Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

7.1 One-To-One Functions; Inverses

Definition of the One-To-One Functions:

Definition 1

A function 𝒇 is said to be one-to-one ( 𝟏 − 𝟏), if there are no two distinct

numbers in the domain of 𝒇 at which

𝒇 takes on the same value.

𝒇(𝒙𝟏 ) = 𝒇(𝒙𝟐 ) 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝒙𝟏 = 𝒙𝟐

or

𝒙𝟏 ≠ 𝒙𝟐 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝒇(𝒙𝟏 ) ≠ 𝒇(𝒙𝟐 ).

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

𝑦 = 𝑥 2 is not one to one 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 is one to one

Example 1 Determine whether or not the function 𝑓 is one-to-one.

𝟏
𝟏) 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙 +
𝒙
𝟏
𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝒙𝟏 = 𝟐 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝒙𝟐 =
𝟐
𝟏 𝟓 𝟏
𝒇(𝟐) = 𝟐 + = = 𝒇 ( ),
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐
𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝒙𝟏 ≠ 𝒙𝟐 → 𝒇 𝒊𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝑜𝑛𝑒 − 𝑡𝑜 − 𝑜𝑛𝑒.

𝟐) 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑

Set 𝒇(𝒙𝟏 ) = 𝒇(𝒙𝟐 ), 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝟐𝒙𝟏 − 𝟑 = 𝟐𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑

𝟐𝒙𝟏 = 𝟐𝒙𝟐

𝒙𝟏 = 𝒙𝟐 → 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 − 𝐭𝐨 − 𝐨𝐧𝐞 (𝟏 − 𝟏).

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

−𝝅 𝝅
𝟑) 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 , 𝒙 ∈ [ , ]
𝟐 𝟐

−𝝅 𝝅
𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 [ , ] → 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 − 𝐭𝐨 − 𝐨𝐧𝐞.
𝟐 𝟐

𝟒) 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟐 , 𝒙≥𝟎

Set 𝒇(𝒙𝟏 ) = 𝒇(𝒙𝟐 ), 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧

𝒙𝟐𝟏 = 𝒙𝟐𝟐 → √𝒙𝟐𝟏 = √𝒙𝟐𝟐 → |𝒙𝟏 | = |𝒙𝟐 | → 𝒙𝟏 = 𝒙𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝒙𝟏 , 𝒙𝟐 ≥ 𝟎

→ 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 − 𝐭𝐨 − 𝐨𝐧𝐞 on [𝟎, ∞).

𝟓) 𝒇(𝒙) = |𝒙|.

𝒇(−𝟏) = 𝟏 = 𝒇(𝟏), 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝟏 ≠ −𝟏 → 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 1 − 1.

Remark:

If 𝑓 is increasing on 𝐷 then 𝑓 is one-to-one on 𝐷.

If 𝑓 is decreasing on 𝐷 then 𝑓 is one-to-one on 𝐷.

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

Theorem

If 𝒇′ (𝒙) > 𝟎 for all 𝒙 ∈ (𝒂, 𝒃), then 𝒇 is increasing on (𝒂, 𝒃) and so is one-to-one.

If 𝒇′ (𝒙) < 𝟎 for all 𝒙 ∈ (𝒂, 𝒃), then 𝒇 is decreasing on (𝒂, 𝒃) and so is one-to-one.

Definition If the functions 𝑓 and 𝑔 satisfy the two conditions

𝑔(𝑓 (𝑥 )) = 𝑥 for every 𝑥 in the domain of 𝑓

𝑓 (𝑔(𝑥 )) = 𝑥 for every 𝑥 in the domain of 𝑔

then we say that 𝑓 is an inverse of 𝑔 and 𝑔 is an inverse of 𝑓 or that 𝑓 and 𝑔 are inverse
functions.

If a function 𝑓 has an inverse, then that inverse is unique.

