LESSON 3:

OPERATIONS
ON
FUNCTIONS
LET’S REVIEW!
Example 1.
Find the sum of 1/3 and 2/5.

Solution:
The LCD of the two fractions is 15.
1/3+2/5 = 5/15+6/15=(5+6)/15 = 11/15
Example 2.
1 2
Find the sum of and
𝑥−3 𝑥−5
Solution:
The LCD of two fractions is (x-3)(x-5) or
x²-8x+15.
1 2 𝑥−5 2(𝑥−3)
+ = +
𝑥−3 𝑥−5 𝑥²−8𝑥+15 𝑥²−8𝑥+15
𝑥−5+2𝑥−6 3𝑥−11
= 𝑥²−8𝑥+15 = 𝑥²−8𝑥+15
Example 3.
Find the product of 10/21 and 15/8. Use
cancellation of factors when convenient.
Solution:
Express the numerators and denominators of
the two fractions into their prime factors.
Multiply and cancel out common factors in
the numerator and the denominator to
reduce the final answer to lowest terms.
10 15 2.5 3.5 2.5.3.5 25
. = . = =
21 8 3.7 2.2.2 3.7.2.2.2 28
Example 4.
𝑥²−4𝑥 −5
Find the product of 𝑥²−3𝑥 +2 and
𝑥²−5𝑥+6
Solution: 𝑥²−3𝑥−10
Express the numerators and denominators of the
two rational expressions into their prime factors.
Multiply and cancel out common factors in the
numerator and the denominator to reduce the
final answer to lowest terms. Note the similarity
in the process between this example and the
previous one on fractions.
 𝑥²−4𝑥−5 𝑥²−5𝑥+6
.
𝑥²−3𝑥+2 𝑥²−3𝑥−10
𝑥+1 (𝑥−5) 𝑥−2 (𝑥−3)
= .
𝑥−2 (𝑥−1) 𝑥−5 (𝑥+2)

𝑥+1 𝑥−5 𝑥−2 (𝑥−3) 𝑥+1 (𝑥−3)

= =
𝑥−2 𝑥−1 𝑥−5 (𝑥+2) 𝑥−1 (𝑥+2)

𝑥²−2𝑥−3
= 𝑥²+𝑥−2
Example 5. 2𝑥²+𝑥−6 𝑥²−2𝑥−8
Divide by
2𝑥²+7𝑥 +5 2𝑥²−3𝑥−20
Solution:
2𝑥²+𝑥−6 𝑥²−2𝑥−8
2𝑥²+7𝑥+5
÷ 2𝑥²−3𝑥−20
2𝑥²+𝑥−6 2𝑥²−3𝑥−20
= .
2𝑥²+7𝑥 +5 𝑥²−2𝑥−8
2𝑥 −3 (𝑥+2) 𝑥 −4 (2𝑥 +5)
= .
2𝑥 +5 (𝑥+1) 𝑥+2 (𝑥 −4)

2𝑥 −3 𝑥 +2 𝑥 −4 (2𝑥 +5) (2𝑥 −3)

= =
2𝑥 +5 𝑥 +1 𝑥 +2 (𝑥 −4) (𝑥 +1)
 DIFFERENT
OPERATIONS
WITH
FUNCTIONS:
 Definition:
Let f and g be functions.
1.) Their sum, denoted by f+g, is the function denoted by
(f+g)(x)=f(x)+g(x).
2.) Their difference, denoted by f-g, is the function denoted by (f-
g)(x)= f(x)-g(x).
3.)Their product, denoted by f.g, is the function denoted by
(f.g)(x)= f(x). g(x)
4.) Their quotient, denoted by f/g, is the function denoted by
(f/g)(x)=f(x)/g(x), excluding the values of x where g(x)=0.

5.) The composite function denoted by (f ◦ g) is defined by (f ◦

g)(x) = f [g(x)]. The process of obtaining a composite function is
called function composition.
I.THE SUM OF FUNCTIONS

- If f and g are functions with

domains, their sum is the function
defined as

(f+g)(x) = f(x) + g(x).

