ALGEBRA OF FUNCTIONS EVALUATING FUNCTIONS

Evaluate the following functions using the indicated

Relation – is a correspondence between two sets where each
values.
element in the first set, called the domain, corresponds to at least
one element in the second set, called the range. Relations can be
1.) f(x) = 3x – 7 ; f(-5)
one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-one correspondence.
Function – is a relation where each element in the domain 2.) g(x) = 4x2 – 5x + 8 ; f(3)
corresponds to exactly one element in the range. One-to-one and 𝟑𝒙−𝟓
many-to-one relations are functions. 3.) q(x) = ; f(10)
𝒙𝟐
Vertical line test – a set of points in a coordinate plane is the graph
of a function if and only if no vertical line intersects the graph at more 4.) r(x) = √𝟐𝒙 − 𝟕 ; f(16)
than one point. 5.) h(x) = ⎸4x + 6 ⎹ ; f(-9)

COMMON/BASIC FUNCTIONS Solutions:

Linear Function: f(x) = mx + b Identity Function: 1.) f(x) = 3x – 7 ; f(-5)

(m and b are real numbers) f(x) = 1•x + 0 / f(x) = x f(-5) = 3(-5) – 7
= -15 – 7 = -22
2.) g(x) = 4x2 – 5x + 8 ; f(3)
g(3) = 4(3)2 – 5(3) + 8
= 4(9) – 15 + 8
= 36 – 7 = 29
𝟑𝒙−𝟓
3.) q(x) = ; f(10)
Constant Function: Square Function: f(x) = x2
𝒙𝟐
f(x) = 0•x + b / f(x) = b 3(10)−5
q(10) =
102
30 − 5 25 𝟏
= = or
100 100 𝟒

4.) r(x) = √𝟐𝒙 − 𝟕 ; f(16)

r(16) = √2(16) − 7
= √32 − 7
= √25 = ±5
Cube Function: f(x) = x3 Square Root Function: f(x) = √x
5.) h(x) = ⎸4x + 6 ⎹ ; f(-9)
h(-9) = ⎸4(-9) + 6 ⎹
= ⎸-36 + 6 ⎹
= ⎸-30 ⎹ = 30

Evaluating Piecewise-Defined Functions

Piecewise Function – are functions defined in terms of
pieces.
3
Cube Root Function: f(x) = √ x Absolute Value Function: Example: Evaluate the piecewise-defined function below
f(x) = ⎸x⎹
using (a) 7, (b) 4, and (c) -2.

f(x) =
{ x2 – 12 (x < 4)
√𝒙 + 𝟐𝟎 (x > 5)

Solutions:

(a) Since 7 is greater than 5, we use the second piece

Reciprocal Function: of the given function.
1
Increasing and Decreasing
f(x) = ; x ≠ 0 Functions
x f(7) = √7 + 20
= √27
= √9 • 3
f(7) = 𝟑√𝟑
(b) The function is not defined for f(4), since the
function is only defined for values less than 4 or
numbers greater than/equal to 5. The function
has no solution.
(c) Since -2 is less than 4, we use the first piece of the
function above.

f(-3) = (-2)2 – 12
= 4 – 12
f(-3) = -8
 OPERATIONS ON FUNCTIONS
Exercises
A. Sum function: (f + g)(x) = f(x) + g(x)
A. Evaluate each given function for the following
B. Difference function: (f – g)(x) = f(x) – g(x) values:
(a) x = 3
C. Product function: (f • g)(x) = f(x)•g(x) (b) x = -7
𝒇 𝒇(𝒙) (c) x = 9
D. Quotient function: ( )(x) = g(x) ≠ 0 (d) x = -11
𝒈 𝒈(𝒙)

