EGERTON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF OPEN AND DISTANCE
LEARNING
E-CAMPUS
MATH 112: Basic Mathematics
Topic 7 Handout
Copyright
Copyright© Egerton University
Published 2020
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the copyright owner.
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 1 of 12
Topic 7: Functions
Introduction
Welcome to topic seven. This topic is aimed at introducing you to the aspect of functions. Under
this you will be expected to know what functions are and how they are related to relations. Once
you have a function, you will be required to obtain an inverse function as well as finding
composition of functions. The topic is, therefore, designed to prepare you to have a clear
understanding of the function and its properties.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this topic you should be able to: -
1. Define the term function
2. Find the inverse of a function
3. Define and solve problems involving composite functions
7.1 Definition (Function)
A function f : X → Y is a rule that assigns to every x X a unique element y Y . If a
relation R represents a function f : X → Y and xRy the we write f ( x ) = y
Now y is called the image of x under f , X is called the Domain of f while Y is called
the co – domain of f . The set R f = y Y : f ( x ) = y for some x X is called the Range of
f .
A function is also called a mapping or transformation. If f ( x ) = y , we say that f maps x to
y
Examples
1. Given two sets A = 1, 2,3, 4,5 and B = 0,1, 2,3, 4,5,6,7,8,9 . Determine whether the
relation R defined by “is 2 less than” from set A to set B is a function.
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 2 of 12
Solution
R is a function since each and every member of set A is linked to one and only one member
of set B i.e R : x → x + 2 or R ( x ) = x + 2
2. Given any two sets X = 1, 2,3, 4 and Y = a, b, c with the relations
R1 = (1, a ) , ( 3, c ) , ( 4, a ) , ( 2, b ) , ( 3, a ) , (1, c )
R2 = (1, c ) , ( 2, a ) , ( 3, c )
R3 = (1, b ) , ( 2, c ) , ( 3, a ) , ( 4, a )
Find out whether R1 , R2 and R3 are functions
Solution
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 3 of 12
R1 is a one – many relation hence not a function
R2 is a many – one relation hence not a function since
DR2 X i.e R2 ( 4 ) does not exists
Note: If 4 X has an image in Y , then many – one becomes a function
R3 is a many – one relation hence a function since DR3 = X . Therefore one – one
relations and many – one relations are functions
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 4 of 12
Note: a function is a relation but a relation is may or may not be a function.
1. A function f : X → Y is called a one – one (injective) if whenever f ( x1 ) = y and
f ( x2 ) = y , then x1 = x2
2. A function f : X → Y is called a onto (surjective) if R f = Y i.e y Y there exists
some x X such that f ( x ) = y
3. A One- one and onto function is called a bijective function.
Example
Let X = 1, 2,3, 4 and Y = p, q, r . Then:
a) f1 : X → Y defined by (1, p ) , ( 2, r ) , ( 3, q ) , ( 4, r )
• f1 is onto since y Y , f ( x ) = y for some x X
• f1 is not one – one since f1 ( 2 ) = r and f1 ( 4 ) = r but 2 4
b) f 2 : X → Y such that f 2 = (1, p ) , ( 2, r ) , ( 3, q )
• f 2 is not a function for f 2 ( 4 ) does not exists
7.2 Inverse of a Function
−1
If f : X → Y is one – one and onto, then we define f : ( y, x ) : ( x, y ) f as a function
from Y onto X . This is called the inverse of f
The D f −1 = codomain of f
Examples
Find the inverse of the following functions:
a) f : x → 2 x − 11
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 5 of 12
Solution
f ( x ) = 2 x − 11
Let y = 2 x − 11; make x the subject of the formula
2 x = y + 11
y + 11
x= ; replace y with x on R.H .S
2
x + 11
f −1 ( x ) =
2
x+5
b) g ( x) =
x−6
Solution
x+5
Let y=
x−6
Then yx − 6 y = x + 5
x ( y − 1) = 6 y + 5
6y + 5
x=
y −1
6x + 5
g −1 ( x ) =
x −1
6 (10 ) + 5 65
g −1 (10 ) = =
10 − 1 9
c) f ( x ) = 5x − 9
Solution
Let y = 5 x − 9
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 6 of 12
Then y 2 = 5x − 9
5x = y 2 + 9
y2 + 9
x=
5
x2 + 9
f −1 ( x ) =
5
7.3 Composition of Functions
Consider f ( x ) = 3 − x + x , then
2
f ( 0) = 3
f (1) = 3
f ( −1) = 5
f (k ) = 3 − k + k 2
f ( k + 1) = 3 − ( k + 1) + ( k + 1) = 3 + k + k 2
2
If we let g ( x ) = x + 1, then f ( x + 1) = f g ( x ) is called the composition of g followed by f
or a composite function written as f g
Note:
