Evaluating Functions

To evaluate a function,
replace its variable with a given
number or expression.
Examples:
1. f(x) = 2x + 1, find f(1.5)
f(1.5) = 2(1.5) + 1 = 4
2. g(x) = x2 – 2x + 2, find g(-3)
g(-3) = (-3)2 – 2(-3) +2
= 9 + 6 + 2 = 17
2𝑥+1
3. h(x) = , find h(1/2)
𝑥−1
1
2(2)+1 2
h(1/2) = 1 = 1 = 2 −2 = −𝟒
2
−1 −2

4. i(x) = x2, find i(w+1)

i(w+1) = (w+1)2= w2 + 2w +1
Examples:
5. j(x) = 1 – x + x2 , find j(2a)
j(2a) = 1 – 2a + (2a)2 = 1 – 2a + 4a2
6. k(x) = |x – 5|, find k(2)
k(2) =|2 – 5|=|– 3|= 3
10𝑥 − 3 , 𝑥≤5
7. m(x) = ቊ
5𝑥 2 , 𝑥 >5
find m(5), m(2) and m(7)
m(5) = 10(5) – 3 = 47
m(2) = 10(2) – 3 = 17
m(7) = 5(7)2= 245
 Floor and Ceiling Functions
Floor Function: the greatest integer that is less than or equal to x
Ceiling Function: the least integer that is greater than or equal to x
Ex. The Floor of 2.31 is 2. In symbols, ⌊2.31⌋ = 2
The Ceiling of 2.31 is 3. In symbols, ⌈2.31⌉ = 3

1. r(x) =⌊x⌋ + 1, find r(2.3)

Other examples:
r(2.3) = ⌊2.3⌋ + 1 = 2 + 1 = 3
⌊6.45⌋ = 6 ⌈4.44⌉ = 5
2. k(x) = 4 - ⌈x⌉, find k(6.7) ⌊7.9⌋ = 7 ⌈5.9⌉ = 6
k(6.7) = 4 - ⌈6.7⌉ = 4 – 7 = -3 ⌊8⌋ = 8 ⌈10⌉ = 10
 Activity #2: Evaluating Functions
Evaluate the following functions:
A. Given: f(x) = x – 2 D. h(x) = 2⌊x⌋ + 5
Find: f(-1), f(π), f(x+1) Find: h(3.1), h(4)

B. Given: g(x) = 4/x E. j(x) = 2x - ⌈x⌉

Find: g(1/x), g(2x) Find: j(4.5), j(9.2)
C. Given:
𝑥+1 , 0 < 𝑥 ≤ 50
c(x) = ቊ
3𝑥2 , 𝑥 > 50
Find: c(60)
Operations on Functions
and
Composite Functions
Operations on Functions
Let f and g be functions.

Addition: (f+g)(x) = f(x) + g(x)

Subtraction: (f-g)(x) = f(x) - g(x)
Multiplication: (f·g)(x) = f(x)·g(x)
Division: (f/g)(x) = f(x)/g(x)
Example 1:
Given: f(x) = 3x+2 ; g(x) = x – 5
Find:
a. (f+g)(x) = f(x) + g(x) c. (f·g)(x) = f(x)·g(x)
= 3x + 2 + x - 5 = (3x+2)(x-5)
= 4x -3 = 3x2 – 15x + 2x-10
b. (f-g)(x) = f(x) – g(x) = 3x2 – 13x – 10
= (3x + 2) – (x – 5) d. (f/g)(x) = f(x) / g(x)
= 3x + 2 – x + 5 = 3x+2 / x - 5
= 2x + 7
Example 2:
1
Given: f(x) = 4x ; g(x) =
𝑥−7
Find: b. (f-g)(x)
a. (f+g)(x) 1
= 4x -
1 𝑥−7
= 4x + 4𝑥 𝑥−7 −1
𝑥−7 =
4𝑥 𝑥−7 +1 𝑥−7
= 𝟒𝒙𝟐 −𝟐𝟖𝒙−𝟏
𝑥−7 =
𝟒𝒙𝟐 −𝟐𝟖𝒙+𝟏 𝒙−𝟕
=
𝒙−𝟕
Example 3:
b. (f/g)(x)
Given: f(x) = x2 + 4x +4 x2 + 4x +4 (x+2)(x+2)
g(x) = 𝑥 + 2 = =
𝑥+2 𝑥+2
Find: = x+2
a. (f · g)(x)
= (x2 + 4x +4 )(𝑥 + 2 ) c. (g/f)(x)
= x3 + 4x2 + 4x + 2x2 + 8x + 8 x+2 x+2
= 2 =
x + 4x +4 (x+2)(x+2)
= x3 + 6x2 + 12x + 8 1
=
𝒙+𝟐
Composite Functions
Composite function is a function formed by using the
output of one function as the input of another.
Given two functions f(x) and g(x), the composition of
function f with g is defined by:
(f ∘ g)(x) = f(g(x))
“f circle g of x” “f of g of x”
 Examples
b. (g ∘ f)(x) = g(f(x))
1. Given: f(x)=2x + 3, g(x) = 5x
= g(2x+3)
a. (f ∘ g)(x) = f(g(x)) = 5(2x+3)
= f(5x) = 10x + 15
= 2(5x)+3
= 10x + 3 c. (f ∘ f)(x) = f(f(x))
= f(2x+3)
c. (f ∘ f)(x) = 2(2x+3) + 3
= 4x + 6 + 3
= 4x + 9
 𝑥
2. Given: f(x)=2x + 4, g(x) = − 2
2

a. f(g(x)) b. g(f(x))
𝑥
= f( − 2) = g(2x + 4)
2
𝑥 2𝑥+4
= − 2)+4
2( = − 2
2 2
=x–4+4 =x+2–2
=x =x
3. Given: f(x)=3x + 1, g(x) = x2

a. f(g(3)) b. g(f(2))
g(3) = 32 = 9 f(2) = 3(2) + 1 = 7
f(g(3)) = f(9) g(f(2)) = g(7)
= 3(9) + 1 = 72
= 28 = 49
Activity 3: Operations on Functions
Given f(x) = x2-6x+9 and g(x) = x-3
a) (f+g)(x), (f+g)(3)
b) (f-g)(x), (f-g)(-2)
c) (f·g)(x), (f·g)(0)
d) (f/g)(x), (f/g)(1)
e) (f∘g)(x), (f∘g)(4)
f) g(f(x)), (g(f(-2))