Week 2

Topic 2. Types of Functions (Stewart, pp. 21 – 36)

1 Algebraic Functions
Definition 1. A polynomial in variable x is an expression of the form

P (x) = an xn + an−1 xn−1 + . . . + a2 x2 + a1 x + a0

• The constants a0 , a1 , . . . , an are called the coefficients of the polynomial.

• If an ̸= 0, then the degree of the polynomial is n.
• The domain of any polynomial is R.
Some polynomials have special names:

Name Degree Form

Constant 0 c
Linear polynomial 1 mx + c, m ̸= 0
Quadratic polynomial 2 ax2 + bx + c, a ̸= 0
Cubic polynomial 3 ax3 + bx2 + cx + d, a ̸= 0

Here are some graphs of linear and quadratic function.

−x + 1 2x + 4 −x2 + 4 x2 − 3x + 2

4
4 2
1

1 −2 2
−2 1 2

Definition 2. A rational function f is a quotient of two polynomial funcitons:

P (x)
f (x) =
Q(x)
where F and Q are polynomials.
Definition 3. A Power function is a function f of the form f (x) = xa , where a is a constant.
Here are graphs of some power functions:
1 √
y= y = x3 y= x
x

1
See the textbook for more graphs, especially page 32.
Definition 4. An algebraic function is a function whose formula could be build by only using
polynomials and the algebraic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, roots).
Example 5. All of the following functions are algebraic.
√ x2 − x √
f (x) = x2 + 1 k(x) = √ − 8x+2
1+ x
√
g(x) = x 2x2 − 2x + 3 h(x) = x2/3 (x − 2)2
Exercise 6. Find the domain of the algebraic functions,
√
x2 − 1 x3 − 1
(a) f (x) = 1 (b) g(x) = √
4 − x+1 1+ 3x

Answer:
(a) Df = R \ −1, − 43

(b) Dg = [1, ∞)

2 Piecewise defined function

Definition 7. A Piecewise defined function is a function defined by different expressions on
different parts of its domain.
Example 8. Here are a few examples of piece wise defined functions.
4
3
2

1−x as x ≤ −1
f (x) = 1
x2 as x > −1
−2 −1 1 2

2
1

x as x≥0
|x| =
−x as x<0 −2 −1 1 2

Example 9. Sketch the graph of the function f : R → R defined by f (x) = |2x − 3|.

Solution: First observe that

3
 
2x − 3 as 2x − 3 ≥ 0 2x − 3 as x≥ 2
f (x) = |2x − 3| = = 3
3 − 2x as 2x − 3 < 0 3 − 2x as x< 2

Sketch: 3

1.5

2
Example 10. Consider the piecewise defined function,

−x as −3 < x ≤ −1
√


f (x) = 1 + 1 − x2 as −1 < x < 1
 1
as x>1

2

(a) Determine the domain Df (b) Determine the range Rf

(c) Sketch the graph of this function.

Solution:
(a) Df = (−3, −1] ∪ (−1, 1) ∪ (1, ∞) = (−3, 1) ∪ (1, ∞)
(b) On (−3, −1], 1 ≤ −x < 3, thus the range here is [1, 3).
On (−1, 1), we have, 0 ≤ x2 < 1 =⇒ −1 < −x2 ≤ 0
p
=⇒ 0 < 1 − x2 ≤ 1
p
=⇒ 1 < 1 + 1 − x2 ≤ 2
Thus the range here is (1, 2].
On (1, ∞) the range is 12 .


Everything put together:

1 1
Rf = [1, 3) ∪ (1, 2] ∪ 2 = 2 ∪ [1, 3)

(c) Graph:

(−3, 3)

(0, 2)

(1, 1)
(−1, 1) 1


1, 2

−3 −1 1

Example 11. LLet g : R → R be a function defined by

g(x) = |x + 1| − |6 − 2x|

(a) Express g as a piecewise defined function.

(b) Sketch the function g.
(c) Determine all values of x for which |x + 1| − |6 − 2x| ≥ 3.
(d) Determine Rg .

3
Solution:
(a) Notice that

x+1≥0 ⇐⇒ x ≥ −1
6 − 2x ≥ 0 ⇐⇒ 3≥x

Split the number line using the numbers −1 and 3.

|x + 1| |6 − 2x| |x + 1| − |6 − 2x|
(−∞, −1) −x − 1 6 − 2x x−7
[ − 1, 3) x+1 6 − 2x 3x − 5
[3, ∞) x+1 2x − 6 7−x

Thus

 x−7 as x < −1
g(x) = 3x − 5 as −1 ≤ x < 3
7−x as 3≤x


Remember: it does not matter in which intervals the boundary points are contained it, but
each boundary point should be contain in precisely one interval.
(b) Sketch of g,

(3, 4)

−1
5 3
3

−5
(−1, −8)

(c) Solve |x + 1| − |6 − 2x| ≥ 3

Case 1: x < −1

x−7≥3 =⇒ x ≥ 10

Solution set: (−∞, −1) ∩ [10, ∞) = ∅

Case 2: −1 ≤ x < 3

3x − 5 ≥ 3 =⇒ x ≥ 83

[−1, 3) ∩ 38 , ∞ = 83 , 3



Solution set:
Case 3: x≥3

7−x≥3 =⇒ 4≥x

4
 Solution set: [3, ∞) ∩ (−∞, 4] = [3, 4]
Thus, the solution set of the initial inequality:

∅ ∪ 83 , 3 ∪ [3, 4] = 38 , 4

 

(d) The range of g:

On (−∞, −1) : x < −1 =⇒ x − 7 < −8, thus the range here is (−∞, −8)
On [−1, 3) : −1 ≤ x < 3 =⇒ −3 ≤ 3x < 9
=⇒ −8 ≤ 3x − 5 < 4
Thus the range here is [−8, 4)
On [3, ∞) : 3 ≤ x =⇒ −x ≤ −3 =⇒ 7 − x ≤ 4, thus the range here is (−∞, 4)
Everything put together,

Rg = (−∞, −8) ∪ [−8, 4) ∪ (−∞, 4] = (−∞, 4]

Verify this answer using the graph!

Exercise 12. Consider the function

f (x) = |x − 1| + |2x + 3| − 4

(a) Write f as a piecewise defined function.

(b) Make a sketch of f .
(c) Solve the inequality: |x − 1| + |2x + 3| > x + 5
(d) Solve the inequality: |x − 1| + |2x + 3| ≤ 3 − x

Answer:
(c) −∞, − 54 ∪ 3
(d) − 25 , − 12


 
2, ∞

Exercise 13. Sketch the following function:

f (x) = x2 − x − 2 − x2

Answer:

(0, 2)

(−1, −1)

(2, −4)