PRE-RMO MATHEMATICS FUNCTION

1. Let f be a function with domain [−3, 5] and let g  x   3x  4 . Then the domain of (fog)(x) is

 1  1
(a)  3,  (b) 3,  (c) [  3, 1 ) (d) none of these
 3  3  3

Answer: (b)
Solution:
Given,
g  x   3x  4
f(g(x)) domain will be
3  3x  4  5
5  3x  4  5
9  3x  1
1
3  x 
3

2. If f  x   1 x, x 3,3, then the domain of fof(x) is

(a)  3,3 (b)  2,3 (c)  2,3 (d) [  2, 3)

Answer: (b)
Solution:
f  x   1 x, x 3,3 …(1)

Domain of fof(x)
3  1  x  3
4   x  2
2  x  4 .....(2)
Taking common from (1) and (2)
x   2,3

3. If f  x   1 , x  0,1, then the graph of the function y  f  f  f  x   , x  1, is

1 x
 (a) a circle (b) an ellipse (c) a straight line (d) a pair of straight lines
Answer: (c)
Solution:
1
f  x 
1 x

  1 
 
f f  f  x   f  f  
  1 x  
 
 1 
 f 
 1 1 
 1 x 

 1 x 
 f 
 1 x 1 
 1 x   x 1 
 f  f  
 x   x 
1 x
 
x 1 x  x 1
1
x
x
Its straight line

 x  1; x  1
 x2 ; x  2 
4. If f  x    & g  x    x  1 x  3  2;1  x  3
2 x  1; x  2  x  2; x  3

Then find: fog (2)
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3
Answer: (b)
Solution:
fog  2   f  g  2    f 1  1

 x  1; x  1
 x2 ; x  2 
5. If f  x    & g  x    x  1 x  3  2;1  x  3
2 x  1; x  2  x  2; x  3

Then find: fog (1−)
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4
 Answer: (d)
Solution:

 
fog 1   f g 1   f  2   4

 x  1; x  1
 x2 ; x  2 
6. If f  x    & g  x    x  1 x  3  2;1  x  3
2 x  1; x  2  x  2; x  3

Then find: fog (1+)
(a) 3 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 4
Answer: (d)
Solution:

 
fog 1   f g 1   f  2   4

 x  1; x  1
 x2 ; x  2 
7. If f  x    & g  x    x  1 x  3  2;1  x  3
2 x  1; x  2  x  2; x  3

Then find: fog (3+)
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3
Answer: (b)
Solution:

 
fog  3   f g  3   f 1   1

 x  1; x  1
 x2 ; x  2 
8. If f  x    & g  x    x  1 x  3  2;1  x  3
2 x  1; x  2  x  2; x  3

Then find: gof (2+)
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3
Answer: (b)
Solution:

 
gof  2   g f  2   g  3   1
  x  1; x  1
 x2 ; x  2 
9. If f  x    & g  x    x  1 x  3  2;1  x  3
2 x  1; x  2  x  2; x  3

Then find: gof (2−)
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3
Answer: (c)
Solution:

 
gof  2   g f  2   g  4   2

10. The function g : 5,6,7,8  1, 2,3, 4 defined as _____ has an inverse.

(a) g   5, 4  ,  6, 3  ,  7, 4  ,  8, 2  (b) g   5,3  ,  6,3  ,  7, 4  ,  8, 2 

(c) g   5,3  ,  6, 4  ,  7, 2  ,  8,1 (d) none of these

Answer: (c)
Solution:
In the case of g   5, 4  ,  6, 3  ,  7, 4  ,  8, 2  , the domain elements 5 and 7 are both mapped to the

same codomain element 4. Hence, it is not one-one, and hence it is not a bijection. So, it does not
have an inverse.
Using similar arguments, the function g   5,3  ,  6,3  ,  7, 4  ,  8, 2  also does not have an inverse.

The function g   5, 4  ,  6,3  ,  7,1 ,  8, 2  is both one-one and onto, and hence it is a bijection. So,

it has an inverse.

11. If f  x   3x  5 then f –1(x)

(a) is given by 1
(b) is given by x  5
3x  5 3
(c) does not exist because f is not one-one (d) does not exist because f is not onto
Answer: (b)
Solution:
f  x   3x  5  y
Replace x  y
 3y  5  x
5 x
y
3
5 x
f 1  x  
3
12. What is the inverse of the function f  x   x3  8 , if f :    ?
1
(a) f  1  x   x 3  8 (b) f  1  x    8  x  3
1 1
(c) f  1  x    x  8  3 (d) f  1  x    x  8  3

Answer: (d)
Solution:
It is given that f  x   y  x3  8 .

