GENERAL

MATHEMATICS

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WEEK 1 MODULE||GENERAL MATHEMATICS
 WEEK 1 Module in General Mathematics

Functions and Relations

An ordered pair is a set of inputs and outputs and represents a relationship between the two
values. A relation is a set of inputs and outputs, and a function is a relation with one output for each
input.

What is a Function?
Some relationships make sense and others don’t. Functions are relationships that make sense. All
functions are relations, but not all relations are functions.

A function is a relation that for each input, there is only one output.
Here are mappings of functions. The domain is the input or the x-value, and the range is the output,
or the y-value.

Each x-value is related to only one y-value.

Although the inputs equal to -1 and 1 have the same output, this relation is still a function because
each input has just one output.
This mapping is not a function. The input for -2 has more than one output.

Let us also look at the definition of Domain and Range of a function.

Domain It is a collection of the first values in the ordered pair (Set of all input (x) values).

Range It is a collection of the second values in the ordered pair (Set of all output (y) values).
Example:
In the relation, {(-2, 3), {4, 5), (6, -5), (-2, 3)},
The domain is {-2, 4, 6} and range is {-5, 3, 5}.
Note: Don’t consider duplicates while writing the domain and range, and also write it in increasing
order.

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WEEK 1 MODULE||GENERAL MATHEMATICS
What is the Relation?
It is a subset of the Cartesian product. Or simply, a bunch of points(ordered pairs). In other
words, the relation between the two sets is defined as the collection of the ordered pair, in which
the ordered pair is formed by the object from each set.
Example: {(-2, 1), (4, 3), (7, -3)}, usually written in set notation form with curly brackets.

Relation Representation
There are other ways too to write the relation, apart from set notation such as through
tables, plotting it on XY- axis or through mapping diagram.

Graphs, Relations, Domain, and Range

The rectangular coordinate system consists of two real number lines that intersect at a right angle. The horizontal
number line is called the x-axis, and the vertical number line is called the y-axis. These two number lines define a
flat surface called a plane, and each point on this plane is associated with an ordered pair of real numbers (x, y).
The first number is called the x-coordinate, and the second number is called the y-coordinate. The intersection of
the two axes is known as the origin, which corresponds to the point (0, 0).
The x- and y-axes break the plane into four regions called quadrants, named using roman numerals I, II, III, and IV,
as pictured. The ordered pair (x, y) represents the position of points relative to the origin. For example, the
ordered pair (−4, 3) represents the position 4 units to the left of the origin, and 3 units above in the second
quadrant.

This system is often called the Cartesian coordinate system, named after the French mathematician René
Descartes (1596–1650).

Activity 1: Find the domain and range of the following equation then graph and tell whether it is a function or not.
1) { (4, -3), (9, -5), (0, 6), (1, 3), (3, -7) } Domain: Range:
2) { (-9, -6), (9, -2), (7, -9), (1, 7), (-1, -9) } Domain: Range:
3) { (8, 2), (3, -1), (-5, -5), (-2, 9), (-3, -4) } Domain: Range:
4) { (-1, -3), (-2, -1), (-1, -1), (1, 9), (-4, 1) } Domain: Range:
5) { (-1, 7), (-7, 6), (6, 1), (-9, 2), (9, -6) } Domain: Range:
6) { (-2, -2), (2, 5), (7, -1), (-9, 4), (-1, 1) } Domain: Range:
7) { (-3, 1), (0, 2), (-7, -1), (3, 0), (3, -1) } Domain: Range:
8) { (6, -6), (-5, 4), (-4, -6), (-6, 3), (-9, -2) } Domain: Range

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WEEK 1 MODULE||GENERAL MATHEMATICS
 Evaluating Functions
To evaluate a function is to:
Replace (substitute) its variable with a given number or expression.
Like in this example:

More Examples
Here is a function: f(x) = 1 − x + x2

Evaluate For a Given Value:

Let us evaluate that function for x=3:
f(3) = 1 − 3 + 32 = 1 − 3 + 9 = 7

Another Example
You can use your ability to evaluate functions to find other answers:
Example: h(x) = 3x2 + ax − 1
You are told that h(3) = 8, can you work out what "a" is?

First, evaluate h(3): h(3) = 3×(3)2 + a×3 − 1

Simplify: h(3) = 27 + 3a − 1
h(3) = 26 + 3a

Now ... we know that h(3) = 8, so: 8 = 26 + 3a

Swap sides: 26 + 3a = 8
Subtract 26 from both sides: 3a = −18
Divide by 3: a = −6

Check: h(3) = 3(3)2 − 6×3 − 1 = 27 − 18 − 1 = 8

Careful!
I recommend putting the substituted values inside parentheses ( ), so you don't make
mistakes.

