0% found this document useful (0 votes)
147 views48 pages

Inverse Function - Wikipedia

The document discusses inverse functions. An inverse function undoes the mapping of another function. Not all functions have inverses, as the function must be both one-to-one and onto. The inverse of a function f is denoted as f^-1. Properties of inverse functions include uniqueness, symmetry, and the inverse of a composition of functions is the composition of the inverses in reverse order.

Uploaded by

Nid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
147 views48 pages

Inverse Function - Wikipedia

The document discusses inverse functions. An inverse function undoes the mapping of another function. Not all functions have inverses, as the function must be both one-to-one and onto. The inverse of a function f is denoted as f^-1. Properties of inverse functions include uniqueness, symmetry, and the inverse of a composition of functions is the composition of the inverses in reverse order.

Uploaded by

Nid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 48

Inverse function

A function f and its inverse f −1. Because f maps a to 3,


the inverse f −1 maps 3 back to a.
In mathematics, an inverse function (or
anti-function[1]) is a function that
"reverses" another function: if the function
f applied to an input x gives a result of y,
then applying its inverse function g to y
gives the result x, and vice versa, i.e.,
f(x) = y if and only if g(y) = x.[2][3]

As an example, consider the real-valued


function of a real variable given by
f(x) = 5x − 7. Thinking of this as a step-by-
step procedure (namely, take a number x,
multiply it by 5, then subtract 7 from the
result), to reverse this and get x back from
some output value, say y, we should undo
each step in reverse order. In this case that
means that we should add 7 to y and then
divide the result by 5. In functional
notation this inverse function would be
given by,

With y = 5x − 7 we have that f(x) = y and


g(y) = x.

Not all functions have inverse functions. In


order for a function f: X → Y to have an
inverse,[nb 1] it must have the property that
for every y in Y there must be one, and
only one x in X so that f(x) = y. This
property ensures that a function g: Y → X
will exist having the necessary relationship
with f.

Definitions

If f maps X to Y, then f −1 maps Y back to X.

Let f be a function whose domain is the


set X, and whose image (range) is the set
Y. Then f is invertible if there exists a
function g with domain Y and image X,
with the property:
If f is invertible, the function g is unique,[4]
which means that there is exactly one
function g satisfying this property (no
more, no less). That function g is then
called the inverse of f, and is usually
denoted as f −1.[nb 2]

Stated otherwise, a function, considered


as a binary relation, has an inverse if and
only if the converse relation is a function
on the range Y, in which case the converse
relation is the inverse function.[5]

Not all functions have an inverse. For a


function to have an inverse, each element
y ∈ Y must correspond to no more than
one x ∈ X; a function f with this property is
called one-to-one or an injection. If f −1 is
to be a function on Y, then each element
y ∈ Y must correspond to some x ∈ X.
Functions with this property are called
surjections. This property is satisfied by
definition if Y is the image (range) of f, but
may not hold in a more general context. To
be invertible a function must be both an
injection and a surjection. Such functions
are called bijections. The inverse of an
injection f: X → Y that is not a bijection,
that is, a function that is not a surjection, is
only a partial function on Y, which means
that for some y ∈ Y, f −1(y) is undefined. If
a function f is invertible, then both it and
its inverse function f−1 are bijections.

There is another convention used in the


definition of functions. This can be
referred to as the "set-theoretic" or "graph"
definition using ordered pairs in which a
codomain is never referred to.[6] Under this
convention all functions are
surjections,[nb 3] and so, being a bijection
simply means being an injection. Authors
using this convention may use the
phrasing that a function is invertible if and
only if it is an injection.[7] The two
conventions need not cause confusion as
long as it is remembered that in this
alternate convention the codomain of a
function is always taken to be the range of
the function.

Example: Squaring and square


root functions

The function f: ℝ → [0,∞) given by f(x) = x2


is not injective since each possible result y
(except 0) corresponds to two different
starting points in X – one positive and one
negative, and so this function is not
invertible. With this type of function it is
impossible to deduce an input from its
output. Such a function is called non-
injective or, in some applications,
information-losing.

