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MATH 1018:WEEK 5

TODAY
• Functions and Graphs
• 3.1 Definition of a Function
• 3.2 More about Functions
• 3.3 Rectangular Coordinates
• 3.4 The Graph of a Function
• 3.6 Graphs of Functions Defined by Tables of Data
• Week 5 - questions

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Definition of a Function
Where a relationship exits between 2 variables and for every value of the first
variable there is ONLY ONE corresponding value of the second
• We define:
• The first variable as the INEDPENDENT variable
• The second variable as the DEPENDENT variable

𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒

𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒

𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑥 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑦

∴ y=2x is a Function 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑥 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑻𝑾𝑶𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑦
∴ y2=x is a NOT a FUNCTION

Functional Notation
• For convenience of notation, the phrase
“function of x” is written as f(x)
• This means that “y is a function of x” may be written as
y = f(x)
• Meaning of f(a)
The value of the function f(x) when x = a is written as f(a).
EXAMPLE:
For a function f(x), the value of f(x) for x = 2 may be expressed as
f(2). Thus, substituting 2 for x in f(x) = 3x - 7, we have

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Functional Notation
• EXAMPLE:

Functional Notation
• EXAMPLE:

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More about Functions

• Domain and Range
• For a given function, the complete set of possible values of the
independent variable is called the domain of the function, and the
complete set of all possible resulting values of the dependent
variable is called the range of the function.
• EXAMPLE
• Find the domain and range of the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2

• The domain is all real numbers.

• The range is all real numbers 𝑓(𝑥) ≥ 2, where the symbol ≥ means
“is greater than or equal to.”

More about Functions

• Domain and Range
• EXAMPLE
• Find the domain and range of the function 𝑓 𝑡 =
• The domain of this function is all real numbers except -2, and
the range is all real numbers except 0.
• EXAMPLE
• Find the domain and range of the function 𝑔 𝑠 = 3 − 𝑠
• The domain of this function is all real numbers 𝑠 ≤ 3, where the
symbol ≤ means “is less than or equal to.”
• The range of the function is all real numbers 𝑔(𝑠) ≥ 0.

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More about Functions

• Restricted domain
• EXAMPLE
• A function defined as

has a domain restricted to real numbers greater than 2 by

definition. Thus, 𝑓 5 = 29, but 𝑓 1 is not defined, because
1 is not in the domain.
• Also, the range is all real numbers greater than 8.

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More about Functions

• EXAMPLE
• In a certain electric circuit, the current i (in mA) is a function of the
time t (in s), which means i=𝑓 𝑡 . The function is

• Because negative values of t are not usually meaningful, 𝑓 𝑡 is not

defined for 𝑡 < 0.
• Find the current for t = 3 s, t = 6 s, and t = -1 s.
• Because 3 is between 0 and 4,
• Because 6 is greater than 4, 𝑓 6 = 0, or i = 0 mA.
• Because 𝑓 𝑡 is not defined for t < 0, 𝑓 −1 is not defined.

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More about Functions

• Interval notation
• There is a short way to write both the domain and the range of a
function: using interval notation. Interval notation lists two values
within brackets, between which the possible values of the variable
lie.
• Square brackets mean “include the value in the interval,” and
rounded brackets mean “exclude the value in the interval.”
• EXAMPLE
• The domain of the function 𝑔 𝑠 = 3 − 𝑠 is all real numbers 𝑠 ≤ 3, or
using interval notation it would be indicated as (−∞, 3].
• The range of the function 𝑔 𝑠 = 3 − 𝑠 is all real numbers 𝑔 𝑠 ≥ 0, or
using interval notation it would be indicated as [0, ∞).

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More about Functions

• Interval notation
• EXAMPLE
• The domain of the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2 is all real numbers, or using
interval notation, (−∞, ∞) .
• The range of the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2 is all real numbers 𝑓(𝑥) ≥ 2,
or using interval notation, [2, ∞).