Example.
Let f(x)=3x²-4x+5 and g(x)=2x³+6x-2. Find
(f+g)(x).
Solution.
(f+g)(x)=f(x)+g(x) = (3x²-4x+5)+(2x³+6x-2)

= 3x²-4x+5+2x³+6x-2

= 2x³+3x²+ (-4x+6x)+(5-2)

=2x³+3x²+2x+3
 II. THE DIFFERENCE
OF FUNCTIONS
- If f and g are functions with domains,
their difference is the function defined
as

(f-g)(x) = f(x)-g(x).
Example.
2𝑥−5 6𝑥+9
Let f(x)= and g(x)= . Find (f-g)(x).
3 4

Solution:
(f-g)(x) = f(x) – g(x)

2𝑥−5 6𝑥+9 4 2𝑥−5 −3(6𝑥+9)

= - =
3 4 12
8𝑥−20−18𝑥−27 −10𝑥−47
= 12
= 12
 III. THE PRODUCT OF
FUNCTIONS
- If f and g are functions with
domains, their product is the
function defined as

(f.g)(x)= f(x).g(x)
Example.
4𝑥²−1
Let f(x)= and
2𝑥²+3𝑥+1
𝑥²−1
g(x)= . Find (f.g)(x)
2𝑥²−3𝑥+1
Solution:
(f.g)(x)=f(x).g(x)

4𝑥²−1 𝑥²−1
= .
2𝑥²+3𝑥+1 2𝑥²−3𝑥+1

2𝑥 −1 (2𝑥 +1) 𝑥−1 (𝑥 +1)

= .
2𝑥 +1 (𝑥+1) 𝑥 −1 (2𝑥 −1)

=1
 IV. THE QUOTIENT OF
FUNCTIONS
-If f and g are functions excluding
the values of x that will make g(x)
zero, their product is the function
defined as
𝒇 𝒇(𝒙)
( )(x) =
𝒈 𝒈(𝒙)
Example.
𝒇
Let f(x)= 𝒙 and g(x)= 𝒙 - 1. Find ( )(x).
𝒈

Solution:
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑥
( )(x)= =
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑥−1

𝑥 𝑥+1
= .
𝑥−1 𝑥+1

𝑥+ 𝑥
=
𝑥−1
V.THE COMPOSITE FUNCTIONS
-If f and g are functions with domains,
the composite function f with g is
defined as

(f◦g)(x)=f[g(x)]
-The symbol f◦g is read as “f circle g.”
- The definition suggests that in computing for
f◦g, first, apply the function g to x and then
the function f to g(x).
Example.
Let f(x)= 𝑥, g(x)=4x²-5x, and
h(x)=x+1. Find the following:

a.) (g◦h)(x)
b.) (h◦g)(x)
c.) [f◦(g+h)](x)
d.) (g◦g)(x)
Solution:
a.)To find (g◦h)(x), replace all x’s in g(x) with x+1.

(g◦h)(x)=g[h(x)]= 4x²-5x

= 4(x+1)²-5(x+1)

=4(x²+2x+1)-5x-5

=4x²+8x+4-5x-5

=4x²+(8x-5x)+(4-5)

=4x²+3x-1
b.) (h◦g)(x)=(4x²-5x)+1
= 4x²-5x+1
 c.) [f◦(g+h)](x)=f[(g+h)(x)] = 𝑥
(g+h)(x) = g(x)+h(x)

= (4x²-5x)+(x+1)

= 4x²+(-5x+x)+1

= 4x²-4x+1

[f◦(g+h)](x)= 4𝑥² − 4𝑥 + 1 = (2𝑥 − 1)²

= 2x-1
d.) (g◦g)(x) = 4(4x²-5x)²-5(4x²-5x)

= 4(16x⁴-40x³+25x²)-5(4x²-5x)

= 64x⁴-160x³+80x²+25x
SUPPLEMENTARY
EXERCISES:
1.)Let f and g be defined as f(x) = x-5 and g(x)=x²-1. Find
a.) (f+g)(x)
b.) (f – g)(x)
c.) (f . g)(x)
d.) (f/g)(x)
e.) (g/f)(x)
2.) Let f(x) = x²-1 and g(x)=1/x. Find
a.) (f◦g)(x)
b.) (g◦f)(-1)
c.) (f◦f)(x)
d.) (g◦g)(5)
3.)Given the following, find f(x).
a.) (f+g)(x)=2x²-5x+6, g(x)=x²+8x-7
b.) (f.g)(x)= x⁴+16x²+256, g(x)=x²+4x+16
d.)(g◦f)(x)=18x-25, g(x)=6x-7.