If the domain of the function is restricted


to the nonnegative reals, that is, the
function is redefined to be
f: [0, ∞) → [0, ∞) with the same rule as
before, then the function is bijective and
so, invertible.[8] The inverse function here
is called the (positive) square root function.

Inverses and composition

If f is an invertible function with domain X


and range Y, then

, for every
Using the composition of functions we can
rewrite this statement as follows:

where idX is the identity function on the


set X; that is, the function that leaves its
argument unchanged. In category theory,
this statement is used as the definition of
an inverse morphism.

Considering function composition helps to


understand the notation f −1. Repeatedly
composing a function with itself is called
iteration. If f is applied n times, starting
with the value x, then this is written as
f n(x); so f 2(x) = f (f (x)), etc. Since
f −1(f (x)) = x, composing f −1 and f n yields
f n−1, "undoing" the effect of one
application of f.

Note on notation

While the notation f −1(x) might be


misunderstood, (f(x))−1 certainly denotes
the multiplicative inverse of f(x) and has
nothing to do with the inverse function of
f.

In keeping with the general notation, some


English[1] authors use expressions like
sin−1(x) to denote the inverse of the sine
function applied to x (actually a partial
inverse; see below)[9] Other authors feel
that this may be confused with the
notation for the multiplicative inverse of
sin (x), which can be denoted as
(sin (x))−1. To avoid any confusion, an
inverse trigonometric function is often
indicated by the prefix "arc" (for Latin
arcus).[1][10][11] For instance, the inverse of
the sine function is typically called the
arcsine function, written as
arcsin(x).[1][10][11] Similarly, the inverse of a
hyperbolic function is indicated by the
prefix "ar" (for Latin area).[11] For instance,
the inverse of the hyperbolic sine function
is typically written as arsinh(x).[11] Other
inverse special functions are sometimes
prefixed with the prefix "inv" if the
ambiguity of the f −1 notation should be
avoided.[1][11]

Properties
Since a function is a special type of binary
relation, many of the properties of an
inverse function correspond to properties
of converse relations.

Uniqueness

If an inverse function exists for a given


function f, then it is unique.[12] This follows
since the inverse function must be the
converse relation which is completely
determined by f.

Symmetry

There is a symmetry between a function


and its inverse. Specifically, if f is an
invertible function with domain X and
range Y, then its inverse f −1 has domain Y
and range X, and the inverse of f −1 is the
original function f. In symbols, for
functions f:X → Y and f−1:Y → X,[12]

and

This statement is a consequence of the


implication that for f to be invertible it
must be bijective. The involutory nature of
the inverse can be concisely expressed
by[13]

The inverse of g ∘ f is f −1 ∘ g −1.

The inverse of a composition of functions


is given by[14]
Notice that the order of g and f have been
reversed; to undo f followed by g, we must
first undo g and then undo f.

For example, let f(x) = 3x and let


g(x) = x + 5. Then the composition g ∘ f is
the function that first multiplies by three
and then adds five,

To reverse this process, we must first


subtract five, and then divide by three,

This is the composition (f −1 ∘ g −1)(x).


Self-inverses

If X is a set, then the identity function on X


is its own inverse:

More generally, a function f : X → X is


equal to its own inverse if and only if the
composition f ∘ f is equal to idX. Such a
function is called an involution.

Inverses in calculus
Single-variable calculus is primarily
concerned with functions that map real
numbers to real numbers. Such functions
are often defined through formulas, such
as:

A surjective function f from the real


numbers to the real numbers possesses
an inverse as long as it is one-to-one, i.e.
as long as the graph of y = f(x) has, for
each possible y value only one
corresponding x value, and thus passes
the horizontal line test.

