THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

Department of Mathematics
MATH1010 University Mathematics
Functions

1 Preliminaries
Exercise 1. (Level 1)
x 4
Graph the functions f (x) = and g(x) = − 1 together, to identify values of x for which
2 x

x 4
> − 1.
2 x

Confirm your answer by solving the inequality algebraically.

4
Solution. x
2 > x − 1 ⇒ x2 + 2x − 8 > 0, x > 0 or x2 + 2x − 8 < 0, x < 0 ⇒ 0 > x > −4 or x > 2

The graph below is for reference.

−6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 x

−1

−2

−3

−4

Exercise 2. (Level 1)
Plot all points (x, y) on the plane that satisfy x2 + y 2 + 2x − 4y − 14 = 0. Explain why it is not the graph of any
function.

Solution.
 2

−6 −4 −2 2 x

−2

By completing the squares, we have

(x + 1)2 + (y − 2)2 = 19
√
which is a circle centered at (−1, 2) with radius 19. It is NOT a graph of a function, because there are values
of x that correspond to more than one value of y.

Exercise 3. (Level 1)
Consider the points satisfying x2 + y 2 − x = 1. Explain why it is not the graph of any function.

Solution. If the points form a graph of function, there is only one intersection with the vertical line x = a by the
vertical test. Consider x = 1, then y 2 = 1 and hence y = ±1. So it is not a graph.

Exercise 4. (Level 1)
Find all real numbers x satisfying
2x + 21−x = 3.

Solution. Let y = 2x , the equation would be

2
y+ = 3.
y
Multiply each side with y and solve the quadratic equation, we have y = 1, 2. Thus x = 0 or x = 1.

Exercise 5. (Level 1)
Determine whether each of the following statement is true or false.
 3

(a) ex+y = ex + ey for all real numbers x and y

(b) ln(x + y) = (ln x)(ln y) for all x, y > 0

(c) exy = ex + ey for all real numbers x and y

(d) ln(xy ) = (ln x)y for all x, y > 0

(e) If h(x) = f (x)g(x), then h′ (x) = f ′ (x)g ′ (x).

d x
(f) (2 ) = x2x−1
dx
1
Z
(g) ln x dx = + C
x

Solution. (a) False

(b) False

(c) False

(d) False

(e) False

(f) False

(g) False

Exercise 6. (Level 2)
Let f : R −→ R be the function defined by f (x) = −3x + 4 − |x + 1| − |x − 1| for any x ∈ R.

(a) Express the ‘explicit formula’ of the function f as that of a piecewise defined function, with one ‘piece’ for
each of (−∞, −1), [−1, 1], (1, +∞).

(b) Sketch the graph of the function f .

(c) Is f an injective function on R? Justify your answer.

(d) What is the image of R under the function f ?


 −x + 4
 if x < −1
Solution. (a) f (x) = −3x + 2 if −1 ≤ x ≤ 1

−5x + 4 if x > 1


(b)
 4

0 1

−1 2 x
3

−1

(c) Note that f is strictly decreasing on R. Then f is injective on v.

(d) From the graph, the image of R under f is R.

Exercise 7. (level 2)
Let f : R −→ R be the function defined by f (x) = |x − 1| − |x + 1| for any x ∈ R.

(a) Express the ‘explicit formula’ of the function f as that of a piecewise defined function, with one ‘piece’ for
(−∞, −1), [−1, 1], (1, +∞).

(b) Sketch the graph of the function f .

(c) Is f an injective function on R? Justify your answer.

(d) What is the image of R under the function f ?


 2
 if x < −1
Solution. (a) f (x) = −2x if −1 ≤ x ≤ 1

−2 if x > 1


(b)
 5

−1 0

1 x

−2

(c) f (1) = f (2) = −2 but 1 6= 2. f is not injective on R.

(d) From the graph, the image of R under f is [−2, 2].

Exercise 8. (Level 2)

(a) Let f : R −→ R be the function defined by f (x) = x3 for any x ∈ R. Verify that f is injective on R.

(b) Let g : R −→ R be the function defined by g(x) = x3 + x for any x ∈ R. Verify that g is injective on R.

