IGCSEFM :: Domain/Range

Dr J Frost ([email protected])
www.drfrostmaths.com

Objectives: The specification:

Last modified: 19th October 2015

OVERVIEW
This is a IGCSE FM topic only (not C1 – you don’t see domain/range until C3!)

#1: Understanding of functions #2: Domain/Range of common functions

(particularly quadratic and trigonometric)

#3: Domain/Range of other #4: Constructing a function based

functions on a given domain/range.
RECAP :: Functions
A function is something which provides a rule on how to map inputs to outputs.
From primary school you might have seen this as a ‘number machine’.

Input Output
Name of the function
(usually or )

𝑓 ( 𝑥)=2 𝑥
Input Output

𝑥 f 2𝑥
Check Your Understanding

𝑓 ( 𝑥)=𝑥 2+2
Q1 What does this function do?
It squares the input?then adds 2 to it.

Q2 What is ?
f(3) = 32 + 2 = 11 ?
Q3 What is ?
f(-5) = 27
?
Q4 If , what is ?

So ?
Algebraic Inputs
If you change the input of the function (), just replace each
occurrence of in the output.

If what is: If what is:

𝑓 (𝑥 −1)=( 𝒙 −𝟏)+𝟏=𝒙 𝟐
?
?

𝑓 (𝑥 −1)=( 𝒙 −𝟏) −𝟏
?
? ?
?

If what is: ?

𝑓 ( 𝑥 −1)= 𝟐 ( 𝒙 −𝟏)
?
?
?
Test Your Understanding
A If , determine:
(a) ?
(b) ?
(c) ?

B If , solve
2
2 𝑥 +1=51
?
 Exercise 1 (exercises on provided sheet)

1 [AQA Worksheet] . Work out when 5 [AQA Set 2] The function is defined as

(a) Work out the value of

[AQA Worksheet] . ?
2 If , determine the value of . ?
(b) Work out the value of
(b) Solve ?
[AQA Worksheet] ? (only 2 within domain)
Show that (which is in domain)
3 If determine: ?
[June 2012 Paper 2] for all values of . (a)
Solve 6 (b)
? (c) ?
(d) ?
4 ?
(e) Solve
?
?
?
 Domain and Range
Inputs

-1 1 Outputs

0 0

2
𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) =𝑥
1.7 2.89
2 4

3.1 9.61
... ...

! The domain of a function is the set of ! The range of a function is the set of
possible inputs. possible outputs.
Example
𝑦
2
𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) =𝑥 Sketch:
𝑥

Domain: for all

?
We can use any real number as the input!

Range: 𝑓 (𝑥
? )≥0
Look at the values on the graph.
The output has to be positive, since it’s been squared.

B Bro Tip: Note that the domain is in terms of and the range in terms of .
Test Your Understanding
𝑦
𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) =√ 𝑥 Sketch: ?
𝑥

Domain: 𝑥≥
? 0
Presuming the output has to be a real number, we
can’t input negative numbers into our function.

Range: 𝑓 (𝑥
? )≥0
The output, again, can only be positive.
 Mini-Exercise
In pairs, work out the domain and range of each function.
A sketch may help with each one.
3
1 2 Function
Function Function
Domain For all Domain For all except 0
Domain For all
Range For all? Range ? Range For all except 0
?
4 5 6
Function Function Function
Domain For all Domain For all Domain For all
Range ? Range ? Range For all ?

7 9 Function
8
Function Function s.t.

Domain For all except 2 Domain Domain

Range For all except 1 Range ? Range ?
?
 Range of Quadratics
A common exam question is to determine the range of a quadratic.

The sketch shows the function where .

𝑦 Determine the range of .

We need the minimum point, since

from the graph we can see that
(i.e. ) can be anything greater than
3 this.
𝑥
?
The minimum point is thus the
range is:

(note the rather than )

An alternative way of thinking about it, once you’ve completed the square, is that anything
squared is at least 0. So if is at least 0, then clearly is at least 3.
Test Your Understanding
𝑦
The sketch shows the function where .
Determine the range of .

