Step 3: Determine domain, range and intercepts

Domain of f : {x : x R}
Range of f : {y : y R}
Intercepts of f : (0; 3) and

3
2
; 0

Domain of f
1
: {x : x R}
Range of f
1
: {y : y R}
Intercepts of f
1
:

0;
3
2

and (3; 0)
Notice that the intercepts of f and f
1
are mirror images of each other. In other words,
the x- and y-values have swapped positions. This is true of every point on the two
graphs.
Domain and range
For a function of the form y = ax + q, the domain is {x : x R} and the range is
{y : y R}. When a function is inverted the domain and range are interchanged.
Therefore, the domain and range of the inverse of an invertible, linear function will be
{x : x R} and {y : y R} respectively.
Intercepts
The general form of an invertible, linear function is y = ax +q (a = 0) and its inverse
is y =
1
a
x
q
a
.
The y-intercept is obtained by letting x = 0:
y =
1
a
(0)
q
a
y =
q
a
This gives the point

0;
q
a

.
The x-intercept is obtained by letting y = 0:
0 =
1
a
x
q
a
q
a
=
1
a
x
q = x
This gives the point (q; 0).
It is interesting to note that if f (x) = ax + q (a = 0), then f
1
(x) =
1
a
x
q
a
and
the y-intercept of f (x) is the x-intercept of f
1
(x) and the x-intercept of f (x) is the
y-intercept of f
1
(x).
See video: 28B3 at www.everythingmaths.co.za
60 2.4. Linear functions