DISCUSSION FORUM – UNIT 4

What happens if we graph both f and f −1 on the same set of axes, using the
x-axis for the input to both f and f −1?
[Suggestion: go to www.desmos.com/calculator and type
y = x3 {–2 < x < 2},
1/3
y=x {–2 < x < 2},
and
y = x {–2 < x < 2}, and describe the relationship between the three
curves.]

Then post your own example discussing the difficulty of graph both f and
f −1 on the same set of axes.
POSSIBLE DISCUSSION
The difficulty in tracing the graphs of f and f −1 in the same set of coordinate
axes is that the domain and the range are generally different. However, it is
often possible to adjust the domain so that the graphs reveal the symmetry
between a function and its inverse function. For example, let us consider
y = x3 {–1 < x < 1},
1/3
y=x {–1 < x < 1},
and
y = x {–1 < x < 1},
The graphs are in red, blue, and green, revealing the symmetry between f and
f −1 (red, blue) and their axis of symmetry (green).

1
Suppose f:   is a function from the set of real numbers to the same set
with f(x) = x + 1. We write f2 to represent f o f and fn+1= fn o f.
Is it true that f2o f = f o f2? Why?
DISCUSSION
Yes, it is true.
PROOF
We have
(𝑓 2 𝑜𝑓)(𝑥) = 𝑓 2 (𝑓 (𝑥)) = 𝑓 (𝑓(𝑓 (𝑥))) = 𝑓(𝑓 2 (𝑥)) = (𝑓𝑜𝑓 2 )(𝑥)
2 2
for every x in the domain of f. This proves that f o f = f o f .

2 2
Using f(x) = x + 1 to verify f o f = f o f , we may write:
(𝑓 2 )(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑓 (𝑥)) = 𝑓 (𝑥) + 1 = 𝑥 + 1 + 1 = 𝑥 + 2,
(𝑓 3 )(𝑥) = 𝑓 2 (𝑓 (𝑥)) = 𝑓 (𝑥) + 2 = 𝑥 + 1 + 2 = 𝑥 + 3,
In general, we have
(𝑓 𝑛+1 )(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 𝑛 + 1.
Therefore
(𝑓 2 𝑜𝑓)(𝑥) = 𝑓 3 (𝑥) = 𝑥 + 3 = 𝑥 + 2 + 1 = 𝑓 2 (𝑥) + 1 = 𝑓(𝑓 2 (𝑥))
That is, 𝑓 2 𝑜𝑓 = 𝑓𝑜𝑓 2 .

Is the set {g:   | g o f = f o g} infinite? Why?

Yes, it is.
PROOF
We can take g as fn for every 𝑛 ≥ 1. The set {g:   | g = fn} is infinite and it is
contained in the set {g:   | g o f = f o g} which is, therefore, infinite.

2
We can see intuitively that it is possible to prove in the same way we did for
n n
n = 2 that f o f = f o f .

Go to www.desmos.com/calculator, write your equation, or function, and

develop your explanation using the properties of graphs.

POSSIBLE DISCUSSION
y = x2 {0 < x < 1},
1/2
y=x {0 < x < 1},
and
y = x {0 < x < 1},