LESSON 1

Unit 1: Defining and Representing Functions

Lesson:
A relation is any set of ordered pairs. A function is a relation in which no two
ordered pairs have the same x-coordinate or first coordinate. If a vertical line
intersects the graph of a relation in two or more points anywhere, the relation is not
a function. This is called the vertical line test.

The symbol ‘f(x)’ is read as “the value of f at x” or “f of x”. Function notation

describes the output f(x) as a result of an input of x into a function machine, f.

Problems:
1.
2. Determine whether the relation x + y2 = 4 is a function.
3. The graph of a linear function f(x) is shown.

The equation of the function is:

A. f(x) = 2x - 1
B. f(x) = -2x - 1
C. f(x) = 2x + 1
D. f(x) = -2x + 1
4. For the function g(x) = -2x2 – 3x + 15, g(-2) is __?
Unit 2: Domain and Range of a Function

Lesson:
The domain of a function (or relation) is a set of x-coordinates for the function. It
is the set of permissible values for x in the function that output or give real number
values for y.
For example: Finding the domains for…
a. f(x) = x2
b. g(x) = √x
c. h(x) = 1/x
a. For f(x) = x2 the domain is ‘x∈R’ because every real number can be squared
to produce another real number.
b. For g(x) = √x, no negative numbers can replace x because the square root of
a negative number is not real. The domain is 0 and all positive real numbers,
or in other words ‘x∈R | x ≥ 0’
c. For h(x) = 1/x, 0 cannot be used as a replacement for x because division by 0
is undefined. All other real numbers for x will give real number value
outputs for y, hence why the domain is ‘x∈R | x ≠ 0’
The range of a function (or relation) is the set of y-coordinates or output values of
the function.
Use the same examples, and find the ranges:
a. f(x) = x2
b. g(x) = √x
c. h(x) = 1/x
a. For f(x) = x2 the y coordinates will be greater than or equal to 0, because the
square of every real number is either positive or 0, but never negative. Hence
why, the range is ‘y∈R | y ≥ 0’
b. For g(x) = √x, only the positive square root of x is taken, so y cannot be
negative. The smallest value of y is 0, when x = 0. The range is 0 and all
positive real numbers, or ‘y∈R | y ≥ 0’
c. For h(x) = 1/x, just like how on the domain, the x-values approach the x-axis
and get very very closebut never touch it, on the range they approach the x-
axis and get very very close, but also never touch it (use Desmos to graph if
 you need to remember what y = 1/x looks like). Therefore, the range is also
‘y∈R | y ≠ 0’

Problems:
1. What is the domain and range of the function, f(x) = sqrt(9 – x) (Note: sqrt
means √ and simply applies to everything in the brackets)
2. What is the domain and range of the function, g(x) = 3x + 214
3. What is the domain and range of the function, h(x) = 1/(x – 3)
4. What is the domain and range of the relation, i(x) = x2 + y2 = 16
5. What is the domain and range of the following graph and determine whether it
is a function or relation:
6. What is the domain and range of the following graph:
Unit 3.1: Inverse of a Function

Lesson:
The inverse of a function is the relation that exists when the values in the function
or the ordered pairs of the function are interchanged. When solving for y, all the
operations that are applied to the new y-variable (original x-variable) must be
undone or reversed.
Use the following steps to determine the inverse of a function:
1. Interchange x and y
2. Solve for y

Ex: Write the inverse of the function y = 3x – 4

Step 1
Interchange x and y
y = 3x – 4
x = 3y – 4
Step 2
Solve for y
x = 3y – 4
x + 4 = 3y
y = (x + 4)/3

Problems:
1. What is the correct order of operations involved in performing the inverse of a
function in which y is determined by multiplying x by 3 and adding 5?
2. A function is defined as follows: y is determined by adding 4 to x and then
multiplying by 6. What is the order of operations required to determine the inverse
of the given function?

