1

Functions

n our daily lives, we often describe one quantity in terms of another. For example, we relate the wages earned to the number of hours worked, the price paid to the amount of goods bought and so on. We may consider using ordered pairs to represent these correspondences neatly. In the example of wages versus the hours worked, a two-hour work that gives a wages of $50 may be represented by (2, 50). An ordered pair is usually written as where is the independent variable and is the dependent variable; depends on . When all the correspondences are put together as ordered pairs, we observe a relation between and . Example 1 The pay worksheet for the employees in a small company is given in the table below. Write the relation between the hours worked and the wages earned in the form of ordered pairs. Employee Anne Sue Jane Hours worked 20 30 50 Wages 300 450 750

Solution Relation between the hours worked and wages earned is {(20, 300), (30, 450), (50, 750)}

1.1 DEFINITION OF FUNCTION A function is a special kind of relation in which for each value taken by , there is exactly one value of corresponds to it. In other words, in a

function, there is no two or more values of that share the same value of . To have a clear picture, the relations and functions can be expressed as a mapping from one set to another, called the arrow diagram, as shown in Figure 1.1 below.
f g

a b c

d e f

a b

c d e

f is a function

g is a relation, but not a function

Figure 1.1 Example 2 Check whether the relations below are functions. a. {(10, 20), (30, 60), (10, 40), (50, 100)} b.

c.

Solution a. There are ordered pairs (10, 20) and (10, 40), implying that a 10 is mapped to two values, 20 and 40. Therefore, the relation is NOT a function.

b. c.

Each of the x-value is mapped to a single y-value. This is a function. An x-value, i.e. a is mapped to two y-value, c and d. This is NOT a function

It is observed that using ordered pairs to represent a function is rather messy. Alternatively, a function may be represented by a rule that describes the mapping in the ordered pairs. Simply stated, a function, f, is a rule that assigns to each element x in set X exactly one element (called image), f(x) in set Y. The set X is called the domain of the function and the set Y is the range of the function.

f(x)

Domain (X) Figure 1.2

Range (Y)

A function (rule) is usually defined by an equation, for example where is a real number. To relate the mappings, we may consider any real number to be . The corresponding image can be found by plugging the -value into the function. Consider the function . The image of , which is calculated as 2 is Likewise, we can find the images for other values, such as The images are and .

Example 3 Find the images of the elements a. b. Solution a.

for the functions below:

b.

1.2 DOMAIN AND RANGE As mentioned in Section 3.1, the domain of a function is a set of real is defined, and the range is a set of real numbers numbers for which comprising all the corresponding images. Refer to Example 3a, if we take the domain , then the range of is This illustration is exceptionally simple because the domain is stated as a set of discrete numbers. When a function is defined on a continuous scale, the range of the function has to be an interval that captures all the possible images.

Figure 1.3 In Figure 1.3, the function is defined on the domain . To capture all the possible images, the corresponding range has to encompass the on which the function is defined. minimum and the maximum values of This returns a range of , or in interval notation, . Example 1 For the functions below, find their corresponding ranges. a. b. Solution a. is an increasing function. On the domain minimum when . The range of the function is

is

, or in interval notation,

b.

is a decreasing function. On the domain minimum when . The range of the function is

is

, or in interval notation,

If the domain of a function is not stated explicitly, we will take the largest possible set of real numbers to be the domain, and the range will be the set of the resulting mappings. In other words, the domain is the set of all possible input values which produce definable images. Collecting all the images altogether, the range is formed. A sketch of the graph of a function may help one to identify the domain and range. Example 2 Find the domain and range for each of the functions below: a. b. c. Solution a.

Figure 1.4 Note that can take any real number to produce a real image, . Thus, the domain of is a set of all real numbers, i.e. or in interval notation The corresponding range is therefore a set of all real numbers too, i.e. b.

Figure 1.5 This is a quadratic function. Observe that can take any real number to produce a real image of . This leads to the domain of to be all real numbers, . Nonetheless, there is a

boundary inherent in the set of image values. Note that means . As a result, the range of the function is the set ; or in interval notation, . c.