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 7 of 12
1. The order in which the operations must be performed is from right to left.
2. Composition of functions is not the same as multiplication of functions.
Examples
g f ( x)
1. Given that f ( x ) = 2 x + 1 and g ( x ) = 3x + 1. Find f g ( x ) and g f ( x )
Solution
f g ( x ) = f g ( x )
= f ( 3x − 1)
= 2 ( 3x − 1) + 1
= 6x −1
g f ( x ) = g f ( x )
= g ( 2 x + 1)
= 3 ( 2 x + 1) − 1
= 6x + 2
Note: f g g f in general i.e composition is not a commutative operation
2. Given that f ( x ) = 3x − 2 and g ( x ) = 2 x + 3 . Find f g ( x ) and g f ( x )
7 x −1
Solution
f g ( x ) = f g ( x )
2x + 3
=f
7x −1
2x + 3
= 3 −2
7x −1
6x + 9
= −2
7 x −1
6 x + 9 − 2 ( 7 x − 1)
=
7 x −1
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 8 of 12
11 − 8 x
=
7 x −1
g f ( x ) = g f ( x )
= g ( 3x − 2 )
2 ( 3x − 2 ) + 3
=
7 ( 3x − 2 ) − 1
6x −1
=
21x − 15
7.4 Cyclic Composition
Given that f ( x ) = x , compute f ( x ) , f ( x ) , f ( x ) , f ( x ) and hence deduce f ( x )
2 3 4 5 54
x −1
and f ( x )
69
Solution
For f ( x ) = x
x −1
f 2 ( x ) = f f ( x )
x
= f
x −1
x
= x −1
x
−1
x −1
x
= x −1 =x
1
x −1
f 3 ( x) = f f 2 ( x)
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 9 of 12
x
= f ( x) =
x −1
f 4 ( x) = f f 3 ( x)
x
= f =x
x − 1
x
f 5 ( x) = f f 4 ( x) = f ( x) =
x −1
f 54 ( x ) = x
x
f 69 ( x ) =
x −1
7.5 Inverse of Composite Functions
Examples
If f ( x ) = x + 3 and g ( x ) = 2 x, find ( f g ) ( x) f −1 ( x )
−1 −1
and g
Solution
(f g )( x ) = f g ( x )
= f ( 2x)
= 2x + 3
Let y = 2 x + 3
2x = y − 3
y −3
x=
2
x −3
(f g) ( x) =
−1
2
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 10 of 12
For g ( x ) = 2 x
Let y = 2 x
y
x=
2
x
g −1 ( x ) =
2
And for f ( x ) = x + 3
Let y = x + 3
x = y −3
f −1 ( x ) = x − 3
g −1 f −1 ( x ) = g −1 f −1 ( x )
= g −1 ( x − 3)
x −3
=
2
Hence ( f g ) ( x ) = g −1
−1
f −1
Topic Summary
In this topic, you have learned what functions are, types of relations that qualify to be functions
and how to find the inverse of functions. In addition you have learned how to define composite
functions and solve problems involving the inverses of composite functions.
In summary, you learned that;
▪ A function f : X → Y is a rule that assigns to every x X a unique element y Y . If a
relation R represents a function f : X → Y and xRy the we write f ( x ) = y
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 11 of 12
Now y is called the image of x under f , X is called the Domain of f while Y is
called the co – domain of f . The set R f = y Y : f ( x ) = y for some x X is called
the Range of f .
▪ One – one relations and many – one relations are functions
▪ A function is a relation but a relation is may or may not be a function.
▪ A function f : X → Y is called a one – one (injective) if whenever f ( x1 ) = y and
f ( x2 ) = y , then x1 = x2
▪ A function f : X → Y is called a onto (surjective) if R f = Y i.e y Y there exists
some x X such that f ( x ) = y
▪ A One - one and onto function is called a bijective function.
▪ If f : X → Y is one – one and onto, then the inverse of f is defined from Y onto X
−1
as f : ( y, x ) : ( x, y ) f .
▪ In working out the composition of functions, it is worth noting that:
➢ The order in which the operations must be performed is from right to left.
➢ Composition of functions is not the same as multiplication of functions.
Glossary
A function – f : X → Y is a rule that assigns to every x X a unique element y Y .
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"
Page 12 of 12
