A.

THE ELEMENTARY FUNCTIONS:

Lesson 4: Composition of Functions

Aside from the four fundamental operations on functions, namely: the sum, the difference,
the product, and the quotient of two functions, functions can also be combined by getting its
composition.

Definition: Given the two functions, f and g, the composition of f with g, denoted by (read
as “f circle g”), is defined by the equation, ( )( ) [ ( )] wherein f is
considered to be the dependent function and g is considered to be the independent
function.

Example:
1. Find the composition of f with g, when ( ) and ( ) .

First, we establish the equation based on the given function

( )( ) [ ( )]
and based on the definition
From the given functions, we are going to identify
the independent and the dependent functions. Here, we
can say that the dependent function is f and the
independent function is g.
After determining the independent and dependent
functions, we are going to substitute the right side of the
( )( )
first equation by the given expression of the dependent
variable. Therefore, we shall have
From this equation, we are going to substitute all x’s
of the dependent variable by the given expression of the ( )( ) ( )
independent variable.
( )( )
If we are going to simplify the equation, we shall have
( )( )

Therefore, we can say that the composition of f with g is .

2. Given the following functions, ( ) and ( ) , find:
a) b)

3. Given the functions, ( ) and ( ) , find and .

----for numbers 2 and 3, do it your own------

Remember:
In taking the composition of functions, the following steps will be applied:
 Establish the first equation based on the definition and based on the given functions.
 Determine the dependent and the independent functions.
 Substitute the right of the equation by the given expression of the dependent function.
 Substitute all x’s of the dependent function by the expression of the independent
function.
 Simplify the resulting expression.

Changing the order of the functions can result to equal or unequal values of composition.

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Exercise 4.1
Given the following functions, solve for the composition of each given pair of functions.
Express all answers in simplest form. Show your solutions.
Set A Set B
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )

( ) ( )

( ) √ ( )

( ) ( )

For Set A For Set B

1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8.

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