Inverse Functions

Lecture No. 5: • Meaning of inverse

functions
Inverse • One to One functions
Functions • How to get inverse
functions
• Properties of inverse
functions
 Inverse functions
• Inverse functions are functions that "reverse" the effect of the original
function.
• If 𝑓(𝑥) is a function, its inverse, denoted as 𝑓 −1 (𝑥), undoes the action of
𝑓(𝑥).
• In other words, applying 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) to the output of 𝑓(𝑥) returns the original
input.
• A function 𝑓(𝑥) has an inverse if and only if its One-to-one (injective)
One to one functions
• A function is said to be a one to one or injective if and only if, for
every value of 𝑦, there is only one value of 𝑥. An injective function
can easily be detected by the horizontal straight line test.

• The horizontal straight line test is simply we draw a horizontal line

if it cuts the graph of the function in one point, then the function is
said to one to one (Injective).
• the function is injective if its differentiable and
𝒇′(𝒙) > 𝟎 𝒐𝒓 𝒇′(𝒙) <0 for all 𝑥 in the domain.
 How to get Inverse Function

To get the expression of the inverse function 𝒇−1 (𝒙), we will do two
steps:

1. Find 𝑥 in terms of 𝑦 from the expression 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) to get 𝑓 −1 (𝑦)

2. Replace 𝑦 by 𝑥.
• Example: For 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 3 find 𝑓 −1 (x)
1
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 3 ⇒ 2𝑥 = 𝑦 − 3 ⇒ 𝑥 = (𝑦 − 3) ≡ 𝑓 −1 (𝑦) ⇒ 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) =
2
1
(𝑥 − 3)
2
Properties of Inverse Function

• 𝑓 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑓 −1 𝑓 𝑥 =𝑥

• if the both functions drown on the same axis, they will be

symmetric about the line 𝑦 = 𝑥.

• Domain and range are reversed

𝑓 𝑥 𝑓 −𝟏 𝑥
Domain Domain
Range Range
Example
2𝑥−3
find the inverse for 𝑦 = and check your answer by applying the condition
5
𝑓 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥. then, draw a sketch for both functions showing the similarity.
Solution
2𝑥−3 2𝑥−3
1) 𝑦 = we will get 𝑥 in terms of 𝑦 → 𝑦 = ⇒ 5𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 3 ⇒ 2𝑥 = 5𝑦 + 3
5 5
𝟓𝒚 + 𝟑
𝒙=
𝟐
5𝑥+3
2) Replace 𝑥 by 𝑦 and get 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) i.e. 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) will be after replacing 𝑥 by 𝑦 = .
2
𝟓𝒙+𝟑
The new function is 𝒇−𝟏 (𝒙) =
𝟐
Cont. Solution
5𝑥+3
2 2
−3
−1 5𝑥+3−3 5𝑥
3)Check the correct answer 𝑓 𝑓 (𝑥) = = = =𝑥
5 5 5
Example
find the inverse for 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 , 𝑥 ≥ 0 of the given function and check your answer by applying
the condition𝑓 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥 then, draw a sketch of both functions showing the similarity.
Solution
𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 , 𝑥 ≥ 0
1- 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 we will get 𝑥 in terms of 𝑦. i.e. 𝑦 = 𝑥
𝑥= 𝑦
2-Replace 𝑥 by 𝑦 and get 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) i.e. 𝑓 −1 (𝑥)
will be after replacing 𝑥 by 𝑦 = 𝑥.
The new function is 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥
𝑓 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = ( 𝑥)2 = 𝑥
Example
Sketch the graphs of 𝑓(𝑥) and its inverse function using the same coordinate axes if
𝑓(𝑥) = −1 − 𝑥, find Domain and range for the both function
Solution

𝑦 = −1 − 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑦 2 = −1 − 𝑥, y≥ 0
⇒ 𝑥 = −𝑦 2 − 1 ≡ 𝑓 −1 (𝑦), y≥ 0
⇒ 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑥 → 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = −𝑥 2 − 1, 𝑥 ≥ 0
For 𝑓(𝑥)

Domain: ] −∞, −1]

Range : [ 0, ∞[

For 𝑓 −1 (𝑥)

Domain : [ 0, ∞[
Range : ] −∞, −1]
Example
1− 𝑥
Show whether the function 𝑓(𝑥) = is one to one, hence find its inverse if it exists.
1+ 𝑥

Solution:
−1 1
(1 + 𝑥) − (1 − 𝑥)
2 𝑥 2 𝑥 −1 − 𝑥 − 1 + 𝑥 −1
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = = = <0
(1 + 𝑥)2 2 𝑥(1 + 𝑥)2 𝑥(1 + 𝑥)2
Therefore, the function 𝑓(𝑥) is one - to one. Hence, 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) exists
1− 𝑥
𝑦= ⇒ 𝑦 + 𝑦 𝑥 = 1 − 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑥 + 𝑦 𝑥 = 1 − 𝑦 ⇒ 𝑥(1 + 𝑦) = 1 − 𝑦
1+ 𝑥
2 2
1−𝑦 1−𝑦 −1 −1
1−𝑥
⇒ 𝑥= ⇒𝑥= ≡ 𝑓 (𝑦) ⇒ 𝑓 (𝑥) =
1+𝑦 1+𝑦 1+𝑥
Example:
Sketch the graphs of 𝑓(𝑥) and its inverse function using the same coordinate
axes if
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 1, 𝑥 ≥ 0.

Solution:
𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 1, 𝑥 ≥ 0.
⇒ 𝑥2 = 𝑦 − 1
⇒ 𝑥 = ± 𝑦 − 1 but 𝑥 ≥ 0
⇒ 𝑓 −1 𝑦 = 𝑦 − 1, 𝑦 ≥ 1 ⇒ 𝑓 −1 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 1, 𝑥≥1
Inverse Function Derivative Rule:
If 𝑓 is a one-to-one function, continuous, and differentiable at a point b and 𝑓 −1 𝑎 = 𝑏
−𝟏 ′ 𝟏 𝟏
Then 𝒇 (𝒂) = =
𝒇′ (𝒇−𝟏 𝒂 ) 𝒇′ (𝒃)
Proof :
′ 𝜋
From graph 𝑓 −1 (𝑎) = tan 𝜑 = tan 2−𝜃
1 1
= cot 𝜃 = = ′
tan 𝜃 𝑓 (𝑏)
Example
Given 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 , 𝑥 ≥ 0
find 𝑓 −1 ′ 9 by two methods
𝑓(3) = 9 ⇒ 𝑓 −1 (9) = 3
We can find 𝑓 −1 ′ (9) by two different methods
1 1 1
𝑓 −1 ′ (9) = ′ = =
𝑓 (3) (2𝑥)𝑥=3 6
1 1 1
Or ∵ 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 ⇒ 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑓 −1 ′ (𝑥) = ⇒ 𝑓 −1 ′ (9) = =
2 𝑥 2 9 6
Example
• If 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + cos 𝑥. Evaluate 𝑓 −1 ′ (1).
Solution:
• 𝑓(0) = 1 ⇒ 𝑓 −1 (1) = 0
1
• 𝑓 −1 ′ (1) =
𝑓 ′ (0)

⇒ 𝑓 ′ (𝑥) = 2 − sin 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑓 ′ (0) = 2

−1 ′
1
⇒ 𝑓 (1) =
2
Homework • Exercise 7.1-page 391 No. 3 –16, 23 –28, 37 –42.