Interchanging x and y , we have

x  y3  8
1
 y   x  8 3
1
 f 1  x    x  8 3

13. What is the inverse of the function f  x   x if f :  0,     0,   ?

(a) f  1  x   x (b) f  1  x    x

(c) f  1  x   x (d) f  1  x    x

Answer: (a)
Solution:
It is given that f  x   y  x .

Interchanging x and y , we have

x y
 y  x

Since f :  0,     0,   , f  1  x   x .

14. What is the inverse of the function f  x   x if f :  , 0   0,   ?

(a) f  1  x   x (b) f  1  x    x
 (c) f  1  x   x (d) f  1  x    x

Answer: (b)
Solution:
It is given that f  x   y  x .

Interchanging x and y , we have

x y
 y  x

Since f :  , 0   0,   , f  1  x    x .

2x  3
15. In the domain and codomain for which f  x   is a bijection, find its inverse.
3x  2
3x  2 3x  2
(a) f  1  x   (b) f  1  x  
2x  3 2x  3
2x  3 2x  3
(c) f  1  x   (d) f  1  x  
3x  2 3x  2
Answer: (d)
Solution:
2x  3
It is given that f  x   y  .
3x  2
Interchanging x and y , we have
2y  3
x
3y  2
 3 xy  2 x  2 y  3
  3x  2  y  2 x  3
2x  3
 y
3x  2
2x  3
 f 1  x  
3x  2

f  x  x  2  x f 1  x
16. Let f : (  ,1]  (  ,1] such that . Then is

(a) 1  1 x (b) 1 1 x

(c) 1 x (d) none of these

Answer: (b)
 Solution:
f  x  x  2  x

y  2x  x2
Replace x  y

y2  2 y  x  0
2  4  4x
y
2
y  1 1 x
f 1  x   1  1  x

17. Let S = {1, 2, 3}. Determine whether the functions f : S  S defined as below have inverses. Find f
–1
, if it exists.


(a) f  1,1 ,  2,2 , 3,3   
(b) f  1,2 ,  2,1 ,  3,1

(c) f  1,3 , 3,2 ,  2,1

Solution:


(a) f  1,1 ,  2,2 , 3,3 
f 1  1,1 ,  2, 2  ,  3, 3 

As all inputs have taken part and unique output thus f−1 exists.


(b) f  1,2 ,  2,1 ,  3,1 
f 1   2,1 , 1, 2  , 1, 3 

As 1 is given two outputs.

Thus inverse does not exist.


(c) f  1,3 , 3,2 ,  2,1 
f 1   3,1 ,  2, 3  , 1, 2 

Inverse exist.
18. If a function f :  0,     , 3 is defined by f  x   3  x 2 , then find f 1  x  .

(a) f  1  x   x  3 (b) f  1  x   3  x

(c) f  1  x    x  3 (d) f  1  x   3  x
 Answer: (b)
Solution:
Given a function f :  0,     , 3 defined by f  x   3  x 2 .

Let f  x   y  3  x 2 .

Interchanging x and y , we have

x  3  y2  y2  3  x  y   3  x .

Since f :  0,     , 3 , thus y   3  x is rejected.

Hence, f  1  x   3  x .

19. If a function f :  0,     , 8 is defined by f  x   8  3 x 2 , then find f 1  x  .

x3 3 x
(a) f  1  x   (b) f  1  x  
8 8

x 8 8 x
(c) f  1  x   (d) f  1  x  
3 3
Answer: (d)
Solution:
Given a function f :  0,     , 8 defined by f  x   8  3 x 2 .

Let f  x   y  8  3 x 2 .

Interchanging x and y , we have

8 x 8 x
x  8  3y2  y2   y .
3 3

8 x
Since f :  0,     , 8 , thus y   is rejected.
3

8 x
Hence, f  1  x   .
3

If the function f : [2,  )  [  1,  ) is defined by f  x   x  4 x  3 then f−1 is:

2
20.

