UNIT 1 – CHARACTERISTICS OF FUNCTIONS

1.1 – Review of Functions

Recall:
A function is

The domain of a relation is

The range of a relation is

1. State whether or not each relation is a function.

a. b. c. d. e.

2. State whether each is a function or not. State the domain and range.
Function? Domain Range
a. {(1,3), (-2,4), (6,-1), (5,2)}

b. {(2,4), (-3,1), (-6,2), (3,1), (2,8)}

3. State the domain and range of the following functions.

a. f(x) = -3(x + 9)2 + 11 b. g(x) = 7x + 1

c. ℎ(𝑥) = 3√4𝑥 + 5 + 14 d. 3
𝑝(𝑥) = − 25
7 − 2𝑥

e. f.

Transformations of Functions
In grade 11 you learned about four types of transformations that are applied to a function. When f(x) is transformed into
af k(x − p) + q

a–

k–
p–

q–

When you have to graph and show all transformations, you must apply the transformations first, followed
by the .
4. For each of the following functions:
i. State the transformations being applied to the parent function ii. State the domain and range
iii. Graph the function showing each of the stages of the transformation
a. g(x) = 3[f(x + 5)] + 2, where f(x) = √x b. g(x) = f (x − 4) – 1, where f(x) = |x|

Pg.11 #1-5, 10-12 Pg. 16 #1-5

1.3 – Properties of Functions

Recall
The absolute value of a number is the magnitude (or size) of the number.

1. Evaluate
a. |5| b. |-5| c. |8 – 1|

2. Draw the following inequalities on a number line

a. x≤4 b. x<4 c. −3 < x ≤ 1

d. |x| ≤ 2 e. |x| ≥ 1
Interval Notation
In this course we will often use interval notation to describe the range of values for which a function takes on certain
characteristics. In interval notation, round brackets indicate that the value is not included in the range, while square
brackets indicate that the value is included in the range.

3. Write the following inequalities using interval notation.

a. 4 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 10 b. −2 < 𝑥 < 5 c. 𝑥≤9 d. 𝑥>0

4. Use inequalities to write the following intervals.

a. [−3, 8) b. [250, ∞ ) c. (−∞, 4) d. [0, 15]

Properties of Functions
The zeroes of a function, f(x), are the x-values for which

Increasing and Decreasing

A function f(x) is increasing on an interval if for every 𝑥 and 𝑥 in the interval, 𝑥 < 𝑥 implies
that (i.e. the point on the left is always lower than the point on the right in
that interval, i.e. the graph goes up and to the right for that entire interval).

A function f(x) is decreasing on an interval if for every 𝑥 and 𝑥 in the interval, 𝑥 < 𝑥 implies
that (i.e. the point on the left is always higher than the point on the right in that
interval, i.e. the graph goes down and to the right for that entire interval).

Turning Points
Any point where a function changes from increasing to decreasing or vice versa is called a .
Turning points can be classified as local maximum points (when changing from or
local minimum points (when changing from ). They are called local
maximums or local minimums because they have the largest (or smallest) y-value in the area.

If a point has the largest y-value of the entire function, it is a point. If it has
the smallest y-value of the entire function, it is a point. For clarification:
if (3,5) is a global maximum point, then 5 is the global maximum. Be careful with the wording of questions:

5. Consider these definitions for the functions below.

a. b.

Zeroes: Zeroes:
Positive Interval(s): Positive Interval(s):
Negative Interval(s): Negative Interval(s):
Local Maximum point(s): Local Maximum point(s):
Absolute Maximum: Absolute Maximum:
Local Minimum points(s): Local Minimum points(s):
Absolute Minimum: Absolute Minimum:
Increasing interval(s): Increasing interval(s):
Decreasing interval(s): Decreasing interval(s):
 Odd & Even Functions Even Odd
A function f(x) is even if for all x-values f(-x) = f(x).

A function f(x) is odd if for all x-values f(-x) = -f(x).

6. Which of the following functions are odd? Even?

a. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑥 b. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥 c. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥 + 0.5 d. 𝑓(𝑥) =

To determine algebraically if a function is odd or even, you can evaluate 𝑓(−𝑥). If the result is the same as 𝑓(𝑥), then
𝑓(𝑥) is . If the result is a function with the same terms as 𝑓(𝑥), but opposite signs on all of the terms,
then 𝑓(𝑥) is . If it is neither of these options, then it falls under the neither category. More information below.