The following table shows several


standard functions and their inverses:
Function f(x) Inverse f −1(y) Notes

x+a y−a

a−x a−y
y
mx m
m≠0
1 1
x
(i.e. x−1) y
(i.e. y−1) x, y ≠ 0

x2 √y (i.e. y1/2) x, y ≥ 0 only


3
x3 √y (i.e. y1/3) no restriction on x and y
p
xp √y (i.e. y1/p) x, y ≥ 0 if p is even; integer p > 0

2x lb y y>0

ex ln y y>0

10x log y y>0

ax loga y y > 0 and a > 0

trigonometric inverse trigonometric various restrictions (see table


functions functions below)

hyperbolic functions inverse hyperbolic functions various restrictions

Formula for the inverse

One approach to finding a formula for f −1,


if it exists, is to solve the equation y = f(x)
for x.[15] For example, if f is the function
then we must solve the equation
y = (2x + 8)3 for x:

Thus the inverse function f −1 is given by


the formula

Sometimes the inverse of a function


cannot be expressed by a formula with a
finite number of terms. For example, if f is
the function

then f is a bijection, and therefore


possesses an inverse function f −1. The
formula for this inverse has an infinite
number of terms:

Graph of the inverse


The graphs of y = f(x) and y = f −1(x). The dotted line is
y = x.

If f is invertible, then the graph of the


function

is the same as the graph of the equation

This is identical to the equation y = f(x)


that defines the graph of f, except that the
roles of x and y have been reversed. Thus
the graph of f −1 can be obtained from the
graph of f by switching the positions of the
x and y axes. This is equivalent to
reflecting the graph across the line
y = x.[16]

Inverses and derivatives

A continuous function f is invertible on its


range (image) if and only if it is either
strictly increasing or decreasing (with no
local maxima or minima). For example, the
function
is invertible, since the derivative
f′(x) = 3x2 + 1 is always positive.

If the function f is differentiable on an


interval I and f′(x) ≠ 0 for each x ∈ I, then
the inverse f −1 will be differentiable on
f(I).[17] If y = f(x), the derivative of the
inverse is given by the inverse function
theorem,

Using Leibniz's notation the formula above


can be written as
This result follows from the chain rule (see
the article on inverse functions and
differentiation).

The inverse function theorem can be


generalized to functions of several
variables. Specifically, a differentiable
multivariable function f : Rn → Rn is
invertible in a neighborhood of a point p as
long as the Jacobian matrix of f at p is
invertible. In this case, the Jacobian of f −1
at f(p) is the matrix inverse of the
Jacobian of f at p.

Real-world examples
Let f be the function that converts a
temperature in degrees Celsius to a
temperature in degrees Fahrenheit,

then its inverse function converts


degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius,

since

Suppose f assigns each child in a family


its birth year. An inverse function would
output which child was born in a given
year. However, if the family children born
in the same year (for instance, twins or
triplets, etc.) then the output cannot be
known when the input is the common
birth year. As well, if a year is given in
which no child was born then a child
cannot be named. But if each child was
born in a separate year, and if we restrict
attention to the three years in which a
child was born, then we do have an
inverse function. For example,

Let R be the function that leads to an x


percentage rise of some quantity, and F
be the function producing an x
percentage fall. Applied to $100 with x =
10%, we find that applying the first
function followed by the second does
not restore the original value of $100,
demonstrating the fact that, despite
appearances, these two functions are
not inverses of each other.

Generalizations
Partial inverses
The square root of x is a partial inverse to f(x) = x2.

Even if a function f is not one-to-one, it


may be possible to define a partial inverse
of f by restricting the domain. For example,
the function

is not one-to-one, since x2 = (−x)2.


However, the function becomes one-to-one
if we restrict to the domain x ≥ 0, in which
case
(If we instead restrict to the domain x ≤ 0,
then the inverse is the negative of the
square root of y.) Alternatively, there is no
need to restrict the domain if we are
content with the inverse being a
multivalued function:

The inverse of this cubic function has three branches.


Sometimes this multivalued inverse is
called the full inverse of f, and the portions
(such as √x and −√x) are called branches.
The most important branch of a
multivalued function (e.g. the positive
square root) is called the principal branch,
and its value at y is called the principal
value of f −1(y).

For a continuous function on the real line,


one branch is required between each pair
of local extrema. For example, the inverse
of a cubic function with a local maximum
and a local minimum has three branches
(see the adjacent picture).
The arcsine is a partial inverse of the sine function.

