5.

2 COMPOSITE FUNCTIONS
Objective
By the end of the lecture, student should be able to :

(a) Find composite function

(b) Find one of the functions when the
composite and the other functions
are given
 5.2 Composite Functions
Given two function f and g ,
the composite function denoted by (fog)
is defined as

g f
x g(x) f[g(x)]
 Similarly, g ο f(x) = g [f(x)]

The output values of the function f are used

as the input values for the function g.
f g

x f(x) g[f(x)]
NOTE
 EXAMPLE 1
Given that and

a) g ο f = (b) f ο g =

Note that : f ο g ≠ g ο f
 EXERCISE
If f(x) = 3x + 1 and g(x) = 2 - x ,
find as a function of x
(a) f ο g (b) g ο f

ANSWER

(a) 7 - 3x (b) 1 - 3x
 EXAMPLE 2

If f(x) = 2x-1 and g(x) = x3 , evaluate

(a) (b)

(c) f2(3) (d) [f(3)]2

SOLUTION
 Example 3

Given that

and . Find
Solution
Solution
 Example 4

1. Functions f and g are defined by

f(x) = 2x–1 and

(a) Find fg(x) and gf(x)

(b) Evaluate fg(4) and gf(4)

Answer:

a) b) 3
Solution
Solution
 Example 5
Given f(x) = 2x + 3 and f(g(x)) = 10x - 9,

find g(x).

SOLUTION
 Example 6

Given that and

find g(x)

Solution
 Example 7
If g(x) = 2x + 3 and f[g(x)] = 10x - 9,
find f(x).

Solution
 Example 8

If (fog)(x) = 4x2 - 2x + 1 and

g(x) = 2x + 1, find (gof)(x).
Hence, find the values of x that satisfy
(fog)(x) = (gof)(x)

Solution