"Full Coverage": Functions

This worksheet is designed to cover one question of each type seen in past papers, for each
GCSE Higher Tier topic. This worksheet was automatically generated by the DrFrostMaths
Homework Platform: students can practice this set of questions interactively by going to
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Question 1
Categorisation: Determine the output for a function given an input.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 1 Autumn 2016 3H Q20a]

For all values of 𝑥

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 3 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2

(a) Find 𝑔(−4)

𝑔(−4) = ..........................

Question 2
Categorisation: Determine the input that would result in an output.

Given that

𝑓(𝑥) = 6𝑥 + 1

Find the value of 𝑥 when

𝑓(𝑥) = 7

𝑥 = ..........................

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Question 3
Categorisation: Determine the input that would result in a given output, where the
function involves algebraic fractions.

[Edexcel IGCSE May2015-3H Q17c]

3 1
𝑓(𝑥) = +
𝑥+1 𝑥−2

Find the value of 𝑥 for which 𝑓(𝑥) = 0 Show clear algebraic working.

𝑥 = ..........................

Question 4
Categorisation: Determine the input that would result in a given output, requiring
use of the quadratic formula.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 2 Spring 2017 3H Q21b]

1 1
𝑓(𝑥) = +
𝑥+2 𝑥−3

Given that 𝑓(𝑥) = 4

(c) find the possible values of 𝑥 .

..........................

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Question 5
Categorisation: Find the output expression for a function when some arbitrary input
expression is used, e.g. if 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑, then 𝒇(𝒙𝟐 ) = 𝟐𝒙𝟐 + 𝟑 and
𝒇(𝒙 + 𝟏) = 𝟐(𝒙 + 𝟏) + 𝟑.

[Edexcel Specimen Papers Set 1, Paper 2H Q18]

𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 8

Express 𝑓(𝑥 + 2) in the form 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥

𝑓(𝑥 + 2) = ..........................

Question 6
Categorisation: As Question 5, but used to form a quadratic equation.

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 𝑥

Solve 𝑓(𝑥 − 1) + 𝑓(𝑥 + 1) = 6

..........................

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Question 7
Categorisation: Use a graph representation of a function to find an output for a
specified input.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2016-3H Q15a]

The diagram shows the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) for −3.5 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1.5

Find 𝑓(0)

𝑓(0) = ..........................

Question 8
Categorisation: Using a graph representation of a function, reason about the
input(s) that result in a specified output.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2016-3H Q15b]

The diagram shows the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) for −3.5 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1.5

For which values of 𝑘 does the equation 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑘 have only one solution?

..........................

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Question 9
Categorisation: Find the output of a composite function for a numerical input.

[Edexcel IGCSE May2016-4H Q17b]

𝑓 is the function such that 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 5

𝑔 is the function such that 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 10

Find 𝑓𝑔(−4)

..........................

Question 10
Categorisation: Apply the same function multiple times, e.g. 𝒇𝒇(𝒙) or 𝒈𝒈(𝒙).

[Edexcel IGCSE May2016(R)-3H Q18b]

𝑓 is the function such that

Find 𝑓𝑓(−1)

..........................

Question 11
Categorisation: Determine the input that would result in the output of a composite
function.

[Edexcel IGCSE May2016-4H Q17d]

𝑓 is the function such that 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 5

𝑔 is the function such that 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 10

Solve 𝑔𝑓(𝑥) = −1

..........................

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Question 12
Categorisation: Use a graph representation of a function combined with another
algebraically specified function to determine the output of a composite function for
a given input.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2016-3H Q15e]

The diagram shows the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) for −3.5 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1.5

1
𝑔(𝑥) =
2+𝑥

Find 𝑓𝑔(−3)

𝑓𝑔(−3) = ..........................

Question 13
Categorisation: Determine a composite function in terms of 𝒙.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 1 Autumn 2016 3H Q20b Edited]

For all values of 𝑥

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 3 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2

(b) Determine 𝑔𝑓(𝑥) , giving your expression in its simplest form.

𝑔𝑓(𝑥) = ..........................

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Question 14
Categorisation: Appreciate in general that 𝒇𝒈(𝒙) is not necessarily 𝒈𝒇(𝒙), and
potentially use a combination of both to solve equations.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 1 Autumn 2016 3H Q20c]

For all values of 𝑥

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 3 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2

(c) Solve 𝑓𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑔𝑓(𝑥)

..........................

Question 15
Categorisation: Determine a composite function in terms of 𝒙, involving multiple
applications of the same function.

[Edexcel Specimen Papers Set 2, Paper 2H Q9c]

The functions 𝑓 and 𝑔 are such that

Find 𝑓𝑓(𝑥) , simplifying your expression.

𝑓𝑓(𝑥) = ..........................

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Question 16
Categorisation: Deal with constants in functions,
e.g. if 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒌𝒙 + 𝟏 then 𝒇(𝟐) = 𝟐𝒌 + 𝟏

[Edexcel New SAMs Paper 3H Q10b]

The function 𝑓 is such that

𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥 − 1

The function 𝑔 is such that

𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑘𝑥 2 where 𝑘 is a constant.

Given that 𝑓𝑔(2) = 12 , work out the value of 𝑘

𝑘 = ..........................

Question 17
Categorisation: Determine the inverse of simple linear functions.

[Edexcel IGCSE May2016-4H Q17c]

𝑓 is the function such that 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 5

𝑔 is the function such that 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 10

Express the inverse function 𝑓 −1 in the form 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = ...

𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = ..........................

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Question 18
Categorisation: Determine the inverse of functions involving fractions.

[Edexcel Specimen Papers Set 2, Paper 2H Q9b]

The functions 𝑓 and 𝑔 are such that

Find 𝑔−1 (𝑥)

𝑔−1 (𝑥) = ..........................

Question 19
Categorisation: Determine the inverse of a function where the subject appears
multiple times.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2016(R)-3H Q16c]

2𝑥
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥−1

Find 𝑓 −1 (𝑥)

𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = ..........................

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Question 20
Categorisation: Appreciate the functions are only defined for certain inputs, e.g.
𝟏
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙 is not defined for 0, 𝒇(𝒙) = √𝒙 is not defined for negative inputs. IGCSE
requires understanding of the terms ‘domain’ and ‘range’.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 2 Spring 2017 3H Q21b]

1 1
𝑓(𝑥) = +
𝑥+2 𝑥−3

(b) Write down a value of 𝑥 for which 𝑓(𝑥) is not defined.

..........................

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Answers

Question 1
𝑔(−4) = 18

Question 2
𝑥=1

Question 3
5
𝑥=
4

Question 4
3±√101
4

Question 5
𝑓(𝑥 + 2) = 3𝑥 2 + 10𝑥

Question 6
𝑥 = −2 or 𝑥 = 1

Question 7
𝑓(0) = 5

Question 8
𝑘 < 5 or 𝑘 > 13

Question 9
7

Question 10
1
5

Question 11
𝑥 = 1 or 𝑥 = 4

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Question 12
𝑓𝑔(−3) = 9

Question 13
𝑔𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 + 11

Question 14
𝑥 = 1 or 𝑥 = 5

Question 15
𝑓𝑓(𝑥) = 9𝑥 − 48

Question 16
13
𝑘=
16

Question 17
1
𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 2 (𝑥 + 5)

Question 18
𝑔−1 (𝑥) = 5(𝑥 − 1)

Question 19
𝑥
𝑓 −1 (𝑥) =
𝑥−2

Question 20
"-2 OR 3"

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