These considerations are particularly


important for defining the inverses of
trigonometric functions. For example, the
sine function is not one-to-one, since

for every real x (and more generally


sin(x + 2πn) = sin(x) for every integer n).
However, the sine is one-to-one on the
interval [− π π
2 2 ], and the corresponding
, 
partial inverse is called the arcsine. This is
considered the principal branch of the
inverse sine, so the principal value of the
inverse sine is always between − π
2 and π
2.
The following table describes the principal
branch of each inverse trigonometric
function:[18]

function Range of usual principal value

−π −1 π
arcsin 2 ≤ sin (x) ≤ 2
arccos 0 ≤ cos−1(x) ≤ π

arctan −π −1 π
2 < tan (x) < 2
arccot 0 < cot−1(x) < π

arcsec 0 ≤ sec−1(x) ≤ π

−π −1 π
arccsc 2 ≤ csc (x) ≤ 2

Left and right inverses

If f: X → Y, a left inverse for f (or retraction


of f ) is a function g: Y → X such that
That is, the function g satisfies the rule

Thus, g must equal the inverse of f on the


image of f, but may take any values for
elements of Y not in the image. A function
f with a left inverse is necessarily injective.
In classical mathematics, every injective
function f with a nonempty domain
necessarily has a left inverse; however,
this may fail in constructive mathematics.
For instance, a left inverse of the inclusion
{0,1} → R of the two-element set in the
reals violates indecomposability by giving
a retraction of the real line to the set {0,1} .

A right inverse for f (or section of f ) is a


function h: Y → X such that

That is, the function h satisfies the rule

If , then

Thus, h(y) may be any of the elements of


X that map to y under f. A function f has a
right inverse if and only if it is surjective
(though constructing such an inverse in
general requires the axiom of choice).
An inverse which is both a left and right
inverse must be unique. However, if g is a
left inverse for f, then g may or may not be
a right inverse for f; and if g is a right
inverse for f, then g is not necessarily a left
inverse for f. For example, let f: R → [0, ∞)
denote the squaring map, such that
f(x) = x2 for all x in R, and let g: [0, ∞) → R
denote the square root map, such that
g(x) = √x for all x ≥ 0. Then f(g(x)) = x for
all x in [0, ∞); that is, g is a right inverse to
f. However, g is not a left inverse to f,
since, e.g., g(f(−1)) = 1 ≠ −1.

Preimages
If f: X → Y is any function (not necessarily
invertible), the preimage (or inverse
image) of an element y ∈ Y is the set of all
elements of X that map to y:

The preimage of y can be thought of as


the image of y under the (multivalued) full
inverse of the function f.

Similarly, if S is any subset of Y, the


preimage of S is the set of all elements of
X that map to S:
For example, take a function f: R → R,
where f: x ↦ x2. This function is not
invertible for reasons discussed above.
Yet preimages may be defined for subsets
of the codomain:

The preimage of a single element y ∈ Y –


a singleton set {y}  – is sometimes called
the fiber of y. When Y is the set of real
numbers, it is common to refer to f −1({y})
as a level set.

See also
Lagrange inversion theorem, gives the
Taylor series expansion of the inverse
function of an analytic function
Inverse Fourier transform
Reversible computing

Notes
1. It is a common practice, when no
ambiguity can arise, to leave off the
term function and just refer to an
inverse.
2. Not to be confused with numerical
exponentiation such as taking the
multiplicative inverse of a nonzero real
number.
3. So this term is never used in this
convention.