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More about Functions

• Function from verbal statement
• EXAMPLE
• An architect designs a window in the shape of a rectangle with a
semicircle on top, as shown in Figure. The base of the window is 10
cm less than the height of the rectangular part. Express the
perimeter p of the window as a function of the radius r of the
circular part.
• The perimeter p, where p = f(r), is

Rectangular Coordinates
𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
Create an x-y plane
𝑦=5
• x-axis
• y-axis
• Origin
𝒙 = −𝟓 𝑥=2
• Quadrant naming convention 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛
• Locate points
• Need x-coordinate 𝒚 = −𝟕
• Need y-coordinate

Example: locate the origin: x=0 and y=0 , rectangular coordinates are (0,0)

Example: locate the point where x=2 and y=5, rectangular coordinates (2,5)

Example: locate the point where x=-5 and y=-7, rectangular coordinates (-5,-7)

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Rectangular Coordinates
• Coordinates of vertices of rectangle
• EXAMPLE
• Three vertices of the rectangle in Figure are A(-3, -2), B(4, -2),
and C(4, 1). What is the fourth vertex?

• SOLUTION
• The fourth vertex is D(-3, 1).

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The Graph of a Function

• The graph of a function is the set of all points whose
coordinates (x, y) satisfy the functional relationship y = f(x).
Because y = f(x), we can write the coordinates of the points
on the graph as (x, f(x)).

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Plotting Points to Make a Graph
• Create a table of data
• For each x calculate the corresponding y
• Plot the points on a graph
• Join the points
• Straight line
• Smooth line
y=2x -4 2

We typically prefer a
smooth line to connect
the points

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The Graph of a Function

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The Graph of a Function

• EXAMPLE
• Graph the function

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The Graph of a Function

• EXAMPLE
• Graph the function

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The Graph of a Function

• EXAMPLE
• Graph the function
• When finding the points for the graph, we may not let x take on any
value less than -1, for all such values would lead to imaginary
values for y and are not in the domain.

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The Graph of a Function

• EXAMPLE
• Graph the function
• First, let y = f(x) and then tabulate the necessary values.
• In evaluating f(x), we must be careful to use the proper
part of the definition.
• To see where to start the curve for x > 1, we evaluate 6 −
𝑥 for 𝑥 = 1, but we must realize that the curve does not
include this point (1, 5) and starts immediately to its
right.
• To show that it is not part of the curve, draw it as an open
circle.
• A function such as this one, with a “break” in it, is called
discontinuous.

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The Graph of a Function

• Vertical Line Test
• The graph of a relation also represents a function if and only if every
vertical line crosses the graph at most once.
• EXAMPLE
• Use the vertical line test to determine whether the relation 𝑦 = 𝑥
represents a function.
• Note that any positive value of x has
two corresponding values of y.
Since a vertical line crosses this graph
twice, this relation is not a function.

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The Graph of a Function

• Finding the domain and range graphically
• EXAMPLE

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Graphs of Functions Defined by Tables of Data

• Graph using straight-line segments
• EXAMPLE
• The electric energy usage (in kW.h) for a certain all-electric house for
each month of a year is shown in the following table. Plot these data.

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Graphs of Functions Defined by Tables of Data

• Graph using smooth curve
• EXAMPLE
• Steam in a boiler was heated to 150°C and then allowed to cool. Its
temperature T (in °C) was recorded each minute, as shown in the
following table. Plot the graph.

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Graphs of Functions Defined by Tables of Data

• Linear Interpolation
• Linear interpolation assumes that if a particular value of one
variable lies between two of those listed in the table, then the
corresponding value of the other variable is at the same proportional
distance between the listed values.
• EXAMPLE
• For the cooling steam in the previous example, we can use
interpolation to find its temperature after 1.4 min.

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Graphs of Functions Defined by Tables of Data

• SOLUTION

• Therefore,

is the required value of T. If the values of T had been increasing, we

would have added 1.7 to the value of T for 1.0 min.

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