1 Functions and Their Graphs

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1.2 Functions

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

What You Should Learn
• Decide whether a relation between two variables
represents a function

• Use function notation and evaluate functions

• Find the domains of functions

• Use functions to model and solve real-life

problems

• Evaluate difference quotients 3

Introduction to Functions
When there is some relation that matches each item from
one set with exactly one item from a different set. Such a
relation is called a function.

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Introduction to Functions
To help understand this definition, look at the function that
relates the time of day to the temperature in Figure 1.12.

Figure 1.12

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Introduction to Functions
This function can be represented by the ordered pairs
{(1, 9), (2, 13), (3, 15), (4, 15), (5, 12), (6, 10)}.

In each ordered pair, the first coordinate (x-value) is the

input and the second coordinate (y-value) is the output.

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Introduction to Functions
To determine whether or not a relation is a function, you
must decide whether each input value is matched with
exactly one output value. When any input value is matched
with two or more output values, the relation is not a
function.

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Example 1 – Testing for Functions
Decide whether the relation represents y as a function of x.

(a) (b)

Figure 1.13

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Example 1 – Solution
a. This table does not describe y as a function of x. The
input value 2 is matched with two different y-values.

b. The graph in Figure 1.13 does describe y as a function

of x. Each input value is matched with exactly one output

value.

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Introduction to Functions
In algebra, it is common to represent functions by equations
or formulas involving two variables. For instance, the
equation y = x2 represents the variable y as a function of x.
In this equation, x is the independent variable and y is the
dependent variable.

The domain of the function is the set of all values taken on

by the independent variable x, and the range of the function
is the set of all values taken on by the dependent variable y.

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Function Notation
The symbol f (x) is read as the value of f at x or simply
f of x. The symbol f (x) corresponds to the y-value for a
given x. So, you can write y = f (x).

Keep in mind that f is the name of the function, whereas

f (x) is the output value of the function at the input value x.

In function notation, the input is the independent variable

and the output is the dependent variable. For instance, the
function f (x) = 3 – 2x has function values denoted by f (–1),
f (0), and so on. To find these values, substitute the
specified input values into the given equation.
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Function Notation
For x = –1, f (–1) = 3 – 2 (–1) = 3 + 2 = 5.
For x = 0, f (0) = 3 – 2(0) = 3 – 0 = 3.
Although f is often used as a convenient function name and
x is often used as the independent variable, you can use
other letters. For instance,
f (x) = x2 – 4x + 7,
f (t) = t 2 – 4t + 7
and
g(s) = s2 – 4s + 7
all define the same function. 12
Function Notation
In fact, the role of the independent variable is that of a
“placeholder.”

Consequently, the function could be written as

f ( ) = ( )2 – 4 ( ) + 7.

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Example 3 – Evaluating a Function
Let g (x) = –x2 + 4x + 1. Find each value of the function.
a. g (2)
b. g (t)
c. g (x + 2)
Solution:
a. Replacing x with 2 in g(x) = –x2 + 4x + 1 yields the
following.
g(2) = –(2)2 + 4(2) + 1

= –4 + 8 + 1
=5
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Example 3 – Solution cont’d

b. Replacing x with t yields the following.

g (t) = –(t)2 + 4(t) + 1

= –t2 + 4t + 1

c. Replacing x with x + 2 yields the following.

g (x + 2) = –(x + 2)2 + 4(x + 2) + 1 Substitute x + 2 for x.

= –(x2 + 4x + 4) + 4x + 8 + 1 Multiply.

= –x2 – 4x – 4 + 4x + 8 + 1 Distributive Property

= –x2 + 5 Simplify.
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The Domain of a Function

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The Domain of a Function
The domain of a function can be described explicitly or it
can be implied by the expression used to define the
function. The implied domain is the set of all real numbers
for which the expression is defined. For instance, the
function
Domain excludes x-values that
result in division by zero.

has an implied domain that consists of all real numbers x

other than x = 2. These two values are excluded from the
domain because division by zero is undefined. Another
common type of implied domain is that used to avoid even
roots of negative numbers.
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The Domain of a Function
For example, the function
Domain excludes x-values that results
in even roots of negative numbers.

is defined only for x  0. So, its implied domain is the

interval [0, ). In general, the domain of a function
excludes values that would cause division by zero or result
in the even root of a negative number.

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Example 5 – Finding the Domain of a Function

Find the domain of each function.

a. f : {(–3, 0), (–1, 4), (0, 2), (2, 2), (4, –1)}

b. g (x) = –3x2 + 4x + 5

c.

Solution:
a. The domain of f consists of all first coordinates in the set
of ordered pairs.
Domain = {–3, –1, 0, 2, 4}
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Example 5 – Solution cont’d

b. The domain of g is the set of all real numbers.

c. Excluding x-values that yield zero in the denominator,

the domain of h is the set of all real numbers x except
x = – 5.

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Difference Quotients

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Difference Quotients
One of the basic definitions in calculus employs the ratio

This ratio is called a difference quotient .

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Example 10 – Evaluating a Difference Quotient

For f (x) = x2 – 4x + 7, find

Solution:

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