Applications and Use of the Inverse

Functions
Examples on how to aplly and use inverse functions in real life situations and
solve problems in mathematics.
Example 1: Use inverse functions to solve equations.

Solve the following equation

Log ( x - 3) = 2
Solution to example 1:
• Since logarithmic and exponential functions are
inverses of each other, we can write the following.

A = Log (B) if and only B = 10 A

• Use the above property of logarithmic and

exponential functions to rewite the given equation as
follows.

x - 3 = 10 2

• Solve for x to obtain.

x = 103

Example 2: Use inverse functions to find range of functions.

Find the range of function f give by

f(x) = 2 x / (x - 3)
Solution to example 2:
• We know that the range of a one to one function is
the domain of its inverse. Let us first show that
function f given above is a one to one function. Start
with .

f(a) = f(b)

2 a / (a - 3) = 2 b / (b - 3)

• Multiply all terms of the above equation by (a - 3)(b -

3) and simplify to obtain.
 2a (b - 3) = 2 b(a - 3)

• Expand.

2a b - 6 a = 2 ba - 6 b

• Add - 2 a b to both sides and simplify to obtain.

a=b

• Hence the given function is a one to one. let us find

its inverse.

y = 2 x / (x - 3)

• Interchange x and y and solve for y.

x = 2 y / (y - 3)

y = 3x / (2 - x)
• The inverse of function f is given by.

f-1 (x) = 3x / (2 - x)

• The domain of f-1 is the set of all real values except x

= 2. Hence the range of f is the set of all real values
except 2.

Example 3: Use inverse functions find the angle of elevation

of a camera.

A camera is to take a series of photographs of a hot air

balloon rising vertically. The distance between the camera
at (B) and the launching point of the balloon (A) is 300
meters. The camera must keep the balloon on sight and
therefore its angle of elevation t must change with the height
x of the balloon.

a) Find angle t as a function of the height x.

b) Find angle t in degrees when x is equal to 150, 300 and

600 meters. (approximate your answer to 1 decimal place).

c) Graph t as a function of x.
Solution to example 3:
• a) The opposite and the adjacent sides to angle t are
x and 300 meters respectively, hence.

tan(t) = x / 300

• We now use the property of the tangent function and

its inverse.

tan -1(tan(x)) = x

• To rewrite the equation tan(t) = x / 300 as follows.

tan -1(tan(t)) = tan -1( x / 300 )

• Simplify the left side of the above equation to obtain.

t = tan -1( x / 300 )

• b) The values of t at 150, 300 and 600 are found

using a calculator..

t(150) = 25.6 degrees (approximated to 1 decimal

place)

t(300) = 45.0 degrees

t(600) = 63.4 degrees (approximated to 1 decimal

place)

• c) We use the values of t in part b) and extra points

and graph t as a function of x..

x t
 0 0
150 25.6
300 45.0
600 63.4
1200 76.0
3000 84.3
•

Example 4: Use inverse functions to find radius of right

circular cone.

Five right circular cones, with the same height h = 50 cm,

are to be constructed. The volumes of these cones are to be
200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 cm3. Find the radius of the
base of each cone.
Solution to example 4:
• The formula of the volume V of a right circular cone
with height h and radius r is given by.

V = (1/3) pi r2 h

• Since we need to find the radius, we need to solve

the above eqaution for r to obtain.
 r = SQRT(3 V / pi h)

• What we have done above is to find the inverse

function of V. We do not need to interchange the
variables V and r because they have different
meaning in this problem..

• We now calculate the radius for each cone using the

formula for the radius above..

a) V = 200 , r = SQRT(3*200 / 50*pi) = 1.95 cm

b) V = 400 , r = SQRT(3*400 / 50*pi) = 2.76 cm

c) V = 800 , r = SQRT(3*800 / 50*pi) = 3.91 cm

d) V = 1600 , r = SQRT(3*1600 / 50*pi) = 5.53 cm

e) V = 3200 , r = SQRT(3*3200 / 50*pi) = 7.82 cm

Example 5: Use inverse functions to solve population

problems.

The population of a certain city increase according to the

following formula

P = 200,000 e 0.01 t

where P is the population and t the number of years, with t =

0 corresponding to the year 2000.