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WEEK 1 MODULE||GENERAL MATHEMATICS
Example: evaluate the function h(x) = x2 + 2 for x = −3

Replace the variable "x" with "−3":

h(−3) = (−3)2 + 2 = 9 + 2 = 11
Without the () you could make a mistake:
h(−3) = −32 + 2 = −9 + 2 = −7 (WRONG!)
Also be careful of this:
f(x+a) is not the same as f(x) + f(a)
Example: g(x) = x 2

g(w+1) = (w+1)2 = w2 + 2w + 1
vs
g(w) + g(1) = w2 + 12 = w2 + 1

Different Result!

ACTIVITY 2: Solve the following problems carefully. Show your Solution

1. The function f is defined on the real numbers by f(x) = 2 + x − x2. What is the
value of f(-3)?
2. The function g is defined on the real numbers by g(x) = (x2 + 1)(3x − 5). What is
the value of g(4)?
𝑥
3. Evaluate the function h(x)= 𝑥−3 for x=12.
√
4. Evaluate the function f(x) = |x − 5| for x = 3.
5. Evaluate the function g(x) = x2 − 3x + 2 for x = a – 2.
6. f(x) = -2x3 + ax2 + 2, You are told that f(2) = 14, can you work out what "a" is?
7. g(x) = (x2 − a)(x2 + a). You are told that g(3) = 32. Can you work out what "a" is?

Operations with Functions

We can add, subtract, multiply and divide functions! The result is a new function.

Let us try doing those operations on f(x) and g(x):

Addition

We can add two functions:

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

Note: we put the f+g inside () to show they both work on x.

Example: f(x) = 2x+3 and g(x) = x2

(f+g)(x) = (2x+3) + (x2) = x2+2x+3

Sometimes we may need to combine like terms:

Example: v(x) = 5x+1, w(x) = 3x-2
(v+w)(x) = (5x+1) + (3x-2) = 8x-1

Subtraction

We can also subtract two functions:

(f-g)(x) = f(x) − g(x)

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WEEK 1 MODULE||GENERAL MATHEMATICS
Example: f(x) = 2x+3 and g(x) = x2
(f-g)(x) = (2x+3) − (x2)

Multiplication

We can multiply two functions:

(f·g)(x) = f(x) · g(x)
Example: f(x) = 2x+3 and g(x) = x2
(f·g)(x) = (2x+3)(x2) = 2x3 + 3x2

Division

And we can divide two functions:

(f/g)(x) = f(x) / g(x)
Example: f(x) = 2x+3 and g(x) = x2
(f/g)(x) = (2x+3)/x2

ACTIVITY 3. Solve the following problems carefully and show your solution.
1. g(n) = n2 + 4 + 2n 2. f (x) = 4x − 3 g 3. h(x) = 3x + 3
h(n) = −3n + 2 g(x) = x + 2x
3
g(x) = −4x + 1
Find (g ⋅ h)(1) Find ( f − g)(4) Find (h + g)(10)
4. g(a) = 3a + 2 5. g(x) = 2x – 5 6. g(a) = 2a − 1
f (a) = 2a − 4 h(x) = 4x + 5 h(a) = 3a − 3
𝑔
Find (𝑓 ) (3) Find g(3) − h(3) Find (g ⋅ h)(−4)
7) g(t) = t2 + 3
h(t) = 4t − 3
Find (g ⋅ h)(−1)

Composition of Functions
"Function Composition" is applying one function to the results of another:

The result of f() is sent through g()

It is written: (g°f)(x)
Which means: g(f(x))
Example: f(x) = 2x+3 and g(x) = x2
"x" is just a placeholder. To avoid confusion let's just call it "input":
f(input) = 2(input)+3
g(input) = (input)2
Let's start:
(g º f)(x) = g(f(x))
First we apply f, then apply g to that result:

(g º f)(x) = (2x+3)2
What if we reverse the order of f and g?
(f º g)(x) = f(g(x))
First we apply g, then apply f to that result:

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WEEK 1 MODULE||GENERAL MATHEMATICS
 (f º g)(x) = 2x2+3
We get a different result!
When we reverse the order the result is rarely the same. So be careful which function comes first.

We can even compose a function with itself!

Example: f(x) = 2x+3
(f º f)(x) = f(f(x))
First we apply f, then apply f to that result:

(f º f)(x) = 2(2x+3)+3 = 4x + 9
We should be able to do it without the pretty diagram:
(f º f)(x)= f(f(x))
= f(2x+3)
= 2(2x+3)+3
= 4x + 9
Activity 4: Solve the following problems using composition of function. Show your solution.

Using f(x) = 4x + 3 and g(x) = x - 2,find:

1. f(g(5)) 2. g(f(-6)) 3. f(f(7)) 4. g(f(x))

Using f(x) = 6x² and g(x) = 14x + 4 find:

5. (f ∘ g)(x) 6. (g ∘ f)(x)
7. Are these two answers the same? What does this information tell you about composition?

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WEEK 1 MODULE||GENERAL MATHEMATICS