Even and Odd Functions

1
A graph has symmetry with respect to the y-axis if
whenever (x, y) is on the graph, then so is the point (–x, y).
A graph has symmetry with respect to the origin if
whenever (x, y) is on the graph, then so is the point
(–x, –y).

A graph has symmetry with respect to the x-axis if

whenever (x, y) is on the graph, then so is the point (x, –y).
A function whose graph is symmetric with respect to the
y -axis is an even function.

A function whose graph is symmetric with respect to the

origin is an odd function.

2
Even and Odd Functions
A graph that is symmetric with respect to the x-axis is not
the graph of a function (except for the graph of y = 0).
These three types of symmetry are illustrated below:

Symmetric to y-axis Symmetric to origin Symmetric to x-axis

Even function Odd function Not a function

3
4
5
Example 10 – Even and Odd Functions

Determine whether each function is even, odd, or neither.

a. g(x) = x3 – x
b. h(x) = x2 + 1
c. f(x) = x3 – 1

Solution:
a. This function is odd because
g(–x) = (–x)3+ (–x)
= –x3 + x
= –(x3 – x)
= –g(x).
6
Example 10 – Solution

b. This function is even because

h(–x) = (–x)2 + 1

= x2 + 1

= h(x).

c. Substituting –x for x produces

f(–x) = (–x)3 – 1

= –x3 – 1.

7
Example 10 – Solution
Because cont’d

f(x) = x3 – 1
and
–f(x) = –x3 + 1
you can conclude that
f(–x)  f(x)
and

f(–x)  –f(x).

So, the function is neither even nor odd.

8
•Ex. g(x) = x3 - x

•g(-x) = (-x)3 – (-x) = -x3 + x = •-(x3 – x)

•Therefore, g(x) is odd because f(-x) = -f(x)

•Ex. h(x) = x2 + 1

•h(-x) = (-x)2 + 1 = x2 + 1

•h(x) is even because f(-x) = f(x)

9
Graphs of Functions
What You Should Learn
• Find the domains and ranges of functions and
use the Vertical Line Test for functions
• Determine intervals on which functions are
increasing, decreasing, or constant
• Determine relative maximum and relative
minimum values of functions
• Identify and graph piecewise-defined functions
• Identify even and odd functions

11
The Graph of a Function

12
The Graph of a Function

The graph of a function f is the collection of ordered pairs

(x, f(x)) such that x is in the domain of f. As you study this
section, remember the geometric interpretations of x and
f(x).

x = the horizontal distance from the y-axis

f(x) = the vertical distance from the x-axis

13
Example 1 – Finding the Domain and Range of a Function

Use the graph of the function f shown below to find:

(a) the domain of f, (b) the function values f(–1) and f(2),
and (c) the range of f.

Figure 1.18
14
Example 1 – Solution

a. The closed dot at (–1, –5) indicates that x = –1 is in the

domain of f, whereas the open dot at (4, 0) indicates
that x = 4 is not in the domain. So, the domain of f is all
x in the interval [–1, 4).

Therefore, Domain = [-1,4) which includes -1, but not 4.

b. Because (–1, –5) is a point on the graph of f, it follows

that
f(–1) = –5.

15
Example 1 – Solution
cont’d

Similarly, because (2, 4) is a point on the graph of f, it

follows that
f(2) = 4.

c. Because the graph does not extend below f(–1) = –5

or above f(2) = 4, the range of is the interval [–5, 4].

Therefore, Range = [-5,4] which includes -5 and 4.

16
The Graph of a Function

By the definition of a function, each x value may only

correspond to one y value. It follows, then, that a
vertical line can intersect the graph of a function at most
once. This leads to the Vertical Line Test for functions.

17
 Example 3 – Vertical Line Test for Functions
Use the Vertical Line Test to decide whether the graphs
below represent y as a function of x.

(a)
(b)

a. This is not a graph of y as a function of x because you

can find a vertical line that intersects the graph twice.
b. This is a graph of y as a function of x because every
vertical line intersects the graph at most once.

18
Increasing and Decreasing
Functions

19
Increasing and Decreasing Functions

Consider the graph shown below.