Example: Given f(x) = 4x2 – 25 and g(x) = 2x + 5, 1.) f(x) = -5x + 12

determine (a) the sum, (b) the difference, (c) the product, 2.) g(x) = x2 – x – 72
and (d) the quotient of the functions.
3.) 𝒙+𝟔
q(x) =
Solutions: 𝟐𝒙
4.) r(x) = 𝟑√𝒙 + 𝟏𝟔
(a) (f + g)(x) =(4x2 – 25) + (2x + 5)
= 4x2 – 25 + 2x + 5 5.) h(x) = ⎸–x2 – x + 10⎹
= 4x2 + 2x – 20 6.) 𝒙𝟑 + 𝟖
q(x) =
(b) (f – g)(x) =(4x2 – 25) – (2x + 5) 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒
= 4x2 – 25 – 2x – 5 7.) 𝟑
r(x) = √𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑𝟑
= 4x2 – 2x – 30
8.) h(x) = ⎸x2⎹ – ⎸x – 4⎹
(c) (f•g)(x) = (4x2
– 25)(2x + 5)
√𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏 (x < -1)

𝑓
= 8x3 + 20x2 – 50x – 125

4𝑥 2 − 25
9.) f(x) =
{ 3x + 2 (x > 2)
(d) ( )(x) = 8x – 14 (5 < x < 15)
𝑔

=
2𝑥 + 5
(2𝑥 + 5)(2𝑥 − 5)
10.) g(x) = { 3x2 – x – 10 (-15 < x < 5)
2𝑥 + 5
B. For each pair of functions, determine the
= 2x – 5 following:
(a) (f + g)(x)
COMPOSITION OF FUNCTIONS (b) (f – g)(x)
(c) (f • g)(x)
Definition: Given two functions f and g, two composite 𝒇
functions can be formed: (d) ( )(x)
𝒈

 The composition of f with g is defined by

1.) f(x) = 6x + 15 ; g(x) = 12x – 9
(f ∘ g) (x) = f [ g(x) ],
2.) f(x) = -2x + 14 ; g(x) = 4x + 20
where the domain of the composition is all x in the
3.) f(x) = x2 + 2 ; g(x) = x – 5
domain of g for which g(x) is in the domain of f.
4.) f(x) = x2 – 16 ; g(x) = x2 – 36
 The composition of g with f is defined by
5.) f(x) = 10x ; g(x) = 5x3 – 20x
(g ∘ f) (x) = g [ f(x) ],
6.) f(x) = x3 – 216 ; g(x) = x + 6
where the domain of the composition is all x in the
7.) f(x) = x2 – 4 ; g(x) = x2 – 6x + 9
domain of f for which f(x) is in the domain of g.
8.) f(x) = x3 + 27 ; g(x) = x2 – 9
Example:
9.) f(x) = 2x – 1 ; g(x) = x2 – 9x + 14
Given the functions f(x) = x2 + 1 and g(x) = x – 3, find (a)
(f ∘ g) (x) and (b) (g ∘ f) (x). Evaluate the result at x = -4. 10.) f(x) = x2 – x – 2 ; g(x) = x2 – 6x + 8
Solutions:
C. For each pair of functions, determine
(a) (f ∘ g) (x) = f [ g(x) ] (where f(x) = x2 + 1) (a) (f ∘ g) (x) and (b) (g ∘ f) (x). Evaluate the
results using x1 = 5 & x2 = -2.
= (x – 3)2 + 1 (substitute g to f(x))
= x2 – 6x + 9 + 1 (expansion)
= x2 – 6x + 10 1.) f(x) = 3x ; g(x) = x2

at x = -4: 2.) f(x) = x3 ; g(x) = -2x

(f ∘ g) (-4) = (-4)2 – 6(-4) + 10 3.) f(x) = x – 3 ; g(x) = 3x2
= 16 + 24 + 10
= 50 4.) f(x) = 2x3 ; g(x) = x – 3
5.) f(x) = 4x – 5 ; g(x) = -3x + 8
(b) (g ∘ f) (x) = g [ f(x) ] (where g(x) = x – 3)
6.) f(x) = 5x + 2 ; g(x) = -4x – 1
= (x2 + 1) – 3 (substitute f to g(x))
= x2 + 1 – 3 (remove parentheses) 7.) f(x) = x2 + 5x – 24 ; g(x) = 2x – 7
= x2 – 2 8.) f(x) = x + 4 ; g(x) = 2x2 – 11x + 12
at x = -4: 9.) f(x) = x2 + x – 6 ; g(x) = x2 – 4x + 4
(g ∘ f) (-4) = (-4)2 – 2
= 16 – 2 10.) f(x) = x3 + 8; g(x) = 2x – 4
= 14