Thus, if a function 𝑓 has an inverse, then we are entitled to talk about

“the” inverse of 𝑓 ,

in which case we denote it by the symbol 𝒇−𝟏

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

If 𝒇 maps 𝒂 to 𝒃, then 𝒇−𝟏 maps 𝒃 back to 𝒂

Note that 𝑓 −1 does not mean 1⁄𝑓(𝑥)

1
𝑓 −1 ≠
𝑓

Theorem

A function has an inverse if and only if it is one-to-one.

Example 2 Confirm each of the following.

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

Example 3

∗∗ Let 𝑓 be a one-to-one function, then

If 𝒇 maps 𝒂 to 𝒃, then 𝒇−𝟏 maps 𝒃 back to 𝒂

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

Method for finding the equation of the inverse of a one-to-one function:

1. Set 𝒚 = 𝒇(𝒙)

2. Solve for 𝒙 (if possible).

3. Interchange 𝒙 and 𝒚.

4. Replace 𝒚 by 𝒇−𝟏 (𝒙).

Example 4 Find the inverse of 𝒇(𝒙) = (𝟏 − 𝒙𝟑 )𝟏⁄𝟓 + 𝟐

Solution:

∗ 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝒚 = (𝟏 − 𝒙𝟑 )𝟏⁄𝟓 + 𝟐

(𝟏 − 𝒙𝟑 )𝟏⁄𝟓 = 𝒚 − 𝟐

𝟏 − 𝒙𝟑 = (𝒚 − 𝟐)𝟓

𝒙𝟑 = 𝟏 − (𝒚 − 𝟐)𝟓

𝟑
𝒙 = √𝟏 − (𝒚 − 𝟐)𝟓

𝟑 𝟑
∗∗ 𝒙 ↔ 𝒚 ∶ 𝒚 = √𝟏 − (𝒙 − 𝟐)𝟓 → 𝒇−𝟏 (𝒙) = √𝟏 − (𝒙 − 𝟐)𝟓
 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

𝟏−𝒙
𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝟓 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝒇(𝒙) =
𝒙+𝟐
a) Find 𝒇−𝟏 b) Find the range of 𝒇.

Solution:
𝟏−𝒙
∗ 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝒚 =
𝒙+𝟐
𝒚𝒙 + 𝟐𝒚 = 𝟏 − 𝒙

𝒚𝒙 + 𝒙 = 𝟏 − 𝟐𝒚

𝒙(𝒚 + 𝟏) = 𝟏 − 𝟐𝒚
𝟏 − 𝟐𝒚
𝒙=
𝒚+𝟏
𝟏 − 𝟐𝒙 𝟏 − 𝟐𝒙
∗∗ 𝒙 ↔ 𝒚 ∶ 𝒚= → 𝒇−𝟏 (𝒙) =
𝒙+𝟏 𝒙+𝟏
b) Range (𝒇) =domain ( 𝒇−𝟏 )= (−∞, −𝟏) ∪ (−𝟏, ∞)

* Note that 𝒇(𝟏) = 𝟎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝒇−𝟏 (𝟎) = 𝟏, 𝒇 (𝒇−𝟏 (𝒙)) = 𝒙 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝒙 ≠ −𝟏

𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝒇−𝟏 (𝒇(𝒙)) = 𝒙 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝒙 ≠ −𝟐.

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

RESTRICTING DOMAINS FOR INVERTIBILITY

 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

Example 6 Find the inverse for 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 5, 𝑥 ≤ 2.

Solution:

Note that 𝑓 is decreasing and so one to one on the interval (−∞, 𝟐]

Set 𝑦 = 𝑓 (𝑥 )

𝑦 = (𝑥 − 2)2 + 1

𝑦 − 1 = (𝑥 − 2)2

√𝑦 − 1 = |𝑥 − 2|

√𝑦 − 1 = 2 − 𝑥, since 𝒙 ≤ 𝟐

2 − √𝑦 − 1 = 𝑥

𝒙 ↔ 𝒚: 2 − √𝑥 − 1 = 𝑦

Thus 𝑓 −1 (𝑥 ) = 2 − √𝑥 − 1

Example 7 Suppose that 𝑓 has an inverse, 𝑓(2) = 5, then 𝑓 −1 (5) = ⋯

Solution: 𝑓 −1 (5) = 2

Example 8

−𝟏 (
𝟐𝟑 𝟖
𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝒇 𝒙) = 𝟐 → 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝟐) = 𝟐 =
𝟐 +𝟏 𝟓
 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