Moving from left to right, this graph falls from x = –2 to x =
0, is constant from x = 0 to x = 2, and rises from x = 2 to x =
4.

Figure 1.20
20
Increasing and Decreasing Functions

21
Example 4 – Increasing and Decreasing Functions

In Figure 1.21, determine the open intervals on which each

function is increasing, decreasing, or constant.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 1.21

22
Example 4 – Solution

a. Although it might appear that there is an interval in

which this function is constant, you can see that
if x1 < x2, then (x1)3 < (x2)3, which implies that
f(x1) < f(x2).

This means that the cube of a larger number is bigger

than the cube of a smaller number. So, the function is
increasing over the entire real line.

b. This function is increasing on the interval ( , –1),

decreasing on the interval (–1, 1), and increasing on the
interval (1, ).
23
Example 4 – Solution
cont’d

b. This function is increasing on the interval ( , –1),

decreasing on the interval (–1, 1), and increasing on the
interval (1, ).

c. This function is increasing on the interval ( , 0),

constant on the interval (0, 2), and decreasing on the
interval (2, ).

24
Relative Minimum and
Maximum Values

25
Relative Minimum and Maximum Values

The points at which a function changes its increasing,

decreasing, or constant behavior are helpful in determining
the relative maximum or relative minimum values of the
function.

26
Relative Minimum and Maximum Values

Figure 1.22 shows several different examples of relative

minima and relative maxima.

Figure 1.22
27
Piecewise-Defined Functions

28
Example 8 – Sketching a Piecewise-Defined Function

Sketch the graph of

2x + 3, x ≤ 1
f(x) =
–x + 4, x > 1
by hand.

29
Example 8 – Solution

Solution:
This piecewise-defined function is composed of two linear
functions.
At and to the left of x = 1, the graph is the line
given by
y = 2x + 3.

To the right of x = 1, the graph is the line given by

y = –x + 4

30
Example 8 – Solution
cont’d

The two linear functions are combined and below.

Notice that the point (1, 5) is a solid dot and the point (1, 3)
is an open dot. This is because f(1) = 5.

Figure 1.29 31
INTERSECTING
CURVES

32
Suppose we want to find where 2 lines meet.
e.g. 1 y   x  3 and y  2 x  5

Sketching the
lines gives

The point of intersection has an x-value between

-1 and 0 and a y-value between 3 and 4.
The exact values can be found by solving the
equations simultaneously
33
 At the point of intersection, we notice that the
x-values on both lines are the same and the y-
values are also the same.
yy   x  3
yy  2 x  5 As the y-values are the
same, the right-hand
sides of the equations
must also be the same.
 23 , 113 
  x  3  2x  5
  2  3x
  23  x
Substituting into one of the original equations, we can
find y: y  x  3
 y   23   3  y 11
3
The point of intersection is  23 , 113  34
Sometimes the equations first need to be rearranged:
e.g. 2 y  2 x  4       (1)
3 x  y  11       (2)
Solution: Equation (2) can be written as
y  11  3 x       (2a )
Now, eliminating y between (1) and (2a) gives:
2 x  4  11  3 x
 5 x  15  x3
Substituting into (1): y  2 x  4  y2
The point of intersection is ( 3, 2)

35
Exercises Find the point of intersection of the
following pairs of lines:
1. y  4  2 x       (1)
y  x  5       (2)
Solution:
Eliminate y: 4  2x  x  5
 9  3x  x3  y  2
Point of intersection is ( 3, 2)
2. 2 x  y  7       (1)
y  3  x       (2)
Rearrange
Solution: (1): y  7  2 x       (1a )
Eliminate y: 3  x  7  2 x
 x  4  y  1
Point of intersection is (4,1)
36
e.g. 3 Find the points of intersection of y  x 2 and
y  3  2x