7. Is the function f(x) = x2 – 2x4 odd or even? 8. Is the function g(x) = x3 – x odd or even?

9. Prove that 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 𝑥 is neither odd nor even. Pg. 35 #1,5,8,10 Handout

2.1 - Average Rates of Change

1. Find the slope of the following line segment between the points A(−3, −2) and B(5, 6).

2. During a drive to Toronto, you drive around 200 km and it takes 2 hours.
a. On average, what is your speed? b. Were you travelling at this speed the entire time?

( ) ( )
The average rate of change of a function f(x) is (the slope between two points on the function). Note: A line
that joins two points on a function is called a secant line.

3. The height of a football can be modeled by ℎ(𝑡) = −5𝑡 + 30𝑡 + 1 where h is the height (in meters) above the ground
and t is the time in seconds. Determine the value of the following and use these values to calculate the AROC over the
given intervals.

a. ℎ(1) b. ℎ(2) c. ℎ(3) d. ℎ(5)

e. AROC for 𝑡 ∈ [1, 3] f. AROC for 𝑡 ∈ [2, 5] g. AROC for 𝑡 ∈ [1, 5]

P.76 #1,2,4-6,8-10,13
2.2 – Instantaneous Rates of Change
Let’s revisit the football example from earlier. ℎ(𝑡) = −5𝑡 + 30𝑡 + 1, where h is height above
ground in meters and t is time in seconds

What if we wanted to find the rate of change at the precise instant of t = 1 (rather than the average
rate of change between t = 1 and t = 3 as we did earlier)?

To find the instantaneous rate of change at x = a, find the average rate of change for smaller and smaller intervals where x
= a is the start of the interval, and then again when x = a is the end of the interval. As the size of the interval gets closer to
0, the average rate of change that you are finding is getting closer to the instantaneous rate
of change. As the delta between the two values gets smaller and smaller, the secant line
will approach a tangent line, which touches the curve at exactly one point.

The slope of the tangent line at this point represents the IROC.

So, let’s get back to our problem of trying to find the speed at t = 1…

1. Approximate the rate at which the height of the ball in the previous example is changing
at the 1s mark. To find the AROC for the height on the interval from 𝑡 ∈ [1, 1.1] you will need to do 5 calculations.
∆𝑡 = ℎ(1) = ℎ(1.1) = ∆ℎ(𝑡) = ∆ℎ(𝑡)
=
∆𝑡

I recommend that you show the work for ℎ(1), but everything else can be done in your calculator and entered into the
chart below without any additional work shown.

𝚫𝒉(𝒕)
Interval Δt (in seconds) Δh(t) (in meters) (in m/s)
𝚫𝒕
1  t  1.1

1  t  1.01

1  t  1.001

0.999  t  1

Important notes about finding the IROC.

1. It is not acceptable to simply calculate the AROC on a small interval and use this value. You must find a sequence of
slopes to determine if the value is accurate. Approximating IROC is about a trend, not a specific value.

2. You absolutely cannot find the AROC for an interval on both sides of the value and take the average of the two
numbers.

3. You shouldn’t find the AROC on one side only because sometimes a function will have different behavior on either
side of a point (ex. The cusp of an absolute value function). However, for the purposes of this class all of the functions
will agree on both sides of the point of tangency.

2. After t hours, the number of bacteria, N in a culture can be modelled using the function N(t) = 75 000 + 64t3.
a. Determine the average rate of change in the b. Estimate the instantaneous rate of change of the
population over the first 6 hours. population of bacteria at 6 hours.
 𝚫𝑵(𝒕)
interval Δt (in hours) ΔN(t)
𝚫𝒕

Pg.85 #1,3-5,7,9

3.1 & 3.2 – Characteristics of Polynomial Functions

Names & Properties of Polynomial Functions
Degree (n) Name Possible graph(s) if 𝑎 > 0 Possible graph(s) if 𝑎 < 0

1 Linear

2 Quadratic

3 Cubic

4 Quartic

5 Quintic

Note: There is still more variation in the shapes of polynomial functions that we will learn about another day.

A polynomial is an algebraic expression that can be written in the form

Ex.