(c) Let h : R −→ R be the function defined by h(x) = x3 − x for any x ∈ R. Verify that h is not injective on R.

Solution. 1. Let f : R −→ R be the function defined by f (x) = x3 for any x ∈ R.

Pick any x, w ∈ R. Suppose f (x) = f (w). Then

x3 = w3
x3 − w3 = 0
2 2
(x − w)(x + xw + w ) = 0

Then x = w or x2 + xw + w2 = 0.
1 2
Note that x2 + xw + w2 = [x + w2 + (x + w)2 ]. If x2 + xw + w2 = 0 then x = w = x + w = 0.
2
Hence, in any case, we have x = w.

2. Let g : R −→ R be the function defined by g(x) = x3 + x for any x ∈ R.

Pick any x, w ∈ R. Suppose g(x) = g(w). Then

x3 + x = w3 + w
(x3 − w3 ) + (x − w) = 0
2 2
(x − w)(x + xw + w + 1) = 0

1 2
Note that x2 + xw + w2 + 1 = [x + w2 + (x + w)2 ] + 1 > 0. Then x = w.
2
 6

• Alternative argument, using calculus: For any x ∈ R, f ′ (x) = 3x2 + 1 ≥ 1 > 0. Then f is strictly
increasing on R. Therefore f is injective.

3. Let h : R −→ R be the function defined by h(x) = x3 − x for any x ∈ R.

Note that h(−1) = h(1) = 0 and −1 6= 1. Hence h is not injective on R.

Exercise 9. (Level 2)
Sketch the graphs of the following functions.

(a) f (x) = x2 − 4x − 5 ex − e−x

(j) f (x) =
2
(b) f (x) = x3 − 4x
(k) f (x) = 2 + ln(x + 1), x > −1
(c) f (x) = x3 + x2 − 5x + 3
(l) f (x) = 5 − ln(x − 2)2 , x 6= 2
1
(d) f (x) = x +
x (m) f (x) = 1 − 2 sin x
2x − 9 (n) f (x) = 2 + cos 2x
(e) f (x) = , x 6= −3
x+3


(o) f (x) = 3 cos x + π
x2 3
(f) f (x) = , x 6= 2
x−2
(p) f (x) = cos x − sin x
√
(g) f (x) = 3 − 4 − x2 , −2 ≤ x ≤ 2
(q) f (x) = 1 + sin2 x
x
(h) f (x) = √
2
x +1 (r) f (x) = 1 + cos x sin x

(i) f (x) = 3 − ex (s) f (x) = x cos x

Solution. (a) f (x) = x2 − 4x − 5

 7

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 x

−1

−2

−3

−4

−5

−6

−7

−8

−9

−10

(b) f (x) = x3 − 4x
 8

−4 −2 2 x

−2

−4

(c) f (x) = x3 + x2 − 5x + 3

−4 −3 −2 −1 1 x

−1

−2

1
(d) f (x) = x +
x
 9

2x − 9
(e) f (x) = , x 6= −3
x+3
 10

15

10

−20 −15 −10 −5 5 x

−5

−10
 11

x2
(f) f (x) = , x 6= 2
x−2
y

15

10

−10 −5 5 x

−5

−10

√
(g) f (x) = 3 − 4 − x2 , −2 ≤ x ≤ 2
y

−3 −2 −1 1 2 x

−1
 12

x
(h) f (x) = √
2
x +1

−3 −2 −1 1 2 x

−1

(i) f (x) = 3 − ex

−3 −2 −1 1 x

−1

−2

−3

−4

−5

ex − e−x
(j) f (x) =
2
 13

−2 −1 1 x

−1

−2

−3

−4

(k) f (x) = 2 + ln(x + 1), x > −1

1 x

−1

−2

−3

(l) f (x) = 5 − ln(x − 2)2 , x 6= 2

 14

−10 −9 −8 −7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x

−1

(m) f (x) = 1 − 2 sin x

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 x

−1

(n) f (x) = 2 + cos 2x

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 x

−1

(o) f (x) = 3 cos x + π
3
 15

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 x

−1

(p) f (x) = cos x − sin x −2

y
−3

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 x

−1

(q) f (x) = 1 + sin2 x −2

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 x

−1

(r) f (x) = 1 + cos x sin x

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 x

−1

(s) f (x) = x cos x

 16

16

14

12

10

−18 −16 −14 −12 −10 −8 −6 −4 −2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 x

−2

−4

−6

−8

−10

−12

−14

−16

−18

Exercise 10. (Level 2)

Sketch the graphs of the following functions.