(a) 2  x 1 (b) 2  x 1
2  x 1
(c) (d) not defined
2
 Answer: (b)
Solution:
y  x2  4 x  3
Replace x  y

y2  4 y  3  x  0
4  16  4  3  x 
y
2
4  2 1 x
y
2
y  2  1 x

f 1  x   2  1  x or 2  1  x

But f 1  1,     2,  

Which is possible only with

f 1  x   2  1  x

21. If a function f :  0,     , 1 is defined by f  x   1  x 2 , then _____.

(a) f  1  3  2 (b) f  1  7   3 2

(c) f  1  8   10 (d) f  1  48   47

Answer: (a)
Solution:
Given a function f :  0,     , 1 defined by f  x   1  x 2 .

Let f  x   y  1  x 2 .

Interchanging x and y , we have

x  1  y2  y2  1  x  y   1  x .

Since f :  0,     , 1 , thus y   1  x is rejected.

Hence, f  1  x   1  x

f  1  3   1   3   4  2

f  1  7   1   7   8  2 2
 f  1  8   1    8   9  3

f  1  48   1   48   49  7

 2002 
22. If f  x   2 f    3x x then find f(x).
 x 
4004  x 2 4004  x 2
(a) (b)
x2 x
4004  x 4004
(c) (d)
x x
Answer: (b)
Solution:
 2002 
f  x  2 f    3x
 x 
2002
Replace x  thus
x
 2002   2002 
f   2 f  x  3 
 x   x 
Solving both we get
6  2002 
3 f  x   3x
x
4004
f  x  x
x
4004  x 2
f  x 
x
3 f  x   2 f 1  x   x 2 f  x 
23. If , then _____.
x2  2x  2 x2  2x  2
(a) (b)
2 3
x2  4x  2 x2  4x  2
(c) (d)
3 2
Answer: (c)
Solution:
Given 3 f  x   2 f 1  x   x 2 …(1)

Replacing x by 1  x , we get the following.

 3 f 1  x   2 f  x   1  x 
2
…(2)

Multiplying equation (1) by 3 and equation (2) by 2, we get

9 f  x   6 f 1  x   3 x 2 …(3)

6 f 1  x   4 f  x   2 1  x 
2
…(4)

Solving equations (3) and (4), we get

9 f  x   6 f 1  x   6 f 1  x   4 f  x   3 x 2  2 1  x 
2

 3 f  x   3x 2  2  2 x 2  4 x
x2  4x  2
 f  x 
3
1
24. If 3 f  x   4 f    x, x  0 , then find f  x  .
x
1 3  1 3 
(a) f  x     4 x  (b) f  x     7 x 
7 x  4 x 
17  1 4 
(c) f  x     3x  (d) f  x     3x 
4 x  7 x 
Answer: (d)
Solution:
1
Given 3 f  x   4 f    x, x  0 …(1)
x
1
Replacing x by , we get the following.
x
1 1
3 f    4 f  x  …(2)
x x
Multiplying equation (1) by 3 and equation (2) by 4, we get the following.
1
9 f  x   12 f    3 x …(3)
 x
1 4
12 f    16 f  x   …(4)
 x x
Solving equations (1) and (3), we get
 1 1 4
12 f    16 f  x   9 f  x   12 f     3x
x  x x
4
 7 f  x    3x
x
1 4 
 f  x     3x 
7 x 
25. If 3 f  x   2 f 1  x   x 2 , then _____.

(a) f 1  1 (b) f  2   2

1 1
(c) f    (d) f 100   3466
2 6
Answer: (a), (d)
Solution:
Given 3 f  x   2 f 1  x   x 2 …(1)
Replacing x by 1  x , we get the following.
3 f 1  x   2 f  x   1  x 
2
…(2)
Multiplying equation (1) by 3 and equation (2) by 2, we get
9 f  x   6 f 1  x   3 x 2 …(3)
6 f 1  x   4 f  x   2 1  x 
2
…(4)
Solving equations (3) and (4), we get
9 f  x   6 f 1  x   6 f 1  x   4 f  x   3 x 2  2 1  x 
2

 3 f  x   3x 2  2  2 x 2  4 x
x2  4x  2
 f  x 
3
So, we have the following.
1  4 1  2
2
1 4  2 3
f 1    1
3 3 3
 2  4  2  2
2
4  8  2 10
f  2   
3 3 3
2
1 1 1
   4   2 22
 
f   2
1 2 1
 4 
2 3 3 12
100   4 100   2
2
10000  400  2 10398
f 100      3466
3 3 3