35010 Foundation Mathematics

FUNCTIONS AND GRAPHS

Introduction to Functions

Example: The area of a square depends on its side . The rule which assigns for each
number a value of is given by the equation .
 The value of depends upon the value of ;
 Each value of yields only one value of ;
Example: Cost of producing items is given by the formula:
.
 The value of depends upon the value of ;
 Each value of yields only one value of .

A function f is a rule that assigns to each element of a set exactly ONE element
from the set

Notation: ; is a function of .
 is called the independent variable;
 is called the dependent variable (because it depends upon ).
 is the value of the function when .
The set of all possible values of the independent variable is called
Domain of the function.
The set of all possible values of the dependent variable is called
Range of the function.

Class discussion: Determine domain and range of the functions from the examples above.

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Example for each of the following:

 Write the indicated function;
 Determine what is independent variable; what is dependent variable;
 Evaluate the function for the given values :
a) Circumference of a circle as a function of its radius
Find value of for ;
b) Volume of a cube as a function of its side .
Find value of for ;
c) Area of a triangle as a function of a height , which is perpendicular to the side
equal to Find value of for .
Example for each of the following functions determine its domain and range:
a) b) c)

d)

Rectangular Coordinates
System of Coordinates is a method of representing points in a space by coordinates. There
are different systems of coordinates which are used for various purposes. For example in
navigation any point is described by its latitude and longitude.
The rectangular coordinate system on a
plane is represented by two perpendicular
(-2,4) axes and which intersect at the point
called origin.
(3,2) Each point on the plane is uniquely
identified by a pair of numbers, or
.
(-3,1)
The (the first number of the
pair) is the displacement of the point from
the origin along x-axis. If the displacement
is to the right of the origin, than the
(0,0) is positive, to the left - then
it is negative.
The y coordinate (the second number of
the pair) is the displacement of the point
(-2,2) from the origin along y-axis. If the
displacement is up from the origin, than
the is positive; down from
the origin – then it is negative.
The coordinates of origin are

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y
The coordinate plane is divided by the axes
and into 4 quadrants. The quadrants are
counted in anticlockwise direction. We use
II Q IQ the quadrants to refer to the specific part of
(-,+) (+,+)
the plane.

x Example: Plot the set of points

4, 5, 4, - 2, - 2, 3, -1, - 5, 0, 3 .
III Q IV Q
(-,-) (+,-) Example : Three vertices of the rectangle are
. What are the
coordinates of the fourth vertex?
Examples :

 Where are all points such that y  3 ?

 Where are all points such that ?

 Where are all points such that y  3 ?

Example: Some values resulting from the function hx  x 2  2 are

3 2 1 0 1 2 3
11 6 3 2 3 6 11

Thus, we have a number of pairs Each pair identifies a unique point on the plane.
Now we can plot all these points on a rectangular coordinate system.

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The totality of all points with coordinates is the graph of the function .

Graphs are very useful. For example, they help us find the domain, the range, and to apply
the vertical line test (apply to the example above).

In this example the domain is , and the range is

Important: In time you will be able to get a mental picture of certain categories of graphs
simply by looking at their equations. The following table gives a summary of some common
types. Here, x and y are the variables, and a, b, c are fixed numbers.

Equation Name
y  ax  b line

y  ax 2  bx  c parabola

a hyperbola
y
x

y  a  x2 semicircle

So, even before beginning to plot points for a graph, you will know what to expect.

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 Line:
 Parabola:
 Hyperbola:
2
 Square root:
 Semicircle:
1

2.0

2 1 1 2

1.5

1.0

2 0.5

2 1 1 2
3

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Examples:
 Graph the function f x   3x  5 and state its domain and range.
Find the domain of g n  
n
 .
4n  2
 Graph the function g x   2  x and state its domain and range.

 Graph the function h  t  2 and state its domain and range.

 x  1 for x  0
 Graph the function f x    and state its domain and range.
 x  3
2
for x  0

Homework Problems

1. If f x   3x  9 , find f  1 , f 2 , and f 3 .

2. If f x  5x  9 , find f  1 , f 2 , and f 3 .

3. If g x  x 2  3x  5 , find g 1 , g 2 , and g  3 .

4. If hx   3x 2  9 find h2q  , h3r  , and ht  2 .

5. Where are all the points whose x  coordinates are 3?
6. Where are all the points whose y - coordinates are 5?
7. Where are all the points whose x - coordinates equal their y - coordinates?
8. Where are all the points such that y  5 ?
9. Where are all the points such that x  5 ?
10. Describe the values of x and y if 0, 0 , 3, 9 , and x, y  lie in a line.
11. Find the domain of each of the following functions.
(a) f x   3x  9 (b) hx   3x (c) f x   x  5 (d) g x   x 2  3x  4

(e) d x   (f) T x   (g) Gx   (h) J n  

1 1 7 n
x2 7x  2 x3 8  2n
12. Find the domain and range of each of the following functions. A sketch will help.
 x  1 for x  0
(a) f x   x  3 (b) f x   x 2  3 (c) f x   x  1 (d) f x    2
 x  1 for x  0
(e) f x   x  2 (f) f x   2  x (g) f x   3x  2

13. Plot enough points to determine the main features of each of the following graphs.

(a) y  x  3 (b) y   x  3 (c) y  x 2  3 (d) y   x 2  3 (e) y  x 2  x  6

3  x for x  1
(f) y 2 (g) y  2x (h) y  x 1 (i) y  x 2
 x  1 for x  1

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Answers

1. In order, the answers are 6, 15, 18

2. In order, the answers are 14 , 1, 6

3. In order, the answers are  1 , 5, 13

4. In order, the answers are 12q 2  9 , 27r 2  9 , 3t 2  12t  21

5. They all lie on a vertical line that intersects the x axis at x  3

6. They all lie on a horizontal line that intersects the y axis at y  5

7. They all lie on a line inclined at 45  to the x axis, and which passes through the
origin

8. They are all the points below the line in question 6.

9. They are all the points to the right of the vertical line that intersects the x axis at
x  5

10. The y coordinate is three times the x coordinate

11. (a) all real x (b) x  0 (c) x  5 (d) all real x (e) all real x except 2
2
(f) all real x except (g) x  3 (h) all real n except 4
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12. (a) Domain is all real x . Range is all real y .
(b) Domain is all real x . Range is y  3 .
(c) Domain is all real x . Range is all real y .
(d) Domain is all real x . Range is y  1 together with y  1 .
(e) Domain is x  2 . Range is y  0 .
(f) Domain is x  2 . Range is y  0 .
2
(g) Domain is x  . Range is y  0 .
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13. (a) A line that slopes up to the right and intersects the y axis at 3.
(b) A line that slopes down to the right and intersects the y axis at 3.
(c) A parabola, pointing upwards, symmetric about the y axis, and intersecting
the y axis at 3.
(d) Similar to (c), but the parabola here points downwards.
(e) A parabola, pointing upwards, and intersecting the x axis at  2 and 3.
(f) This consists of two parts. To the left of x  1 it is a line, and to the right of
x  1 it is a parabola.
(g) A “V” shape touching the x axis at the origin.
(h) A “V” shape touching the x axis at x  1
(i) A “V” shape, symmetrical about the y axis, and whose lowest point is 0, 2 .