c Find the velocity after 10 seconds.

The par ticle comes to

d At what time does the par ticle come to rest?

rest when v = 0.

      

8 Given     find
Extension material on CD:


Worksheet 1 - Polynomials

a f (2 + h) b f (3 + h)

. Composite functions

A composi te function is a combination of two functions. You apply

one function to the result of another.

➔ The composition of the function f with the function g is

written as f (g (x)), which is read as ‘f of g of x’, or ( f g)(x),

°

which is read as ‘f composed with g of x’.

When you evaluate a function f (x), you substitute a number or

another variable for x.

For example, if f (x) = 2x + 3 then f (5) = 2(5) + 3 = 13

2 2

You can find f (x + 1) by substituting x + 1 for x to get

2 2 2

f (x + 1) = 2(x + 1) + 3 = 2x + 5

➔ A composi te function applies one function to the result of

another and is defined by ( f g)(x) = f ( g(x)).

°

 Functions
Example 

If f (x) = 5 − 3x and g (x) = x + 4, find (f g)(x).

°

g (x) goes in here

Answer

2
Substitute x + 4 into f (x).
(f g)(x) = 5 – 3(x + 4)
°

= 5 – 3x – 12

= −3x – 7

You may need to evaluate a composite function for a par ticular

value of x.

Example 

f (x) = 5 − 3x and g (x) = x + 4. Find (f g)(3).

°

Answer

Method 1

(f g)(x) = 5 – 3(x + 4) Work out the composite function.

°

= −3x – 7

(f g)(3) = –3(3) – 7 Then substitute 3 for x.

°

= −27 – 7

= −34

Both methods give

Method 2
the same result – you

g (3) = (3) + 4 = 13 Substitute 3 into g (x).

can use the one you

f (13) = 5 – 3(13) = −34 Substitute that value into f (x).

prefer.

Example 

Given f (x) = 2x + 1 and g (x) = x – 2, find

a (f g)(x) b (f g)(4)
° °

Answers

2
2

a (f g)(x) = 2(x – 2) + 1 Substitute x – 2 into f (x).

Or use Method 2:
°

2
2
= 2x − 3
g (4) = (4) – 2 = 14

and then

b (f g)(4) = 2(4) – 3 = 29 Substitute 4 for x.

° f (14) = 2(14) + 1 = 29

Exercise F

1 Given f (x) = 3x, g (x) = x + 1 and h (x) = x + 2, find

a ( f g)(3) b ( f g)(0) c ( f g)(–6) d ( f g)(x)

° ° ° °

e ( g f )(4) f ( g f )(5) g ( g f )(–6) h ( g f )(x)

° ° ° °

i ( f h)(2) j (h f )(2) k ( f h)(x) l (h f )(x) (f h)(2) ≠ (h f)(2)

° °
° ° ° °

m ( g h)(3) n (h g)(3) o ( g h)(x) p (h g)(x)

° ° ° °

Chapter  
 2

2 Given f (x) = x − 1 and g (x) = 3 − x, find

a ( g f )(1) b ( g f )(2) c ( g f )(4) d ( f g)(3)

° ° ° °

e ( g f )(3) f ( f g)(–4) g ( f g)(x + 1) h ( f g)(x + 2)

° ° ° °

Exam-Style Questions

3 Given the functions f (x) = x and g (x) = x + 2 find

a ( f g)(x) b ( f g)(3)
° °

4 Given the functions f (x) = 5x and g (x) = x + 1 find

a ( f g )(x) b ( g f )(x)
° °

5 g (x) = x + 3 and h (x) = x – 4

‘Hence’ means

a Find ( g h)(x). ‘Use the preceding

work to obtain the

b Find (h g)(x).
°

required result’.
c Hence solve the equation ( g h)(x) = (h g)(x).
° °

6 If r (x) = x – 4 and s (x) = x , find (r s)(x) and state its domain

°

and range.

. Inverse functions

–1

➔ The inverse of a function f (x) is f (x). It reverses the action of

that function.

  

If f (x) = 3x − 4 and g (x) = , then

  

f (10) = 3(10) – 4 = 26 and g ( 26) = = 10, so we are back to (f g) (10) = 10

°


where we star ted.

So g (x) is the inverse of f (x).

Not all functions have an inverse. −1

Note that f means

the inverse of f;

If g is the inverse function of f, then g will reverse the action of f for

the ‘–1’ is not an

all values in the domain of f and f will also be the inverse of g.

exponent (power).
−1

When f and g are inverse functions, we write g (x) = f (x).

➔ Functions f (x) and g (x) are inverses of one another if:

( f g)(x) = x for all of the x-values in the domain of g

°

( g f )(x) = x for all of the x-values in the domain of f.

°

The horizontal line test

➔ You can use the horizontal line test to identity inverse

functions.

If a horizontal line crosses the graph of a function more than

once, there is no inverse function.

 Functions
Example 

Which of these functions have inverse functions?

y
a b

5
5

4
4

3
3

2
2

1
1

0 x
0
x 1 3
–3 –2 –1 1 2 3
–1

–2

–3

–4

–5

y
y
c d

2
2

1
1

0 x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 x

–1
–1

–2
–2

–3

–4

Answers

y
a b
y

5 5

4 4

2 2 Did you know that Abul

1 1
Wafa Buzjani, a Persian

0
mathematician from
x x
–4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 –3 1

–1

the 10th centur y, used

No inverse function
functions? There is

–3

a crater on the moon

–4

–5
named after him.

