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Lecture7 Combining Functions

This document discusses combining and composing functions. It defines new functions using operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of existing functions. It also defines composing two functions as applying one function to the output of another. Examples are provided to demonstrate finding the sum, difference, product and division of two sample functions, as well as evaluating composed functions at different points. The difference quotient is also introduced as a way to calculate the slope of a secant line between two points on a curve.

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28 views

Lecture7 Combining Functions

This document discusses combining and composing functions. It defines new functions using operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of existing functions. It also defines composing two functions as applying one function to the output of another. Examples are provided to demonstrate finding the sum, difference, product and division of two sample functions, as well as evaluating composed functions at different points. The difference quotient is also introduced as a way to calculate the slope of a secant line between two points on a curve.

Uploaded by

marchelo_chelo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Arkansas Tech University

MATH 1203: Trigonometry


Dr. Marcel B. Finan
7 Combining Functions
In this section we are going to construct new functions from old ones using
the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and com-
position.
Let f(x) and g(x) be two given functions. Then for all x in the common
domain of these two functions we dene new functions as follows:
Sum: (f + g)(x) = f(x) + g(x).
Dierence: (f g)(x) = f(x) g(x).
Product: (f g)(x) = f(x) g(x).
Division:

f
g

(x) =
f(x)
g(x)
provided that g(x) = 0.
Example 7.1
Let f(x) = x + 1 and g(x) =

x + 3. Find the common domain and then
nd a formula for each of the functions f + g, f g, f g,
f
g
.
Solution.
The domain of f(x) consists of all real numbers whereas the domain of g(x)
consists of all numbers x 3. Thus, the common domain is the interval
[3, ). For any x in this domain we have
(f + g)(x) = x + 1 +

x + 3
(f g)(x) = x + 1

x + 3
(f g)(x) = x

x + 3 +

x + 3

f
g

(x) =
x+1

x+3
provided x > 3
Example 7.2
Let f(x) = x
2
3x + 2 and g(x) = 2x 4. Evaluate the indicated function.
(a) (f + g)

1
2

(b) (f g)(1) (c) (fg)

2
5

(d)

f
g

(11).
Solution.
(a) f(
1
2
) =
3
4
and g(
1
2
) = 3 so that (f + g)

1
2

=
3
4
3 =
9
4
.
(b) f(1) = 6 and g(1) = 6 so that (f g)(1) = 6 (6) = 12.
(c) f(
2
5
) =
24
25
and g(
2
5
) =
16
5
so that (fg)

2
5

=
384
125
.
(d) f(11) = 90 and g(11) = 18 so that

f
g

(11) =
90
18
= 5.
1
Dierence Quotient
Dierence quotients are what they say they are. They involve a dierence
and a quotient. Geometrically, a dierence quotient is the slope of a secant
line between two points on a curve. The formula for the dierence quotient
is:
f(x + h) f(x)
h
.
Example 7.3
Find the dierence quotient of the function f(x) = x
2
.
Solution.
Since f(x + h) = (x + h)
2
= x
2
+ 2hx + h
2
we obtain
f(x + h) f(x)
h
=
(x
2
+ 2hx + h
2
) x
2
h
=
2hx + h
2
h
=
h(2x + h)
h
=2x + h
Composition of Functions
Suppose we are given two functions f and g such that the range of g is
contained in the domain of f so that the output of g can be used as input
for f. We dene a new function, called the composition of f with g, by the
formula
(f g)(x) = f(g(x)).
Using a Venn diagram (See Figure 7.1) we have
Figure 7.1
2
Example 7.4
Suppose that f(x) = 2x + 1 and g(x) = x
2
3.
(a) Find f g and g f.
(b) Calculate (f g)(5) and (g f)(3).
(c) Are f g and g f equal?
Solution.
(a) (f g)(x) = f(g(x)) = f(x
2
3) = 2(x
2
3) + 1 = 2x
2
5. Similarly,
(g f)(x) = g(f(x)) = g(2x + 1) = (2x + 1)
2
3 = 4x
2
+ 4x 2.
(b) (f g)(5) = 2(5)
2
5 = 45 and (g f)(3) = 4(3)
2
+ 4(3) 2 = 22.
(c) f g = g f
With only one function you can build new functions using composition of
the function with itself. Also, there is no limit on the number of functions
that can be composed.
Example 7.5
Suppose that f(x) = 2x + 1 and g(x) = x
2
3.
(a) Find (f f)(x).
(b) Find [f (f g)](x).
Solution.
(a) (f f)(x) = f(f(x)) = f(2x + 1) = 2(2x + 1) + 1 = 4x + 3.
(b) [f(fg)](x) = f(f(g(x))) = f(f(x
2
3)) = f(2x
2
5) = 2(2x
2
5)+1 =
4x
2
9
3

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