CONTINUITY OF INVERSE FUNCTIONS

Theorem If 𝒇 is a differentiable and one-to-one function, then

Let 𝑦 = 𝑓 −1 (𝑥),
Then 𝑥 = 𝑓 (𝑦)
Differentiating with respect to 𝒙 we obtain
 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

Example 9 Consider the function 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟓 + 𝒙 + 𝟏

a) Show that 𝒇 is one-to-one on the interval (−∞, ∞) b) Calculate (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (𝟏)

Solution:

a) 𝒇′ (𝒙) = 𝟓𝒙𝟒 + 𝟏 > 𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝒙.

→ 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 (−∞, ∞) → 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 − 𝐭𝐨 − 𝐨𝐧𝐞.

𝟏
b) (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (𝟏) =
𝒇′ (𝒂)

Where 𝒂 = 𝒇−𝟏 (𝟏) 𝐨𝐫 𝒇(𝒂) = 𝟏

𝒂𝟓 + 𝒂 + 𝟏 = 𝟏 ↔ 𝒂𝟓 + 𝒂 = 𝟎 ↔ 𝒂(𝒂𝟒 + 𝟏) = 𝟎, so 𝒂 = 𝟎
𝟏 𝟏
→ (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (𝟏) = = =𝟏
𝒇′ (𝟎) 𝟓(𝟎)𝟒 + 𝟏

𝟏
Example 10 Consider the function 𝒇(𝒙) = −𝒙𝟑 − 𝒙
𝟐

a) Show that 𝒇 is one-to-one. b) Calculate (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (−𝟗)

Solution:
𝟏 𝟏
a) 𝒇′ (𝒙) = −𝟑𝒙𝟐 − = − (𝟑𝒙𝟐 + ) < 0 for all real 𝒙.
𝟐 𝟐
→ 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧(−∞, ∞) → 𝒇 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 − 𝐭𝐨 − 𝐨𝐧𝐞.
𝟏
b) (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (−𝟗) =
𝒇′ (𝒂)

Where 𝒂 = 𝒇−𝟏 (−𝟗) 𝐨𝐫 𝒇(𝒂) = −𝟗

𝟏
−𝒂𝟑 − 𝒂 = −𝟗 → 𝒂 = 𝟐 (𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧)
𝟐
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 −𝟐
→ (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (−𝟗) = = = =
𝒇′ (𝟐) (−𝟑 ∙ 𝟐𝟐 − 𝟏) (−𝟐𝟓) 𝟐𝟓
𝟐 𝟐
 Instructor: Eman AL-Saleh

−𝟑
Example 11 Suppose that 𝒇 has an inverse, 𝒇(𝟐) = 𝟓, and 𝒇′ (𝟐) = . What is (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (𝟓)
𝟒

𝟏 −𝟒
𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝒂 = 𝒇−𝟏 (𝟓) = 𝟐 → (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (𝟓) = =
𝒇′ (𝟐) 𝟑

𝟐𝒙

𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝟏𝟐 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝒇(𝒙) = ∫ √𝟏𝟔 + 𝒕𝟒 𝒅𝒕

𝟏

a) Show that 𝒇 has an inverse. b) Calculate (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (𝟎)

Solution: 𝐚) 𝒇′ (𝒙) = (√𝟏𝟔 + (𝟐𝒙)𝟒 ) (𝟐) = 𝟖√𝟏 + 𝒙𝟒 > 𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝒙.

Example 13 Set 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟐𝒙 + 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒙

a) Show that 𝒇 is one-to-one. b) Calculate (𝒇−𝟏 )′ (𝝅)

1
Example 14 Let 𝑓(𝑥 ) = 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 + 𝑘𝑥, 𝑘 a constant. For what values of 𝑘 is 𝑓 one-to-one?
3