y  x2 There are 2 points

of intersection

y  3  2x

We again solve the equations simultaneously but this

time there will be 2 pairs of x- and y-values

37
e.g. 1 y  x2       (1)
y  3  2 x       (2)
Since the y-values are equal we can eliminate y by
equating the right hand sides of the equations:
x 2  3  2 x This is a quadratic equation, so
we get zero on one side and try
 x  2x  3  0
2
to factorise:
 ( x  1)( x  3)  0  x  1 or x  3
To find the y-values, we use the linear equation,
which in this example is equation (2)
x  1  y  3  2(1)  y  1
x  3  y  3  2(3)  y  9
The points of intersection are (1, 1) and (-3, 9)
38
Sometimes we need to rearrange the linear equation
before eliminating y
e.g. 2 y  x2  3       (1)
y  3 x  1       (2)
Rearranging (2) gives y  3 x  1       ( 2a )
Eliminating y: x 2  3  3x  1
y  3 x  1 (4, 13)
 x 2  3x  4  0
 ( x  1)( x  4)  0
 x  1 or x4 ( 1,  2) y  x2  3

Substituting in (2a): x  1  y  2
x  4  y  13

39
Exercise
Find the points of intersections of the following
curve and line
y  x 2  2       (1)
x y8       ( 2)

The solution is on the next slide

40
 Solution: y  x 2  2       (1)
x y8       ( 2)
Rearrange (2): y  8  x       ( 2a )
Eliminate y: x2  2  8  x
 x2  x  6  0
 ( x  3)( x  2)  0  x  3 or x2
Substitute in (2a): y  8 x
x  3  y  8  ( 3)  y  11
x2  y  8  ( 2)  y6
The points of intersection are (3, 11) and (2, 6)

41
Special Cases
e.g. 1 Consider the following equations:
y  x 2  2       (1)
y   x  1       (2)

y  x2  2
The line and the
y  x  1 curve don’t meet.

Solving the equations simultaneously will not give

any real solutions
42
 Suppose we try to solve the equations:
y  x 2  2       (1)
y   x  1       (2)
Eliminate y: x2  2  x  1
 x2  x  1  0
Calculating the discriminant, b 2  4ac we get:
b 2  4ac  (1) 2  4(1)(1)
 1 4
 3  0
b  4ac  0  The quadratic equation has no real roots.
2

43
 e.g. 2 y  x 2  3       (1)
y  4 x  1       (2)
Eliminate y: x 2  3  4 x  1
 x 2  4x  4  0
The discriminant, b 2  4ac  4 2  4(1)( 4)  0
The quadratic equation
has equal roots. y  x2  3
y  4 x  1
Solving x  4 x  4  0
2

 ( x  2)( x  2)  0
 x  2 (twice)
x  2  y  7
The line is a tangent to the curve. 44
 SUMMARY
 A linear and a quadratic equation represent a line
and a curve.
 To solve a linear and a quadratic equation
simultaneously:
• Eliminate one unknown to give a quadratic
equation in the 2nd unknown, e.g. ax 2  bx  c  0
b 2  4ac  0  2 points of intersection
b 2  4ac  0  the line is a tangent to the curve
• Substitute into the linear equation to find the
values of the 1st unknown.
• Solve for the 2nd unknown
b 2  4ac  0  the line and curve do not meet and
the equations have no real solutions.
45
Exercises
Decide whether the following pairs of lines and curves
meet. If they do, find the point(s) of intersection.
For each pair, sketch the curve and line.

1. y  x 2  3 

y  2 x  2 

2. y  x 2  3 

y  7 x  7 

3. y  x2  3 

y  x  1  0 

46
Solutions
1. y  x 2  3   x 2  3  2 x  2

y  2 x  2   x2  2x  1  0
b 2  4ac  4  4(1)(1)  0
b 2  4ac  0  the line is a tangent to the curve
x2  2x  1  0 y  x2  3
 ( x  1)( x  1)  0
 x  1
y  2x  2
 y4

47
Solutions
2. y  x 2  3   x2  3  7x  7

y  7 x  7   x 2  7 x  10  0
b 2  4ac  49  4(1)(10)  9
b 2  4ac  0  there are 2 points of intersection
x 2  7 x  10  0

 ( x  2)( x  5)  0 y  x2  3
 x  2, 5
x2  y7
x  5  y  28 y  7x  7

48
Solutions
3. y  x2  3   x2  3  x  1

y  x  1  0   x2  x  4  0

b 2  4ac  ( 1) 2  4(1)( 4)  15

b 2  4ac  0  there are NO points of intersection

y  x2  3

y  x 1  0

49