Inverse function

y y
c d

3
3

2
2

1
1

0 x
x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1

–2

–3

Inverse function

No inverse function

Chapter  
 The graphs of inverse functions

➔ The graph of the inverse of a function is a reflection of that

function in the line y = x

Here are some examples of functions and their inverse functions.

y = x

y
y
y
1

f (x) y = x y = x

f (x) –1 1

f (x) f (x)
f (x)

x
x x

f (x)

−1

If (x, y) lies on the line f (x), then (y, x) lies on f (x). Reflecting the

function in the line y = x ‘swaps’ x and y, so the point (1, 3) reflected

in the line y = x becomes point (3, 1).

Exercise G

1 Use the horizontal line test to determine which of these functions

have inverse functions.

y
y
a b
Pioneering work by

7 7

Indian scientist Panini

6 6

in the 6th centur y BCE

5 5

included functions.
4

2
2

1
1

0 x 0
x
–5 –4 –3 –2 –1
–6 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4

–1

–2

a
–3

c d
y

y
3

2 2

0 x x
1 2 3 4 5 6 0

 Functions
2 Copy the graphs of these functions. For each, draw the

line y = x and the graph of the inverse function.

y
a b c y
y

10

8 8
8

6 6
6

4 4
4

2 2

0 x
0 x
0 x 4
2
–2 –2
–2

–4 –4
–4

–6 –6
–6

–8
–8

–10

y
d e f y

8
6

4 4

x
0
–4

2
0
–4 x
–1 1 2 3 4

–2

x
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
–4

Finding inverse functions algebraically

Look at how the function f (x) = 3x – 2 is made up. We star t with

x on the left.

x 3x – 2

To form the inverse function we reverse the process, using

inverse operations.

The inverse of +2 is 2
x + 2

3 The inverse of ×3 is ÷3


  
   
So


The next example shows you how to do this without diagrams.

Example 

–1

If f (x) = 3x – 2, find the inverse function f (x).

Answer

y = 3x – 2 Replace f (x) with y.

Replace ever y x with y and

x = 3y – 2

ever y y with x.
x + 2 = 3y

Make y the subject.

x + 2

y =

1 x + 2 1

Replace y with f (x).

f (x ) =

Chapter  
 As you saw in the graphs of functions and their inverses, the inverse

function of a given function f is the reflection of the graph y = f (x)

in the line y = x, which ‘swaps’ x and y. So in Example 12 we

swapped x and y, and then made y the subject.

➔ To find the inverse function algebraically, replace f (x) with y

and solve for y

Example 

−1

If f (x) = 4 − 3x, find f (x)

Answer

y = 4 − 3x Replace f (x) with y.

x = 4 − 3y
Replace ever y x with y and ever y y

x − 4 = −3y
with x.

x 4
Make y the subject.

= y

4 x

y =

4 x
1

–1
f (x ) =
Replace y with f (x).

To check that the inverse function in Example 13 is correct, combine

the functions

 
  

                  
 


 

–1 −1

So (f f )(x) = x and f and f are inverses of each other.

°

➔ The function I (x) = x is called the identity function.

It leaves x unchanged.

−1

So f f = I
°

Exercise H

Exam-Style Question

  

1 If f (x) = and g (x) = 2x – 4, find

a i g (1) and ( f g)(1) ii f (–3) and ( g f )(–3)

° °

iii ( f g)(x) iv ( g f )(x)

° °

b What does this tell you about functions f and g?

2 Find the inverse for each of these functions.


3

a f (x) = 3x − 1 b g (x) = x – 2 c h (x) = x + 5

 Self-inverse functions
 3

d f (x) =   e g (x) = – 2 f h (x) = 2x + 3



are such that a

 

 function and its

g        h      

    

inverse are the same.

Look for self-inverse

–1

3 What is f (x) if

 functions in question 3.

a f (x) = 1 – x b f (x) = x c f (x) =   

 Functions
 –1

4 Evaluate f (5) where




a f (x) = 6 – x b f (x) = c f (x) =

    
Note that the image

of point (a, –b) after a

 
–1

5 If f (x) = , find f (x).

reection in the line
 

y = x is the point

Exam-Style Question
(b, –a).

6 a Draw the graph of f (x) = 2 by making a table of values and

plotting several points.

b Draw the line y = x on the same graph.

–1

c Draw the graph of f by reflecting the graph of f

in the line y = x.

–1

d State the domain and range of f and f

7 The function f (x) = x has no inverse function. However,

the square root function     does have an inverse function.

Find this inverse.

By comparing the range and domain explain why the inverse

of     is not the same as f (x) = x

8 Prove that the graphs of a linear function and its inverse can
Extension material on CD:

Worksheet 1 - Polynomials
never be per pendicular.

. Transforming functions

Investigation – functions

You should use your GDC to sketch all the graphs in this investigation.

1 Sketch y = x, y = x + 1, y = x − 4, y = x + 4

You will also nd this

on the same axes.

standard equation

Compare and contrast your functions.

of a line written as

What effect do the constant (number) terms have

y = mx + b or

on the graphs of y = x + b?

y = mx + c

2 Sketch y = x + 3, y = 2x + 3, y = 3x + 3,

y = −2x + 3, y = 0.5x + 3 on the same axes. The coefcient of x

Compare and contrast your functions. is the number that

What effect does changing the x-coefcient have? multiplies the x-value.

3 Sketch y = |x|, y = |x + 2|, y = |x − 3| on the same axes.

|x| means the modulus

Compare and contrast your functions.

of x. See chapter 18

What effect does changing the values of h have on

for more explanation.

the graphs of y = |x + h|?

2 2 2 2

4 Sketch y = x , y = −x , y = 2x , y = 0.5x on the same axes.

Compare and contrast your functions.

What effect does the negative sign have on the graph?

What effect does changing the value of a have on the graphs of y = ax ?

Chapter  