References
1. Hall, Arthur Graham; Frink, Fred
Goodrich (January 1909). "Chapter II.
The Acute Angle [14] Inverse
trigonometric functions". Written at
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Trigonometry . Part I: Plane
Trigonometry. New York, USA: Henry
Holt and Company / Norwood Press /
J. S. Cushing Co. - Berwick & Smith
Co., Norwood, Massachusetts, USA.
p. 15. Retrieved 2017-08-12. "[…] α =
arcsin m: It is frequently read "arc-sine
m" or "anti-sine m," since two mutually
inverse functions are said each to be
the anti-function of the other. […] A
similar symbolic relation holds for the
other trigonometric functions. […] This
notation is universally used in Europe
and is fast gaining ground in this
country. A less desirable symbol, α =
sin-1m, is still found in English and
American texts. The notation α = inv
sin m is perhaps better still on account
of its general applicability. […]"
2. Keisler, Howard Jerome.
"Differentiation" (PDF). Retrieved
2015-01-24. "§2.4"
3. Scheinerman, Edward R. (2013).
Mathematics: A Discrete Introduction.
Brooks/Cole. p. 173. ISBN 978-
0840049421.
4. Devlin 2004, p. 101, Theorem 4.5.1
5. Smith, Eggen & St. Andre 2006, p. 202,
Theorem 4.9
6. Wolf 1998, p.198
7. Fletcher & Patty 1988, p. 116 Theorem
5.1
8. Lay 2006, p.69 Example 7.24
9. Thomas 1972, pp. 304-309
10. Korn, Grandino Arthur; Korn, Theresa
M. (2000) [1961]. "21.2.-4. Inverse
Trigonometric Functions".
Mathematical handbook for scientists
and engineers: Definitions, theorems,
and formulars for reference and review
(3 ed.). Mineola, New York, USA: Dover
Publications, Inc. p. 811;. ISBN 978-0-
486-41147-7.
11. Oldham, Keith B.; Myland, Jan C.;
Spanier, Jerome (2009) [1987]. An
Atlas of Functions: with Equator, the
Atlas Function Calculator (2 ed.).
Springer Science+Business Media,
LLC. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-48807-3 .
ISBN 978-0-387-48806-6.
LCCN 2008937525 .
12. Wolf 1998, p. 208 Theorem 7.2
13. Smith, Eggen & St. Andre 2006, pg.
141 Theorem 3.3(a)
14. Lay 2006, p. 71 Theorem 7.26
15. Devlin 2004, p. 101
16. Briggs & Cochran 2011, pp. 28-29
17. Lay 2006, p. 246 Theorem 26.10
18. Briggs & Cochran 2011, pp. 39-42
Briggs, William; Cochran, Lyle (2011).
Calculus / Early Transcendentals Single
Variable. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-0-
321-66414-3.
Devlin, Keith J. (2004). Sets, Functions,
and Logic / An Introduction to Abstract
Mathematics (3rd ed.). Chapman & Hall /
CRC Mathematics. ISBN 978-1-58488-
449-1.
Fletcher, Peter; Patty, C. Wayne (1988).
Foundations of Higher Mathematics.
PWS-Kent. ISBN 0-87150-164-3.
Lay, Steven R. (2006). Analysis / With an
Introduction to Proof (4 ed.). Pearson /
Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-148101-5.
Smith, Douglas; Eggen, Maurice; St.
Andre, Richard (2006). A Transition to
Advanced Mathematics (6 ed.).
Thompson Brooks/Cole. ISBN 978-0-
534-39900-9.
Thomas, Jr., George Brinton (1972).
Calculus and Analytic Geometry Part 1:
Functions of One Variable and Analytic
Geometry (Alternate ed.). Addison-
Wesley.
Wolf, Robert S. (1998). Proof, Logic, and
Conjecture / The Mathematician's
Toolbox. W. H. Freeman and Co.
ISBN 978-0-7167-3050-7.
Further reading
Spivak, Michael (1994). Calculus (3th
ed.). Publish or Perish. ISBN 0-914098-
89-6.
Stewart, James (2002). Calculus (5th
ed.). Brooks Cole. ISBN 978-0-534-
39339-7.

External links
Hazewinkel, Michiel, ed. (2001) [1994],
"Inverse function" , Encyclopedia of
Mathematics, Springer
Science+Business Media B.V. / Kluwer
Academic Publishers, ISBN 978-1-
55608-010-4
Wikibook: Functions
Wolfram Mathworld: Inverse Function

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Inverse_function&oldid=887384559"

Last edited 3 months ago by Dr Greg

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless


otherwise noted.

You might also like