A polynomial function is a function that can be written in the form . When a polynomial is
written in expanded form, with decreasing powers of the variable, it is said to be in

The degree of a polynomial is the In the polynomial above, the degree is

The is the coefficient of the term with the highest exponent (when the
polynomial is in expanded form). In the polynomial above, the leading coefficient is .
The maximum number of zeroes (x-intercepts that a polynomial function can have is
. An odd degree function , while
an even degree function

The maximum number of turning points that a polynomial function can have is
. An odd degree function
while an even degree function

The factored form of a polynomial function is given by where 𝑥 , 𝑥 , … , 𝑥 are

of the function and 𝑎 is the

Note: Not all polynomial functions can be written in true factored form (i.e. sometimes you can’t factor all the way down
to the point where all the factors are linear, and often times even when we do, we may not have 1 as the coefficient of x in
each of the linear terms).

1. For the polynomial function f(x) = 9x3 – 5x4 – 7x8 – 1

a. Write the polynomial in standard form.

b. State the degree of the polynomial. c. State the leading coefficient.

d. Maximum # of x-ints. e. Minimum # of turning points.

Summary of properties
Domain: All polynomial functions have . Range: Polynomial functions of odd
degree have . Polynomial functions of even degree have either a global min
or a global max, but not both. So their range will be of the form , where
when or , where when

End Behaviour: Polynomial functions of even degree have

When an > 0, then as x → ∞, f(x) → and as x → −∞, f(x) →
When an < 0, then as x → ∞, f(x) → and as x → −∞, f(x) →

Polynomial functions of odd degree have

When an > 0, then as x → ∞, f(x) → and as x → −∞, f(x) →
When an < 0, then as x → ∞, f(x) → and as x → −∞, f(x) →

Continuity: Polynomial functions are continuous. That is, you can graph a polynomial function without having to lift your
pencil off of the paper (that is a very informal definition of continuity).

2. For the following functions, determine the maximum and minimum number of zeroes and turning points as well as the
end behaviour. Explain your reasoning.

Function 𝑓(𝑥) = −3𝑥 + 12𝑥 − 2𝑥 + 11 𝑔(𝑥) = 4𝑥 + 12𝑥 − 8𝑥 + 9𝑥 − 1

Max x-ints
Min x-ints
Max turning points
Min turning points
End behaviour
3. Consider the following polynomial functions:

i. ii.

a. Describe the end behavior. b. Does the function have an even degree or an odd degree? How can you tell?

c. What do you know about the leading coefficient? How can you tell? Pg. 127 #1-3 Pg. 136 #1-5,(6-7)b,d,9

3.3 – Polynomial Functions in Factored Form

1. The zeroes of a cubic function g(x) are; -2, 4, -6, and Sketching Graphs of Polynomial Functions
the graph passes through the point (5, -154). Express the To sketch a polynomial function from its factored form,
function g(x) in factored form: we will first find and plot the zeroes. Then we will use a
table to determine whether the function is above or below
the x-axis between the zeroes, before the first zero, and
after the last zero. In calculus, you will build upon this
method to get a more accurate graph. For now we can get
a little more accuracy if we find and plot the y-intercept.

2. Sketch 𝑓(𝑥) = 2(𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 − 5)(𝑥 − 2).

Note: We should check our table against what we know about the end behaviour.
3. Sketch 𝑓(𝑥) = −4𝑥(𝑥 + 2)(2𝑥 − 3) .

Note: the zeroes that correspond to the linear factors resemble a linear function
immediately around the x-axis, while the factor that is squared resembles a quadratic function

4. Sketch 𝑓(𝑥) = (𝑥 – 2) (𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 4)

5. A function has a range of 𝑅 − {𝑦 ∈ ℝ|𝑦 ≥ −6} and 3 turning points. What conclusions can you draw about this
function? Construct some possible graphs of this function.

Pg. 146 #1-2,3b,4,6b,e,f,7,10,14

UNIT 2 – POLYNOMIAL FACTORING TECHNIQUES

3.7 – Factoring a Sum or Difference of Cubes and Review of Factoring Techniques
The Golden Rule of Factoring: ALWAYS TRY TO COMMON FACTOR FIRST!!!
- Find the greatest common factor (GCF) for the polynomial
- Use the largest number that divides evenly into all the coefficients.
- Use any variable that is common to all terms in the polynomial.
- To determine what exponent to use, look for the lowest exponent on each variable in the original polynomial.
-Write the GCF in front of a set of brackets. Inside the brackets, divide the original polynomial by the GCF.