FUNCTION (RECAP)

A function is a rule. It describes how one quantity

depends on another. Some examples of functions
around us are the following:
• Height is a function of age.
• Temperature is a function of date.
• The area of a circle is a function of its radius.
• The number of bacteria in a culture is a
function of time.

A function is a relation in which each element of the domain corresponds to exactly one element of a range. It is helpful to
think of a function as a machine. If 𝑥 is in the domain of the function 𝑓, then when 𝑥 enters the machine, it is accepted as
an input and the machine produces an output 𝑓(𝑥) according to the rule of the function. Thus we can think of the domain
as the set of all possible inputs and the range as the set of all possible outputs.

We have previously used letters to stand for unknown numbers. Here we do something quite different: We use letters to
represent rules. To talk about a function, we need to give it a name. We use letters such as 𝑓, 𝑔, ℎ, … to represent functions.
The symbol 𝑓(𝑥) is read “𝑓 of 𝑥” or “𝑓 at 𝑥” and is called the value of 𝒇 at 𝒙, or the image of 𝒙 under 𝒇.

The symbol that represents an arbitrary number in the domain of a function 𝑓 is called an independent variable. The
symbol that represents a number in the range of 𝑓 is called a dependent variable. So if we write 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥), then 𝑥 is the
independent variable and 𝑦 is the dependent variable.

Example:
“𝑓” is the rule “square the number”
When we write 𝑓(2), we mean “apply the rule 𝑓 to the number 2.” Applying the rule gives 𝑓(2) = 22 = 4. Similarly,
𝑓(3) = 32 = 9, 𝑓(4) = 42 = 16, and in general 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 .

Any equation in the variables 𝑥 and 𝑦 defines a relationship between these variables. For example, the equation 𝑦 − 𝑥 2 =
0 defines a relationship between 𝑦 and 𝑥. To find out whether the equation define y as a function of x, we solve for y and
get 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 (equation form). We see that the equation defines a rule, or function, that gives one value of y for each value
of x. We can express this rule in function notation as 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 (function form). But not every equation defines y as a
function of x, as the following example:

Example:
𝑦 − 𝑥2 = 2
2
Solving for 𝑦 in terms of x gives 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2. It is a rule that gives one value of 𝑦 for each value of 𝑥, so it defines 𝑦 as a
function of 𝑥. We can write the function as 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2 .
𝑥2 + 𝑦 2 = 4
Solving for y in terms of x gives 𝑦 = ±√4 − 𝑥 2 . Since it gives two values of 𝑦 for a given value of 𝑥. Thus the equation
does not define 𝑦 as a function of 𝑥.
Seatwork.3:
1. A function 𝑓 is defined by the formula:
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 4
(a) Express in words how 𝑓 acts on the input 𝑥 to produce the output 𝑓(𝑥).
(b) Evaluate 𝑓(3), 𝑓(−2), and 𝑓(√5).
(c) Draw a machine diagram for 𝑓.

2. Yes or No? If No, give a reason.

Let 𝑓 be a function.
(a) Is it possible that 𝑓(1) = 5 and 𝑓(2) = 5?
(b) Is it possible that 𝑓(1) = 5 and 𝑓(1) = 6?

FUNDAMENTAL OPERATIONS ON POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS

𝑓
Two functions 𝑓 and 𝑔 can be combined to form new functions 𝑓 + 𝑔, 𝑓 − 𝑔, 𝑓𝑔, and in a manner similar to the way we
𝑔
add, subtract, multiply, and divide real numbers.

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

❖ Subtraction Rule: (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)
❖ Multiplication Rule: (𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
❖ Division Rule: (𝑔) (𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑥)

Example:

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 1 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 1

Find (𝒇 + 𝒈)(𝒙). Find (𝒇 − 𝒈)(𝒙)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 1) + (𝑥 + 1) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 1) − (𝑥 + 1)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 1 + 𝑥 + 1 (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 1 − 𝑥 − 1
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 2
𝒇
Find (𝒈) (𝒙)
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
Find (𝒇𝒈)(𝒙) ( ) (𝑥) =
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥) 𝑓 𝑥2 − 1
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 1)(𝑥 + 1) ( ) (𝑥) =
𝑔 𝑥+1
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 1 𝑓 (𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 1)
( ) (𝑥) =
𝑔 𝑥+1
𝑓
( ) (𝑥) = 𝑥 − 1
𝑔

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2

Find (𝒇 + 𝒈)(𝒙). Find (𝒇 − 𝒈)(𝒙)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6) + (𝑥 + 2) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6) − (𝑥 + 2)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 + 𝑥 + 2 (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 − 𝑥 − 2
 (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 8 (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 4
𝒇
Find (𝒈) (𝒙)

Find (𝒇𝒈)(𝒙) 𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)

( ) (𝑥) =
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥) 𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6)(𝑥 + 2) 𝑓 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6
( ) (𝑥) =
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 2 + 10𝑥 + 6𝑥 + 12 𝑔 𝑥+2
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 + 7𝑥 2 + 16𝑥 + 12 𝑓 (𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 + 2)
( ) (𝑥) =
𝑔 𝑥+2
𝑓
( ) (𝑥) = 𝑥 + 3
𝑔

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 − 5

Find (𝒇 + 𝒈)(𝒙). Find (𝒇 − 𝒈)(𝒙).
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20) + (𝑥 − 5) (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20) − (𝑥 − 5)
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20 + 𝑥 − 5 (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20 − 𝑥 + 5
(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 25 (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 15
𝒇
Find (𝒈) (𝒙)
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
Find (𝒇𝒈)(𝒙). ( ) (𝑥) =
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑓 2
𝑥 − 𝑥 − 20
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20)(𝑥 − 5) ( ) (𝑥) =
𝑔 𝑥−5
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 5𝑥 2 − 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 20𝑥 + 100 𝑓 (𝑥 − 5)(𝑥 + 4)
(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 6𝑥 2 − 15𝑥 + 100 ( ) (𝑥) =
𝑔 𝑥−5
𝑓
( ) (𝑥) = 𝑥 + 4
𝑔

Seatwork.4:
1. Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 99 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 − 9
(a) Find (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)
(b) Find (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)
(c) Find (𝑓𝑔)(𝑥)
𝑓
(d) Find (𝑔) (𝑥)
2. Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 − 3 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 − 3
(a) Find (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥)
(b) Find (𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥)
(c) Find (𝑓𝑔)(𝑥)
𝑓
(d) Find (𝑔) (𝑥)

LONG DIVISION
1.

(will be discussed on the board)

2.
Seatwork.5:
3.
Find the quotient and remainder using long division.