FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

CHAPTER 2:
FUNCTION AND GRAPH
2.2 OPERATIONS ON FUNCTIONS
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

LEARNING OUTCOME

• At the end of the module , you should be able to:

 find the domains of the combined functions and
composite function
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

OPERATIONS ON
FUNCTIONS
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

OPERATIONS ON FUNCTION

• functions behave exactly as one would expect with regard to the

four basic operations of algebra (addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division).
• when functions are combined by these operations, though, the
domain of the new combined function is only the elements that
were shared by the domains of the original functions.
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

OPERATIONS ON FUNCTION
• If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are any functions, the following is applicable:

Operation Terminology Function Value Domain

Sum 𝑓+𝑔 𝑓 + 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑥)

Difference 𝑓−𝑔 𝑓 − 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔(𝑥) Domain 𝑓 ∩ 𝑔

Product 𝑓𝑔 𝑓𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑓 𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
Quotient 𝑥 = 𝑥 ∈𝑓∩𝑔 𝑔 𝑥 ≠0
𝑔 𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

OPERATIONS ON FUNCTION

Example 1

Let 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟑 and 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝒙
Find the following functions and their domains
a. 𝑓 + 𝑔
b. 𝑓 − 𝑔
c. 𝑓𝑔
𝑓
d.
𝑔
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

OPERATIONS ON FUNCTION
Example 1 : Solution
The domain of 𝑓 is −∞, ∞ and the domain of 𝑔 is 0, ∞)

Function value Domain

𝑓 + 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝒙𝟑 + 𝒙

𝑓 − 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝒙𝟑 − 𝒙 0, ∞)

𝑓𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝒙𝟑 𝒙

𝑓 𝑓(𝑥) 𝒙𝟑
𝑥 = = 0, ∞
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥) 𝒙
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

OPERATIONS ON FUNCTION

Example 2

Let 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙 − 𝟏 and 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝟒 − 𝒙
Find the following functions and their domains
a. 𝑓 + 𝑔
b. 𝑓 − 𝑔
c. 𝑓𝑔
𝑓
d.
𝑔
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

OPERATIONS ON FUNCTION
Example 2 : Solution
The domain of 𝑓 is 1, ∞) and the domain of 𝑔 is (−∞, 4

Function value Domain

𝑓+𝑔 𝑥 = 𝒙−𝟏+ 𝟒−𝒙
1, ∞)
𝑓−𝑔 𝑥 = 𝒙−𝟏− 𝟒−𝒙 ∩ (−∞, 4
= 1,4
𝑓𝑔 𝑥 = 𝒙 − 𝟏 𝟒 − 𝒙

𝑓 𝒙−𝟏 𝒙−𝟏
𝑥 = = 1, 4)
𝑔 𝟒−𝒙 𝟒−𝒙
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

COMPOSITION
OF FUNCTIONS
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

COMPOSITION OF FUNCTION
Given two functions 𝑓 and 𝑔, the composite function is denoted by
𝑓∘𝑔 (“𝑓 composed with 𝑔”) and defined by

𝒇∘𝒈 𝒙 =𝒇 𝒈 𝒙

The domain of 𝑓∘𝑔 is the set of all real numbers 𝑥 in the domain
of 𝑔 where 𝑔(𝑥) is in the domain of 𝑓

𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓∘𝑔 = 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓∘𝑔 ∗ ∩ 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑔

𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑔∘𝑓 = 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑔∘𝑓 ∗ ∩ 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓

FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

COMPOSITION OF FUNCTION

Example 3

Given the function

𝐟 𝐱 = 𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟏 and 𝐠 𝐱 = 𝐱 − 𝟑
Find the composite function f ∘ g.
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

COMPOSITION OF FUNCTION
Example 3: Solution
Step 1: Write f(x) using the placeholder notation
𝑓 = 2 +1
Step 2: Substitute g(x)=x-3 into f
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥−3 2 +1
Step 3: Eliminate the parentheses on the right side
∴ 𝑓∘𝑔 𝑥 =𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 10
FBM 0015: MATHEMATIC 1

COMPOSITION OF FUNCTION
Example 4
Let 𝐟 𝐱 = 𝐱 𝟐 and 𝐠 𝐱 =𝐱−𝟑
Find the functions f ∘ g and g ∘ f and state their domains.

𝟐
𝒇∘𝒈 𝒙 =𝒇 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝒙−𝟑
Example 4: Solution
𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑔 = −∞, ∞

𝒈∘𝒇 𝒙 =𝒈 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑
𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑓 = −∞, ∞
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