MA 15200 Lesson 20 Section 2.

A relation is any set of ordered pairs. The set of all first components of the ordered pairs
is called the domain. The set of all second components is called the range.

Relations can be represented by tables, sets, equations of two variables, or graphs.

Name % of all Names The table at the left would represent a relation
Smith 1.006% where the ordered pairs are of the form (name, %).
Johnson 0.810% An example would be (Williams, 0.699%). The
Williams 0.699% domain would be {Smith, Johnson, Williams,
Brown 0.621% Brown, Jones} and the range is {1.006%, 0.810%,
Jones 0.621% 0.699%, 0.621%}.

Ex 1: Find the domain and range of each relation.

a) {(2, −3), (3, −4), (4, −5), (5, −5), (2, −6)}

A relation in which each member of the domain corresponds to exactly one member of
the range is a function. The table above that pairs a last name with a percent of all names
is a function because each last name is paired to exactly one percent. Another way to
identify a function is the following, it is a relation in which no two ordered pairs have
the same first component and different second components.

Definition of a Function
A function is a correspondence from a first set, called the domain, to a second set, called
the range, such that each element in the domain corresponds to exactly one element in
the range.

If the table was changed as below, the relation is not a function. The percent 0.621%
would be paired with both Brown and Jones.
% of all Names Name
1.006% Smith
Domain Range
0.810% Johnson
0.699% Williams x y

0.621% Brown a b
0.621% Jones
Function

Domain Range

x n

a y

NOT a Function

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I Determining Whether a Relation is a Function

Ex 2: Determine if each relation is a function.

a) x y
0 1
1 0
-1 0
2 -3
-3 -8
-2 -3
4 -15

b) {(2, −3), (3, −4), (4, −5), (5, −5), (2, −6)}

II Determining Whether an Equation Represents a Function

Many functions are written as equations of two variables. For example, R = −0.6 x + 94 ,
where R represents the average number of meals per person Americans ordered from
restaurants and x represents the number of years after 1984. The x is called the
independent variable, because any number of years after 1984 can be selected. The y is
called the dependent variable, because its value depends upon the value of x.

Not all equations represent functions. If an equation is solved for y and more than one
value of y can be obtained for a given x, then the equation does not define a function.

Ex 3: Determine if each equation is a function or not. Find the domain in

interval notation.
a) y = x 2 + 2 c) x = y 2 + 2

b) y = x−3 d) xy − y = −1

2
 2x
e) y=
x −5

III Determining if a Graph Represents a Function

Graphs of Functions: A function can be graphed by determining the set of all ordered
pairs (points) where x is in the domain and y is in the range. Because each x can only be
paired to one y, the vertical line test can be used to determine if a graph represents a
function. If every possible vertical line would intersect the graph only once, then the
graph represents a function.

Ex 2: Determine which graphs are functions.

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The Vertical Line Test for Functions
If any vertical line intersects a graph in more than one point, the graph does not define y
as a function of x.

IV Function Notation
Functions are often named using letters such as f, g, h, F, G, or p. The input of the
function is x. The output of the function is y, which can be represented as f(x), read f of x
or function of x. This notation means the value of the function at the number x and is
known as function notation.

The notation f(2) means replace a 2 for the value of x (or the independent variable) in the
function. Some substitutions for x do not have to be numbers. f(x-4) says to find the
function value when the original x is replaced with x – 4. Remember f(x) means the
same thing as y. The function value is the y or f(x) value.

Ex 3: If f ( x) = 3 x 2 − 2 x and g ( x) = 4 x + 2 , find the following.

a ) f (−1) =

b) g (−4) =

c) f (a ) =

d) g (2k ) =

e) g (m − 2) =

f) f (n 2 + 1) =

g) g ( x + 5) =

V Graphs of Functions
The graph of a function is the graph of its ordered pairs. We have already graphed some
equations, but will graph one function here.

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Ex 4: Graph g ( x) = 2 x − 3

The graph above is a line. Any function of the form f ( x) = mx + b has a straight line
graph and is called a linear function.

VI Analyzing the Graph of a Function

Ex 5: For each graph shown, find the following.

a) The Domain in set-builder notation and interval notation.
b) The Range in set-builder notation and interval notation.
c) f (3)
d) For what value of x is f ( x) = 4 ?
e) Any x-intercepts
f) Any y-intercept

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 VII Applied Function Problems

The bar graph below shows the average final exam score for 4 consecutive years.
100
Number of Points

80 76
73
71
70 68

60

2004 2005 2006 2007

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 2 2
The functions f ( x) = 3 x + 56 and g ( x) = x + 56 model the average exam score where
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x is the number of years after 2000.

Ex 6: a) According to the graph, what was the average exam score in 2007?

b) Using the function f model, what was the average exam score in 2007?

c) Does function f underestimate or overestimate the actual exam score

according to the graph? By how much?

d) Using the function g model, what was the average exam score in 2007?

e) Does the function g overestimate or underestimate the actual average

given in the graph? By how much?