MATH 101 CALCULUS – FALL 2022 – Worksheet 1

Week 1: Functions and Graphs

Through this worksheet you will learn about (or review):
- The definition of a function
- Domain and range
- Piecewise functions
CONCEPT: Function
A function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output.
It’s helpful to think of a function as a machine

The diagram below shows two machines. Each machine below takes an input and produces an
output. The input and output are related by some rule. The input and output form a unique pair.

A CENTRE B CENTER

A ORGANISE B ORGANIZE

A MATHS B MATH

A COLOUR B

Note: -Often such a machine only accepts certain types of inputs – for example, Machine A only
accepts white objects, and Machine B only accepts words.

QUESTIONS
Q1. a) For the machines above, complete the outputs in the last line
b) Describe in words the rule (that is, how the output is related to the input) for
i) machine A
ii) machine B

c) A machine C that converts a singular noun to its plural form. Is C a function?

Q2. Another machine f is shown below.

3 f 10 10 f 31

12 f 37 -4 f -11

1 f 4 5 f

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MATH 101 CALCULUS – FALL 2022 – Worksheet 1

a) For an input of 5, complete the output

b) Describe in words the rule for machine f.

c) If the input is represented by the letter x, what formula represents the output?

d) For the machine f above, complete the following:

i) f(3) = iii) f(x) = v) f(x2) =

ii) f(π) = iv) f(5π) = vi) f(2x – 1) =

e) Describe the machine f using a table:

Input: x Output: f(x)

3 10

12

f) Label the points corresponding to the pairs (x,f(x)) in the table

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 Note how all the points belongs to a unique line.

CONCEPT: Graph
The graph of function f consists of all points (x, y) in the coordinate plane such that y = f(x)
The most common method for visualizing a function is its graph. The graph gives us a useful
picture of the behavior or ‘life history of a function.

The graphs of two machines u and v are shown below.

Q3. a) From the graphs above, find the values

of
i) v(1) = iv) u(1) =

ii) v(-3) = v) u(7) =

iii) v(3) = vi) u(4) =

b) On the graphs above, label the horizontal axis as the x-axis, and the vertical axis as the y-axis.

Now each input-output pair corresponds to a point with coordinates (x, y) where x is the input
and y is the output.
c) Are the following statements true or false?
i) The graph of u contains the point (3, 2). TRUE / FALSE
ii) The graph of u contains the point (3, u(3)). TRUE / FALSE
iii) At all points on the graph of u, we have y = u(x) TRUE / FALSE
iv) The graph of u is the set of all the points (x, u(x)) TRUE / FALSE

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Note: For a machine f with input x, the output is y = f(x), so the output can be represented by y or
f(x). Hence the graph is often labelled “y = f(x)”.

Summary 1
A function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output.
For a function f , if the input is represented by x then the output is
represented by f(x), read as “f of x”.
The graph of a function f is the set of all points (x, y) such that y = f(x).

There are four possible ways to represent a function:

• Verbally (by a description in words)
• Numerically (by a table of values)
• Visually (by a graph)
• Algebraically (by an explicit formula)
Q4. For each of the ways mentioned above, think of an example in real-life. Which way do you
think is the most popular? Why?

Further Definitions
Consider a function f(x).
• The domain of f is the set of possible inputs. That is, it is the set of values ____ can take.(1)
• The range of f is the set of possible outputs. That is, it is the set of values ____ can take.
• The input x is called the independent variable.
• The output f(x) is called the dependent variable. (2)

Notes: (1) If not given explicitly, the domain is the set of inputs for which real outputs exist.
(2) Because the value of f(x) depends on the value of x.

Q5. Complete the first two lines in the definition above by entering “x” or “f(x)” in the spaces __.

Q6. Function P accepts an input of any English noun that can be made plural by adding an ‘s’.
For example
PIG P PIGS

For the words listed below,

a) circle all the words which belong to the domain of P
b) underline the words which belong to the range of P

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 c) cross out any words which are in neither the domain or range
d) add (and circle) two more words which also belong to the domain
map hats elephants egg
maximum mosquitoes tree

Q7. Complete the following sentences using the words “domain” and/or “range”:
a) The ______________ of the function f(x) = x2 is all non-negative real numbers, that is, [0, ∞).
b) The ______________ of the function f(x) = x2 is all real numbers, ℝ.
c) The ________________ of the function g(x) = sin x is [-1, 1].
d) The _________________ of the function h(x) = 1/x is all real numbers except zero.

Note: a domain of “all real numbers except zero” can be notated (-∞,0) ∪ (0, ∞) or {x| x ≠ 0}.

Q8. What is the domain of the function?

a) u ( x) = x−2

1
v( x) =
b) x −1
2

The graph of function f also allows us to picture:

• The domain of f on the x-axis

• Its range on the y-axis

Q9. The graph on the right shows two functions f and g. From the graphs, identify the domain
and range of each function.

domain range

We can determine whether a given curve represents a function of x as follows:

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Vertical line test: A curve in the xy-plane is the graph of a function of x if and only if any vertical
line intersects the curve not more than once.

Q10. a) Consider the four graphs shown below. By each graph, write ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ to indicate
whether the curve is the graph of a function of x.
b) Sketch another example of a curve which is a function of x, and another example of a
curve which is not. (Note: Just sketch the curves; formulae are not required.)

x2 + y2 = 4 y = 4 − x2
x = y2

CONCEPT: Piecewise functions

A piecewise function is a function which is defined by different formulae on different parts of
its domain. Here are four examples.
I. An example
 x2 if 0  x  2

f ( x) = 6 − x if 2  x  5
3 if 5  x  8


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 II. The modulus function

− x if x  0
x =
x if x  0

III. The unit step function (Heaviside function)

0 if t  0
H (t ) = 
1 if t  0

IV. Another example



g ( x) = 



Q11. a) Compare the graph and formula of example I. On the graph,

- when is a point marked by a solid circle • ?
- when is a point marked by an open circle ○ ?
- where two ‘pieces’ join together continuously (as at x = 2), is either symbol used?

b) Are these examples actually functions? (Do the graphs pass the vertical line test?) YES / NO

c) Complete the graphs in examples II and III and the formula in example IV.

d) [Extra] Can you think of some real life situations which involve piecewise functions?
Graphs and characteristics of some common functions, and the concept of symmetry, are reviewed
in a separate ‘Common Functions’ handout which you should read & complete before the next
class.

Further Reading:
Thomas’ Calculus: Early Transcendentals, 14th Edition: Chapter 1, especially pages 1-5.

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