LESSON 8: The Algebra of Functions

Review: Determine the domain of each function algebraically.

𝑥+5 3𝑥+2
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 2. 𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥−5 3. 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 −2𝑥−3

3
4. ℎ(𝑥) = √3𝑥 + 12 5. 𝑔(𝑥) = √𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20 6. ℎ(𝑥) = √𝑥 + 2 − 𝑥

The Algebra of Functions: Sum, Difference, Product, and Quotient of Functions

𝑓
Let f and g be two functions. The sum f + g, the difference f – g, the product fg, and the quotient 𝑔 are functions whose
domains are set of all real numbers common to the domains of f and g (𝐷𝑓 ∩ 𝐷𝑔 ), define as follows:
1. Sum: (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)
2. Difference: (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)
3. Product: (𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) ∙ 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
4. Quotient: ( ) (𝑥) = , provided 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0.
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)

Examples:
1. Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 1 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 2. Find each of the following functions. Determine the domain of each
function.
a. (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) b. (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) c. (𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) 𝑓
d. ( ) (𝑥)
𝑔
2. Let 𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥 + 3 and 𝑔(𝑥) = √𝑥 − 2. Find each of the following:
a. (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) b. Domain of (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)

Composition Functions
The composition of the function f and g is denoted by 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 and is defined by the equation
(𝑓 ∘ 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥))
The domain of the composite function 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 is the set of all x such that
1. x is in the domain of g and
2. 𝑔(𝑥) is in the domain of f.

Examples:
3. Given 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 − 4 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 6, find each of the following:
a. (𝑓 ∘ 𝑔)(𝑥) b. (𝑔 ∘ 𝑓)(𝑥) c. (𝑔 ∘ 𝑓)(1)

Excluding values from the domain of (𝒇 ∘ 𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒈(𝒙))

The following values must be excluded from the input of x.
 If x is not in the domain of g, it must not be in the domain of 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔
 Any x for which 𝑔(𝑥) is not in the domain of f must not be in the domain of 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔

2 3
4. Given 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥−1 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥, find each of the following:
a. (𝑓 ∘ 𝑔)(𝑥) b. Domain of (𝑓 ∘ 𝑔)(𝑥)
More examples:
𝑓
For each of the following, find (i) 𝑓 + 𝑔, (ii) 𝑓 − 𝑔, (iii) 𝑓𝑔, (iv) 𝑔 and the domain of each.
3 𝑥
a. 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 3; 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 12 b. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥−1; 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥+2

c. 𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥 − 6; 𝑔(𝑥) = √10 − 𝑥 d. 𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥 2 − 9; 𝑔(𝑥) = √𝑥 2 + 4

Find (i) 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 and (ii) 𝑔 ∘ 𝑓 and the domain of each.

a. 𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥 + 4 b. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 1
𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 𝑔(𝑥) = √𝑥

d. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2
c. 𝑓(𝑥) = |𝑥|
1
𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 6 𝑔(𝑥) =
√𝑥 − 4