Section 1.

1 Functions and their Representations 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

Functions and their Representations

DEFINITION: A function f is a rule that assigns to each element x in a set A exactly one
element, called f (x), in a set B. Its graph is the set of ordered pairs
{(x, f (x)) | x A}
The set A is called the domain of f. The range of f is the set of all possible values of f (x) as
x varies throughout the domain.

There are 4 possible ways to represent a function:

Verbally (in words)
Visually (by a graph)
Numerically (by a table of values)
Algebraically (by an explicit formula)

EXAMPLES:
1. Verbally: s(t) is speed of a car at time t
2. Visually:

x f (x)
1 2
3. Numerically: 2 8
7 -1
10 5
4. Algebraically:
x 1 5 sin x 4
(i) f (x) = 1, g(x) = , h(x) = x2 , F (x) = , y =
x x ln x
1
(ii) f (x) = , x>5
x
( 2
x if x 2
(iii) f (x) =
x + 1 if x > 2

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Section 1.1 Functions and their Representations 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

Domain and Range

EXAMPLES:
1. f (x) = x2
Domain: All real numbers or (, ).
Range: {y | y 0} or [0, ).

1
2. f (x) =
x
Domain: {x | x 6= 0} or (, 0) (0, ), since x 6= 0.
Range: {y | y 6= 0} or (, 0) (0, ).
1
3. f (x) = , x2
x
Domain: {x | x 2} or [2, ), since x 2.
Range: {y | 0 < y 1/2} or (0, 1/2].

1
4. f (x) =
x+5
Domain: {x | x 6= 5} or (, 5) (5, ), since x + 5 6= 0.
Range: {y | y 6= 0} or (, 0) (0, ).

x2
5. f (x) =
x2 3
2
  3} or(, 3) ( 3, 3) ( 3, ), since x 3 6= 0.
Domain:{x | x 6=
1 1
Range: , , .
6 2

6. f (x) = 2x

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Section 1.1 Functions and their Representations 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

6. f (x) = 2x
Domain: {x | x 2} or (, 2], since 2 x 0.
Range: {y | y 0} or [0, ).

1
7. f (x) =
2x
Domain: {x | x < 2} or (, 2), since 2 x > 0.
Range: {y | y > 0} or (0, ).

1
8. f (x) =
2x x2

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Section 1.1 Functions and their Representations 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

1
8. f (x) =
2x x2
Domain: {x | 0 < x < 2} or (0, 2), since 2x x2 = x(2 x) > 0.
Range: {y | y 1} or [1, ).

1
9. f (x) =
x2 + 3x + 2
Domain: {x | x < 2 or x > 1} or (, 2) (1, ), since x2 + 3x + 2 = (x + 1)(x + 2) > 0.
Range: {y | y > 0} or (0, ).

10. f (x) = x2 + 3x + 2
Domain: {x | x 2 or x 1} or (, 2] [1, ), since x2 + 3x + 2 = (x + 1)(x + 2) 0.
Range: {y | y 0} or [0, ).

11. f (x) = x2 + 2

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Section 1.1 Functions and their Representations 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

11. f (x) = x2 + 2
2
Domain: All realnumbers,
or (, ), since x + 2 is always > 0.
Range: {y | y 2} or [ 2, ).

12. f (x) = x 1x
Domain: {x | 0 x 1} or [0, 1], since x 0 and 1 x 0.
Range: {y | 1 y 1} or [1, 1].

13. f (x) = x x1
Domain: {x | x 1} or [1, ), since x 0 and x 1 0.
Range: {y | 0 < y 1} or (0, 1].

14. f (x) = x6 + x2 + x 1
Domain: (, ).
Range: {y | y 1.2392} or [1.2392, ).

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Section 1.1 Functions and their Representations 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

Increasing and Decreasing Functions

DEFINITION: A function f is called increasing on an interval I if

f (x1 ) < f (x2 ) whenever x1 < x2 in I
It is called decreasing on an I if
f (x1 ) > f (x2 ) whenever x1 < x2 in I

EXAMPLES:
1. The function f (x) = x2 is decreasing on (, 0) and increasing on (0, ).
2. The function f (x) = x3 is increasing everywhere, that is on (, ).
1
3. The function f (x) = is decreasing on (, 0) and on (0, ).
x

Even and odd functions

DEFINITION: A function f that satisfies

f (x) = f (x)

for every number x in its domain is called an even function. A function f that satisfies

f (x) = f (x)

for every number x in its domain is called an odd function.

REMARK: Any function is either even, or odd, or neither.

PROPERTY: Graphs of even functions are symmetric with respect to the y-axis. Graphs of
odd functions are symmetric with respect to the origin.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT confuse even/odd functions and even/odd integers!

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Section 1.1 Functions and their Representations 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

EXAMPLES:
1. Functions f (x) = x2 , x4 , x8 , x4 x2 , x2 + 1, |x|, cos x, etc. are even. In fact,
if f (x) = x2 , then f (x) = (x)2 = x2 = f (x)
if f (x) = x4 , then f (x) = (x)4 = x4 = f (x)
if f (x) = x8 , then f (x) = (x)8 = x8 = f (x)
if f (x) = x4 x2 , then f (x) = (x)4 (x)2 = x4 x2 = f (x)
if f (x) = x2 + 1, then f (x) = (x)2 + 1 = x2 + 1 = f (x)
if f (x) = |x|, then f (x) = | x| = |x| = f (x)
if f (x) = cos x, then f (x) = cos(x) = cos x = f (x)
One can see that graphs of all these functions are symmetric with respect to the y-axis.

2. Functions f (x) = x, x3 , x5 , x3 x7 , sin x, etc. are odd. In fact,

if f (x) = x, then f (x) = x = f (x)
if f (x) = x3 , then f (x) = (x)3 = x3 = f (x)
if f (x) = x5 , then f (x) = (x)5 = x5 = f (x)
if f (x) = x3 x7 , then f (x) = (x)3 (x)7 = x3 + x7 = (x3 x7 ) = f (x)
if f (x) = sin x, then f (x) = sin(x) = sin x = f (x)
One can see that graphs of all these functions are symmetric with respect to the origin.

3. Functions f (x) = x + 1, x3 + x2 , x5 2, |x 2| etc. are neither even nor odd. In fact,

if f (x) = x + 1, then f (1) = 1 + 1 = 0, f (1) = 1 + 1 = 2, therefore f (1) 6= f (1)
if f (x) = x3 + x2 , then f (1) = (1)3 + (1)2 = 1 + 1 = 0, f (1) = 13 + 12 = 2, therefore
f (1) 6= f (1)
if f (x) = x5 2, then f (1) = (1)5 2 = 1 2 = 3, f (1) = 15 2 = 1 2 = 1,
therefore f (1) 6= f (1)
if f (x) = |x 2|, then f (1) = | 1 2| = | 3| = 3, f (1) = |1 2| = | 1| = 1,
therefore f (1) 6= f (1)