(a) f : R → R defined by

1 if x = 0,
f (x) =
0 if x 6= 0.
 17

(b) f : R → R defined by

 1 if x > 0,
f (x) = 0 if x = 0,
−1 if x < 0.


x2 − 1
(c) f : R\{1} → R defined by f (x) = .
x−1
h π πi
(d) f : [−1, 1] → − , defined by f (x) = sin−1 x.
2 2

(e) f : [−1, 1] → [0, π] defined by f (x) = cos−1 x.

 π π
(f) f : R → − , defined by f (x) = tan−1 x.
2 2

Solution. (a) f : R → R defined by


1 if x = 0,
f (x) =
0 if x 6= 0.

1.
y = f (x)

−3. −2. −1. 0 1. 2.

−1.

(b) f : R → R defined by

 1 if x > 0,
f (x) = 0 if x = 0,
−1 if x < 0.


1.
y = f (x)

−3. −2. −1. 0 1. 2.

−1.

x2 − 1
(c) f : R\{1} → R defined by f (x) = .
x−1
 18

3.

2.

1.
y = f (x)

−3. −2. −1. 0 1. 2.

−1.

h π πi
(d) f : [−1, 1] → − , defined by f (x) = sin−1 x.
2 2

2.

1.
y = f (x) = sin−1 x

−2. −1. 0 1. 2.

−1.

−2.

(e) f : [−1, 1] → [0, π] defined by f (x) = cos−1 x.

3.

2.

1.
y = f (x) = cos−1 x

−2. −1. 0 1. 2.

−1.

 π π
(f) f : R → − , defined by f (x) = tan−1 x.
2 2
 19

1.
y = f (x) = tan−1 x

−5. −4. −3. −2. −1. 0 1. 2. 3. 4.

−1.

−2.

Exercise 11. (Level 2)

Sketch the graphs of the following functions.

(a) f (x) = |x2 − 2x − 3| (d) f (x) = |3 − |x2 − 1||

(b) f (x) = x2 − 4|x| + 3 (e) f (x) = |2 + 3 sin x|

(c) f (x) = ||x − 2| − 4| (f) f (x) = 2 − | sin x|

Solution. (a) f (x) = |x2 − 2x − 3|

−2 2 x

(b) f (x) = x2 − 4|x| + 3

 20

−4 −2 2 4 x

−2

(c) f (x) = ||x − 2| − 4|

−4 −2 2 4 6 8 x

(d) f (x) = |3 − |x2 − 1||

 21

−2 2 x

(e) f (x) = |2 + 3 sin x|

y

−6 −4 −2 2 4 6 x

(f) f (x) = 2 − | sin x|

y

−6 −4 −2 2 4 6 x

Exercise 12. (Level 2)

Sketch the graphs of the following piecewise defined functions.
 22

( (
2x + 5, x < −1 1 − x2 , x < 1
(a) f (x) = (c) f (x) =
x2 − 1, x ≥ −1 ln x, x≥1
 
x,
 x < −2 1 − |x + 3|, x < −2

(b) f (x) = −x, −2 ≤ x < 2 (d) f (x) = 2 − |x|, −2 ≤ x < 2
 
x, x≥2 1 − |x − 3|, x ≥ 2
 

(
2x + 5, x < −1
Solution. (a) f (x) =
x2 − 1, x ≥ −1

bc

−2 2 x

−2


x,
 x < −2
(b) f (x) = −x, −2 ≤ x < 2

x, x≥2


−2 2 x

bc −2 bc
 23

(
1 − x2 , x<1
(c) f (x) =
ln x, x≥1

−2 2 4 x

−2


1 − |x + 3|, x < −2

(d) f (x) = 2 − |x|, −2 ≤ x < 2

1 − |x − 3|, x ≥ 2


−4 −2 2 4 x

−2