When will the population be 300,000, 400,000 and 500,000?

Solution to example 5:
• We need to find t first by solving the given formula for
t. Divide both sides of the given formula by 200,000..

P / 200,000 = e 0.01 t

• We now use the fact that the exponential and

logarithmic functions are inverses of each other and
rewrite the above exponential expression as follows.

0.01 t = ln ( P / 200,000 )

• Solve for t..

 t = ln ( P / 200,000 ) / 0.01
• We now find t for the different values of P given
above..

a) P = 300,000 , t = ln ( 300,000 / 200,000 ) / 0.01 =

40.55 years , year 2041

a) P = 400,000 , t = ln ( 400,000 / 200,000 ) / 0.01 =

69.31 years , year 2070

a) P = 500,000 , t = ln ( 500,000 / 200,000 ) / 0.01 =

91.63 years , year 2092

More links and references related to the inverse functions.

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Author - e-mail

Updated: 27 November 2007 (A Dendane)

Applications and Use of the Inverse

Functions
Examples on how to aplly and use inverse functions in real life situations and
solve problems in mathematics.
Example 1: Use inverse functions to solve equations.

Solve the following equation

Log ( x - 3) = 2
Solution to example 1:
 • Since logarithmic and exponential functions are
inverses of each other, we can write the following.

A = Log (B) if and only B = 10 A

• Use the above property of logarithmic and

exponential functions to rewite the given equation as
follows.

x - 3 = 10 2

• Solve for x to obtain.

x = 103

Example 2: Use inverse functions to find range of functions.

Find the range of function f give by

f(x) = 2 x / (x - 3)
Solution to example 2:
• We know that the range of a one to one function is
the domain of its inverse. Let us first show that
function f given above is a one to one function. Start
with .

f(a) = f(b)

2 a / (a - 3) = 2 b / (b - 3)

• Multiply all terms of the above equation by (a - 3)(b -

3) and simplify to obtain.

2a (b - 3) = 2 b(a - 3)

• Expand.

2a b - 6 a = 2 ba - 6 b

• Add - 2 a b to both sides and simplify to obtain.

a=b

• Hence the given function is a one to one. let us find

its inverse.

y = 2 x / (x - 3)
 • Interchange x and y and solve for y.

x = 2 y / (y - 3)

y = 3x / (2 - x)
• The inverse of function f is given by.

f-1 (x) = 3x / (2 - x)

• The domain of f-1 is the set of all real values except x

= 2. Hence the range of f is the set of all real values
except 2.

Example 3: Use inverse functions find the angle of elevation

of a camera.

A camera is to take a series of photographs of a hot air

balloon rising vertically. The distance between the camera
at (B) and the launching point of the balloon (A) is 300
meters. The camera must keep the balloon on sight and
therefore its angle of elevation t must change with the height
x of the balloon.

a) Find angle t as a function of the height x.

b) Find angle t in degrees when x is equal to 150, 300 and

600 meters. (approximate your answer to 1 decimal place).

c) Graph t as a function of x.

Solution to example 3:
• a) The opposite and the adjacent sides to angle t are
 x and 300 meters respectively, hence.

tan(t) = x / 300

• We now use the property of the tangent function and

its inverse.

tan -1(tan(x)) = x

• To rewrite the equation tan(t) = x / 300 as follows.

tan -1(tan(t)) = tan -1( x / 300 )

• Simplify the left side of the above equation to obtain.

t = tan -1( x / 300 )

• b) The values of t at 150, 300 and 600 are found

using a calculator..

t(150) = 25.6 degrees (approximated to 1 decimal

place)

t(300) = 45.0 degrees

t(600) = 63.4 degrees (approximated to 1 decimal

place)

• c) We use the values of t in part b) and extra points

and graph t as a function of x..

x t
0 0
150 25.6
300 45.0
600 63.4
1200 76.0
3000 84.3
•
 •

Example 4: Use inverse functions to find radius of right

circular cone.

Five right circular cones, with the same height h = 50 cm,

are to be constructed. The volumes of these cones are to be
200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 cm3. Find the radius of the
base of each cone.
Solution to example 4:
• The formula of the volume V of a right circular cone
with height h and radius r is given by.