𝑥
Therefore ?
( 1 , −9 )

𝑦
The sketch shows the function where .
( 2 , 25 ) Determine the range of .

𝑥 Therefore
?
Range for Restricted Domains
Some questions are a bit jammy by restricting the domain. Look out for this, because
it affects the domain!

Determine the range of .

𝑦
Notice how the domain is .

When
Sketching the graph, we see that
? when , the function is increasing.
Therefore when

−3 −1 1 𝑥
Test Your Understanding

Determine the range of . Determine the range of .

𝑦
When
When

Range:

? 𝑥 ?
−2

When
As decreases from -2, is
increasing. Therefore:
Range of Trigonometric Functions

90 ° 180° 270° 360°

Suppose we restricted the domain in different ways.

Determine the range in each case (or vice versa). Ignore angles below 0 or above 360.

Domain Range
For all (i.e. unrestricted) ?
?
?
Range of Piecewise Functions
It’s a simple case of just sketching the full function.

The sketch shows the graph of with the domain

Determine the range of .

Range:
Graph ? Range ?
Test Your Understanding
The function is defined for all :

Determine the range of .

Range:
Graph ? Range ?
Exercise 2 (exercises on provided sheet)

1 Work out the range for each of these 4 [Set 1 Paper 2] (a) The function is defined
functions. as:
(a) for all
? The range of is
(b) Work out the value of .
? ?
(c)
(b) The function is defined as
? for all .
2 (a) (i) Express in the form
Give a reason why is not a suitable ?
domain for . (ii) Hence write down the range of .
It would include 3, for which is ?
undefined. ?
(b) Give a possible domain for 5 [June 2012 Paper 1] for all values of .
(a) What is the value of ?
?
(b) What is the range?of ?
3 The range of is
Work out and . ?
?
Exercise 2 (exercises on provided sheet)

6 [Jan 2013 Paper 2] 8

(a) What is the range of ?

(b) You are given that . ?

Work out the value of .

? Here is a sketch of
By completing the square or otherwise, for all , where is a constant. The
range of is . Work out the value
7 determine the range of the following of .
functions:
(a) for all

Range: ?
(b) for all ?
Range:
?
Exercise 2 (exercises on provided sheet)

9 10

The straight line shows a sketch of for

the full domain of the function. is a quadratic function with domain all
(a) State the domain of the function. real values of . Part of the graph of is
shown.
? of the line.
(b) Work out the equation (a) Write down the range of .
?
? (b) Use the graph to find solutions of the
equation .
?
(c) Use the graph to solve .
?
Exercise 2 (exercises on provided sheet)

11 The function is defined as: 13

Work out the range of .

?
The function has the domain
12 and is defined as:
[June 2012 Paper 2] A sketch of for
Work out the range of . domain is shown.
The graph is symmetrical about . The
range of is .
Work out the function .
?

?
Constructing a function from a domain/range
June 2013 Paper 2

What would be the simplest

function to use that has this
𝑦 domain/range?
A straight line! Note, that
11 could either be going up or
down (provided ? it starts and
ends at a corner)

What is the equation of this?

3
?
𝑥
1 5
Constructing a function from a domain/range
Sometimes there’s the additional constraint that the function is ‘increasing’ or
‘decreasing’. We’ll cover this in more depth when we do calculus, but the meaning of
these words should be obvious.

is a decreasing function with domain and range .

𝑦
19

7 ?

6 𝑥
4
Exercise 3 (exercises on provided sheet)

1 Domain is . Range . is an increasing function.

?
2 Domain is . Range . is a decreasing function.
?
3 Domain is . Range . is an increasing function.
?
4 Domain is . Range . is a decreasing function.
?
5 Domain is . Range . is a decreasing function.