MATH SL

TEST
FUNCTIONS
by Christos Nikolaidis

SOLUTIONS

Questions
1. [Maximum mark 12]
The tables below show some values of two functions f and g

x 1 2 3 4 x 1 2 3 4
f (x) 2 -3 -1 3 g(x) 5 3 1 -3

(a) Write down the values of g(3), f -1(3) [2 marks]

(b) Calculate (fog)(2) [3 marks]
(c) Calculate (gog)(3) [3 marks]
(d) Find a solution of the equation (gof)(x) = 3 [4 marks]

Solution

(a) g(3)=1, f-1(3)=4

(b) (fog)(2) = f(g(2)) = f(3) = –1

(c) (gog)(3) = g(g(3)) = g(1) = 5

(d) (gof)(x)=3 ⇒ g(f(x)) = 3

Hence f(x) = 2

Hence x = 1

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2. [Maximum mark 16]
Let f (x) = 10-2x and g(x)= 5x. Calculate
(a) (fog)(x) and (gof)(x) [4 marks]
(b) f -1(x) [3 marks]
(c) g -1(10) [2 marks]
(d) (f -1og)(x) [2 marks]
(e) (gof) -1(x) [3 marks]
(f) (fof)(x) [2 marks]

Solution

(a) (fog)(x) = 10–2(5x) = 10–10x

(gof)(x) = 5(10–2x) = 50–10x

10 − y 10 − x
(b) 10-2x=y ⇔ x= Hence f-1(x)=
2 2

(c) g-1(10)=2 since g(2)=10

10 − 5x
(d) (f-1og)(x)=
2
50 − y 50 − x
(e) 50–10x=y ⇔ x= Hence (gof)-1(x)=
10 10

(f) (fof)(x) = 10–2(10–2x) = 4x–10

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3. [Maximum mark 10]
Find the domain of the following functions
(a) f (x) = x 2 − 5 x + 6 [1 mark]
2x + 1
(b) f (x) = 2 [4 marks]
x − 5x + 6
(c) f (x) = x 2 − 5x + 6 [3 marks]
(d) f (x) = ln( x 2 − 5 x + 6) [2 marks]

Solution

(a) x ∈R
(b) x 2 − 5x + 6 = 0 ⇔ x = 2 or x = 3
Domain: x ≠ 2 , x ≠ 3

(c) x 2 − 5x + 6 ≥ 0
Domain: x ≤ 2 , x ≥ 3

(d) x 2 − 5x + 6 > 0
Domain: x < 2 , x > 3

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4. [Maximum mark 12]
The graph of the function f (x) is the segment of a line, with endpoints A(-1,6) and
B(3,-2), as shown below.

Write down
(a) The y-intercept and the root of the function. [2 marks]
(b) The values f (1.5) and f -1(2) [2 marks]
(c) The domain and the range of the function f [3 marks]
For the inverse function f -1, the corresponding point of A is the point A΄(6,-1)
(d) Write down the coordinates of B΄, the corresponding point of B [2 marks]
-1
(e) Hence, sketch the graph of f on the same axes above. [3 marks]

Solution

(a) y-intercept: y = 4 ,root: x=2

(b) f(1.5) = 1 f −1 (2) = 1
(c) Domain: x ∈ [-1,3]
Range: y ∈ [-2,6]
(d) B′( −2,3)
(e) It is the dotted line above.

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5. [Maximum mark 10]
2x + 1
Let g(x) = and h(x) = x 2 .
x−5
(a) Find g -1(13) [4 marks]
(b) Find (hog)(4) [2 marks]
3
(c) Solve the equation (goh)(x) = − [4 marks]
4
Solution
2x + 1
(a) = 13 ⇔ 2x + 1 = 13x - 65 ⇔ 66 = 11x ⇔ x = 6
x −5
Hence g −1 (13) = 6

(b) (h o g)(4) = h(g(4)) = h( −9) = 81

3 2x 2 + 1 3
(c) (goh)(x)= − ⇔ 2
=−
4 x −5 4

⇔ 8x 2 + 4 = −3x 2 + 15

⇔ 11x 2 = 11

⇔ x2 = 1
⇔ x = ±1

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6. [Maximum mark 8]

The diagrams show how the graph of f (x) = x2 is transformed to the graph of
g(x) in three steps.

For each diagram give the equation of the curve.

y y

(a)
1

0 x 0 x
y=x2 1

y = (x − 1) 2

(b) (c) 7
y

0 1 x 0 1 x

y = 4(x − 1) 2 g(x) = 4(x − 1) 2 + 3

[4 marks]
(d) The point A(2,4) lies on the graph of the original function f (x) = x2.
Write down the corresponding positions for the point A under the following
transformations

y = f (x) + 3 (2, 7) y = f (x + 1) (1, 4)

y = f (x) − 3 (2, 1) y = f (x − 1) (3, 4)

y = 4f (x) (2, 16) y = f (2x) (1, 4)

y = f (x) / 4 (2, 1) y = f (x / 2) (4, 4)

y = − f (x) (2,-4) y = f (− x) (-2,4)

[4 marks]

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7. [Maximum mark 17]
6x − 3
Consider the function f (x) =
2x + 4
(a) Complete the following table
Vertical Horizontal
Function x-intercept y-intercept
Asymptote Asymptote
1 3
y = f (x) x = −2 y=3 x= y=−
2 4
3 1
y= f −1
( x) x=3 y = −2 x=− y=
4 2
[6 marks]
(b) Sketch the graph of f (x) by indicating any asymptotes and intersections with x-
and y-axes.
y
7

4
y=3
3

2
(1/2,0)
1
x
-9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
-1

-2 (0,-3/4)

-3

-4

-5
x = -2
[4 marks]
(c) Find the corresponding position to the horizontal asymptote of f (x) ,
under the following transformations:
Transformation 2f (x) f (x)+2 f (x–7) – f (x)
Horizontal asymptote y=6 y=5 y=3 y = −3
[4 marks]
(d) The point A(3,1.5) lies on the graph of f (x) . Find the corresponding position to
the point A under the transformation y = 2f (3x)+5
[3 marks]
f(x) (3, 1.5)

2f(x) (3, 3)

2f(3x) (1, 3)

2f(3x) + 5 (1, 8)

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8. [Maximum mark 15]
1
Consider the functions f (x) = 2x – 3 and g(x) = x , where − 8 ≤ x ≤ 3
2
(a) Sketch the graphs of f (x) and g(x) [4 marks]
y

x
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3

-1

-2

-3

(b) Sketch the graph of the function f (x) – g(x). [3 marks]

y

x
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3

-1

-2

-3

1
(c) Solve the equation 2x –3 = x . Indicate the solutions on both graphs above.
2
[4 marks]
x = −5.97 , x = 2

1
(d) Solve the inequality 2x –3 ≤ x. [2 marks]
2
− 5.97 ≤ x ≤ 2

(e) Find the minimum value of f (x) – g(x). [2 marks]

y = −2.04

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