Unit 3.2: Graphing the Inverse of a Function

Lesson:
The inverse of a function can be determined by interchanging the x and y values
for the numeric or algebraic representations of the function. For graphical
representations, the graph of a function and its inverse are reflections of each other
over the diagonal line y = x. Every ordered pair, (x, y), on the graph of the original
function becomes (y, x) on the graph of the inverse function.
Ex:

The green graph is y = x2, the blue graph is x = y2 (the inverse function), and the
black line is y = x. As you can see, the blue and green graphs are reflections of
each other over the black line.
Problems:
1. The points (-3, 1), (0, -2), (2, 6), & (4, 22) are part of a quadratic function. What
are the corresponding points on the inverse of this quadratic function?
2. Draw the inverse of the following function (important points have been labeled)

Unit 3.3: Domain and Range of the Inverse of a Function

Lesson:
Since the inverse of a function or relation is formed by interchanging the x and y
coordinates, the behaviours of each variable are also interchanged. IN the inverse
of a function, the values originally found in the domain become the values of the
range, and the values originally in the range becomes the values of the domain.

Ex:
The domain and range of a quadratic function are x∈R and y∈R| y ≥ 3. The domain
and range of the inverse simply becomes y∈R and x∈R| x ≥ 3.
Problems:
1. What are the domain and range of the inverse of the quadratic function
f(x) = (x – 3)2 – 5? (Hint: First determine the domain and range of the original
function, and then find the domain and range of the inverse)
Unit 3.4: Inverse Function Notation
Lesson:
Functions are typically represented as f(x). Inverse functions are typically
represented as f -1(x). (Note that f -1(x) ≠ 1 / f(x).)

Ex:
Write the inverse of f(x) = 1/3 x + 4

Solution
Step 1
Replace f(x) with y.
y = 1/3 x + 4
Step 2
Interchange x and y.
x = 1/3 y + 4
Step 3
Solve for y.
x = 1/3 y + 4
x – 4 = 1/3 y
3 (x – 4) = y
y = 3x - 12
Step 4
Replace y with f -1(x).
f(x) = 1/3 x + 4
f -1(x) = 3x – 12

Problems:
1. What is the inverse of the linear function f(x) = ½ x + 3?
2. What is the inverse of the quadratic function f(x) = (x – 4)2 + 5?
Unit 4: Transformations of Functions
Lesson:
The effects of changing y = f(x) into y = a*f(k (x – d)) + c by adding parameters a,
k, c, and d are summarized in the following table

Conditions on Effect
Parameter
|a| < 1 Vertical compression to the x-axis by a factor of a
|a| > 1 Vertical stretch from the x-axis by a factor of a
a<0 Reflection in the x-axis
|k| < 1 Horizontal stretch from the y-axis by a factor of 1/k
|k| > 1 Horizontal compression to the y-axis by a factor of 1/k
k<0 Reflection in the y-axis
d<0 Horizontal translation of d units to the left
d>0 Horizontal translation of d units to the right
c<0 Vertical translation of c units down
c>0 Vertical translation of c units up

Ex: The graph of the function y = f(x) is stretched horizontally about the y-axis by
a factor of ¼, stretched vertically about the x-axis by a factor of 3, reflected in the
x-axis, translated 5 units to the left, and translated 2 units down.
If the transformations are done in the given order, then the equation of the
transformed function is:

Solution
Step 1
If the graph of y = f(x) is stretched horizontally about the y-axis by a factor of ¼,
substitute k = 4, meaning subbing in 4x in for x. The equation after this step is
y = a*f(4(x – d)) + c
Step 2
If the graph of y = f(x) is stretched vertically about the x-axis by a factor of 3,
substitute a = 3. The equation after this step is y = 3* f(4(x – d)) + c
Step 3
A reflection in the x-axis means making you’re a value be below 0, meaning a is
negative. Therefore the equation after this step is y = -3* f(4(x – d)) + c
Step 4
A translation of 5 units left means a d value of d = -5, and a translation of 2 units
down means a c value of c = -2. Therefore the new equation after this final step
(the translations) is y = -3* f(4(x –(-5))) + (-2)  y = -3* f(4(x +5)) – 2.

Problems:
1. To reflect the graph of the function f(x) = sqrt(x) in the y-axis and translate it 3
units vertically upward, into what must the equation be transformed?
2. When the function f(x) = x2 is transformed into the function g(x) = 2(x + 1)2, the
graph of g(x) can be obtained from the graph of f(x) by applying what
transformations?