V = (1/3) pi r2 h

• Since we need to find the radius, we need to solve

the above eqaution for r to obtain.

r = SQRT(3 V / pi h)

• What we have done above is to find the inverse

function of V. We do not need to interchange the
variables V and r because they have different
meaning in this problem..

• We now calculate the radius for each cone using the

formula for the radius above..
 a) V = 200 , r = SQRT(3*200 / 50*pi) = 1.95 cm

b) V = 400 , r = SQRT(3*400 / 50*pi) = 2.76 cm

c) V = 800 , r = SQRT(3*800 / 50*pi) = 3.91 cm

d) V = 1600 , r = SQRT(3*1600 / 50*pi) = 5.53 cm

e) V = 3200 , r = SQRT(3*3200 / 50*pi) = 7.82 cm

Example 5: Use inverse functions to solve population

problems.

The population of a certain city increase according to the

following formula

P = 200,000 e 0.01 t

where P is the population and t the number of years, with t =

0 corresponding to the year 2000.

When will the population be 300,000, 400,000 and 500,000?

Solution to example 5:
• We need to find t first by solving the given formula for
t. Divide both sides of the given formula by 200,000..

P / 200,000 = e 0.01 t

• We now use the fact that the exponential and

logarithmic functions are inverses of each other and
rewrite the above exponential expression as follows.

0.01 t = ln ( P / 200,000 )

• Solve for t..

t = ln ( P / 200,000 ) / 0.01
• We now find t for the different values of P given
above..

a) P = 300,000 , t = ln ( 300,000 / 200,000 ) / 0.01 =

40.55 years , year 2041

a) P = 400,000 , t = ln ( 400,000 / 200,000 ) / 0.01 =

 69.31 years , year 2070

a) P = 500,000 , t = ln ( 500,000 / 200,000 ) / 0.01 =

91.63 years , year 2092

More links and references related to the inverse functions.

Home Page - Online Calculators - Trigonometry - Antennas - Graphing - Precalculus Tutorials - Calculus
Tutorials
Calculus Questions - Geometry Tutorials - Precalculus Applets - Applied Math - Precalculus Questions
and Problems -
Equations, Systems and Inequalities - Geometry Calculators - Math Software - Elementary Statistics -
Author - e-mail

Updated: 27 November 2007 (A Dendane)

Matrices Applied to Electric Circuits

SEARCH THIS SITE A tutorial on how
mathematics, matrices in
Top of Form particular, are applied to
model electric circuits.

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Bottom of Form

There are two closed loops

in the above circuit. loop 1:
e1, R1 and R3 and loop 2:
e2, R2 and R3. e1 and e2
are sources of voltages.
R1, R2 and R3 are
resistors. i1 is the current
flowing across R1 and i2 is
the current flowing across
R2. We now apply
Kichhoff's law to each loop.

loop 1: e1 = R1 i1 + R3 (i1
- i2)

loop 2: e2 = R2 i2 + R3 (i2
- i1)

Question: If e1, e2, R1, R2

and R3 are known, how do
you calculate i1 and i2?
This circuit is simple and
involves only two
equations. However
electric cicuits can be much
more complicated that the
one above and matrices
are suitable to answer the
above question. Let us
group like terms in the
above system of equations

e1 = i1 (R1 + R3) - i2 R3
e2 = - i1 R3 + i2(R2 + R3)

and then write it in matrix

form as follows

The above is a matrix

equation that may be
solved using any known
method to solve systems of
equations. Let e, R and i be
matrices given by

The solution to the above

matrix equation is given by

where R -1 is the inverse

matrix of R and is given by.

More Mathematics Applied

to Physics and
Engineering.
Home Page - Online Calculators - Trigonometry - Antennas - Graphing - Precalculus Tutorials - Calculus
Tutorials
Calculus Questions - Geometry Tutorials - Precalculus Applets - Applied Math - Precalculus Questions
and Problems -
Equations, Systems and Inequalities - Geometry Calculators - Math Software - Elementary Statistics -
Author - e-mail

Updated: 26 November 2007 (A Dendane)