Combinations of Functions

Dr. René Pérez Cuapio

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Operations with
functions

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 Combinations of Functions
Two functions f and g can be combined to form new
functions f + g, f – g, fg, and f/g in a manner similar to the
way we add, subtract, multiply, and divide real numbers.
The sum and difference functions are defined by

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

If the domain of f is A and the domain of g is B, then the

domain of f + g is the intersection A ∩ B because both
f (x) and g(x) have to be defined.

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 Example 1

If the domain of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 is 𝐴 = 0, ∞

and the domain of 𝑔 𝑥 = 2 − 𝑥 is B = −∞, 2

So the domain of 𝑓 + 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2 − 𝑥 is 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵 = [0,2]

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 Combinations of Functions
Similarly, the product and quotient functions are defined by

The domain of fg is A ∩ B, but we can’t divide by 0 and so

the domain of f/g is {x  A ∩ B | g(x)  0}.

Example 2
For instance, if f(x) = x2 and g(x) = x – 1, then the domain of
the rational function (f/g)(x) = x2/(x – 1) is {x | x  1},
or ( , 1) U (1, ).

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 Combinations of Functions
Example 3
We have

The Domain of is ( , ) and

is [0, )
Formula Domain

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 Combinations of Functions
Example 4

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𝐹 𝑥 = 𝑥+1 𝐺 𝑥 = 9 − 𝑥2

The domain

𝑥 + 1 ≥ 0 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑥 ≥ −1 9 − 𝑥2 ≥ 0

[−1, ∞) 3−𝑥 =0 𝑦 3+𝑥 =0

𝑥=3 𝑥 = −3

(3-x) (3+x) (3-x) (3+x)≥0

x=-4 + - -
x=0 + + +
-1
-3 3 x=4 - + -

[−3,3]
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Combinations of Functions
Formula Domain

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Composition of
functions

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 Combinations of Functions
There is another way of combining two functions to obtain a
new function. For example, suppose that y = f(u) =
and u = g(x) = x2 + 1.

Since y is a function of u and u is, in turn, a function of x, it

follows that y is ultimately a function of x. We compute
this by substitution:

y = f(u) = f(g(x)) = f(x2 + 1) =

The procedure is called composition because the new

function is composed of the two given functions f and g.
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 Combinations of Functions
In general, given any two functions f and g, we start with a
number x in the domain of g and find its image g(x). If this
number g(x) is in the domain of f, then we can calculate the
value of f(g(x)).

The result is a new function h(x) = f(g(x)) obtained by

substituting g into f. It is called the composition
(or composite) of f and g and is denoted by f  g (“f circle g”).

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 Combinations of Functions
The domain of f  g is the set of all x in the domain of g such
that g(x) is in the domain of f.

In other words, (f  g)(x) is

defined whenever both
g(x) and f(g(x)) are defined.

Figure 11 shows how to

picture f  g in terms of machines.

The f  g machine is composed of

the g machine (first) and then
the f machine.
Figure 11
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 Combinations of Functions
Example 5

If f(x) = x2 and g(x) = x – 3, find the composite functions

(f  g)(x) and (g  f)(x); then determine (f  g)(5) and (g  f)(8)

Solution:
We have
(f  g)(x) = f(g(x)) = f(x – 3) = (x – 3)2

𝑓°𝑔 5 = (5 − 3)2 = 4

(g  f)(x) = g(f(x)) = g(x2) = x2 – 3

𝑔°𝑓 8 = 82 − 3 = 61 13
 Example 6

If and find each function and

its domain

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 Combinations of Functions

2−𝑥 4≥2−𝑥
2− 2−𝑥
2−𝑥 ≥0 𝑥 ≥2−4
2− 2−𝑥 ≥0
−𝑥 ≥ −2 𝑥 ≥ −2
𝑥≤2 2≥ 2−𝑥

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 Combinations of Functions
It is possible to take the composition of three or more
functions. For instance, the composite function f  g  h is
found by first applying h, then g, and then f as follows:

(f  g  h)(x) = f(g(h(x)))

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 Combinations of Functions
Example 7

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 Combinations of Functions

Until now, we have used composition to build complicated

functions from simpler ones. But in calculus it is often useful to be
able to decompose a complex function into simpler ones, as in
the following example

Example 8
Given 𝑝 𝑥 = (𝑥 + 2)5 find the functions f and g so that, 𝐹 = 𝑔°𝑓(𝑥)

Solution

𝑝 𝑥 = 𝑔(𝑓(𝑥))

𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥5 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥+2

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 Example 9

𝑝 𝑥 = 𝑥2 + 4

𝑝 𝑥 =𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 4

𝑝 𝑥 =𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 4 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2

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 Combinations of Functions
Example 10

Given , find the functions f, g and h, so

that,

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