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CALCULUS A-Lesson1

Calculus involves the study of functions and their graphs. A function relates an independent variable x to a dependent variable y, where each x is mapped to exactly one y. Functions can be defined verbally, numerically in a table, graphically, or by a formula. The domain is the set of x-values, and the range is the set of y-values. Different types of functions like polynomials, rational functions, and trigonometric functions have specific domain restrictions due to their mathematical properties.

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151 views5 pages

CALCULUS A-Lesson1

Calculus involves the study of functions and their graphs. A function relates an independent variable x to a dependent variable y, where each x is mapped to exactly one y. Functions can be defined verbally, numerically in a table, graphically, or by a formula. The domain is the set of x-values, and the range is the set of y-values. Different types of functions like polynomials, rational functions, and trigonometric functions have specific domain restrictions due to their mathematical properties.

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CALCULUS A

LESSON 1 – FUNCTIONS

Calculus is the study of functions and their graphs.

A function is a relation (that is, a set of ordered pairs – like (x, y)) such that for
each first element in the domain there is one and only one second element in the
range.

According to your text, there are four ways in which one can specify a function:

(1) By a verbal description. “The area of a rectangle is the product of its


length and its width.” Or, “the volume of a sphere is equal to 4 times pi
times the radius cubed divided by 3.”

(2) By a table of values:


x function of x
1 -1
2 5
3 15
4 29
5 47

(3) By a graph:

Or, most commonly


4 2
(4) By a formula: f(x) = 2x -5x +x

The x is considered the independent variable because we have control over


which x-values we select.

The y value, or the value of f(x), is considered the dependent variable because
its value is specified depending on which x-value we select.
The set of all possible acceptable values for x (acceptable meaning values of x
which are either in a specified set or, if no set is specified, which give a real value
for the function, or y) is called the domain of the function.

When all values of x in the domain have been substituted, the resulting set of y-
values is called the range of the function.

For all polynomial functions of x (containing only non-negative integral powers of


3 2
x) such as y = x – 2x + 1 or y = 2x – 7, the domain is the set of all real
numbers. For polynomials of an odd degree (highest power odd), the range is
also the set of all real numbers. Polynomials of an even degree (highest power
even) will always have either a maximum or minimum value in the range. It will
not be all real numbers.

RATIONAL FUNCTIONS

x2 + 3
The domain of a rational function such as y = , the domain is limited by the
x2 − 4
fact that the denominator may not ever be zero. In the example here we know
2
that x – 4 cannot equal zero, so x cannot equal + 2 or – 2. All other real
numbers, when substituted, give real answers.

ROOT FUNCTIONS

EVEN ROOTS: The domain of an even-root function such as y = 2x − 6 or


4
y = x 2 − 1 is limited by the fact that the square root or fourth root, for example,
of a negative number is not a real number. Thus, the formula under the root sign
must not be negative. In the first example, 2x – 6 ≥ 0, so x ≥ 3. In the second
2 2
example, x – 1 ≥ 0, so x ≥ 1, thus either x ≥ 1 or x ≤ – 1.

ODD ROOTS: It is perfectly proper to do odd roots of negative numbers.


3
For example − 64 = – 4. Thus, the domain of odd-root functions is all real
numbers.

OTHER FUNCTIONS

The domain of other functions can also be limited. For example, the function
f(x) = log x disallows x to be zero or negative. The function y = tan x disallows x
to be any positive or negative odd multiple of π/2. Other functions which you have
studied or will study also have built-in restrictions upon their domains.
VERTICAL LINE TEST

Since the definition of a function requires only one y-value for each x-value, the
graph of y = f(x) must pass the vertical line test, that is, a vertical line drawn on
the graph must not intersect the graph of y = f(x) more than once:

Function> NOT a Function>

A LIBRARY OF FUNCTIONS
The following are the graphs of some common functions with which you should
be familiar.

LINEAR FUNCTIONS

y=x y = 3x – 4 y=–½x+1

QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
2 2 2
y=x y = – ½ (x + 2) + 3 y = x – 6x + 5
OTHER POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS
3 3 2 4
y=x y = 2x – 7x – 10x + 24 y=x

y = x4 +2x3 –25x2 –24x + 120

ROOT AND ABSOLUTE VALUE FUNCTIONS

y= x y= 3 x y=|x|

RECIPORICAL FUNCTIONS

1 1
y= y=
x x2
EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS
x x –x
y=2 y=e y=e

y = log2 x y = ln x

TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

y = sin x y = cos x y = tan x

y = cot x y = sec x y = csc x

GREATEST INTEGER FUNCTIONS

y = int(x) = [ x ]

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