This

Figure 1.6 In the square root expression , the radicand has to be nonnegative in order to give a real radical. Thus, ; giving the domain , or in interval notation . By taking these values, the range becomes , or in interval notation

1.3 THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL LINE TESTS Recall from Section 3.1, there is no two or more values of that share the same value of in a function. This can shown in the arrow diagrams (refer to Figure 1.1). However, arrow diagrams are only suitable when the domain is a set of discrete points. In the case when the domain of a function is on a continuous interval, we need to apply vertical line test to examine whether a relation is a function. 1.3.1 The vertical Line Test A curve in the x-y plane is a function if and only if no vertical line intersects the curve more than once.To apply the vertical line test graphically, take a ruler or any "vertical line" and move it across the domain (x-axis) by keeping it parallel to the y-axis. If the graph intersects the ruler or vertical line more

than once at any given value of x, the graph is not a function. This can be seen in Figures 1.7(a) and 1.7(b).

(a): More than 1 point of intersection

(b): Only 1 point of intersection

Figure 1.7 In Figure 1.7(a), notice that there are two points of intersection between the curve and the vertical line for every point on the domain. Hence, the graph does not represent a function. On the other hand, we observe that there is only one point of intersection between the curve and the vertical line for all on the domain in the graph of Figure 1.7(b). This concludes that the curve represents a function. Example 1 Examine whether the curves below are functions. a. b.

c.

Solution

a. b. c.

The curve is a function as there is exactly one point of intersection between the curve and the vertical line for all on the domain. This is not a function because there are instances where two points of intersection between the curve and the vertical line are observed. The curve is a function as there is exactly one point of intersection between the curve and the vertical line for all on the domain.

1.3.2 The Horizontal Line Test As suggested by its name, the horizontal line test uses horizontal lines to determine the number of intersection between the line and the function under study. If there is an instance where the horizontal line cuts the function more than once, then we conclude that is a many-to-one function. On the other hand, if there is only a point of intersection between the horizontal line and the function for all the points on the domain , is called a one-to-one function. The notion of one-toone and many-to-one functions can be clearly expressed in Figure 1.8. In intersects the function Figure 1.8(a), notice that the horizontal line at two points, namely and . In other words, Thus, is a many-to-one function. Applying the same test to function in Figure 1.8(b), we note that by moving the horizontal line from one end to the other along the axis, and parallel to axis, there is always one point of intersection between the horizontal line and the function . Hence, we conclude that is a one-to-one function.

(a)

is a many-to-one function (b) Figure 1.8

is a one-to-one function

In short, a function is one-to-one if there are no two distinct values and that give the same image. Besides horizontal line test, we can conclude whether a function is one-to-one or many-to-one by checking the mappings between the elements from the domain and the corresponding images. Example 1 For each of the functions below, determine whether it is one-to-one or manyto-one function. a. b. c. d. Solution a. Let , and I.e. Thus, b. Let , and In fact, there are no two distinct values of . for all Thus, is a one-to-one function. c. Let , and I.e. Thus, d. Let , and I.e. Thus, is a many-to-one function. is a many-to-one function. that give the same image is a many-to-one function.

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1.4 COMPOSITE FUNCTIONS Let and be a function that assigns to each element an element , be another function that assigns to each element an element . Applying both functions and in sequence, we obtain

a Note that the element can be related directly to , i.e. composition of functions and Alternatively, the composition can be denoted as . The sequence of these functions can be represented by Figure 1.9 below:

Figure 1.9 Definition Composite function If and are functions, the composite function , or is defined . The domain of consists of the numbers in by the domain of for which lies in the domain of . Note that in general Example 1 Consider 2 functions .

and

defined as follows:

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Compare the composite functions and for and , whichever is defined. Solution

. State the domain and range

As is in the reverse sequence, we need to examine the existence of the composite function . This can be checked via the domain. If there is an element for which lies in , then exists. Note that , and . Thus, none of the element produces the image that lies in the domain of . This means the in composite function does not exist. Note: If the functions and composite function

are defined such that .

and

are both

, then the

Example 2 If find a. b. State the domain of each function. Solution a.

c.

d.

for which I.e.

lies in

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b.

for which lies in . Since restriction imposed. Thus, the domain of domain of .

, there is no depends on the

c.

for which I.e.

lies in

d.

for which I.e.

lies in

Example 3 If Solution

and

, find the domain of

. Next, find

for which

lies in

To have lies in , we set . This gives . Thus, there are two values to be avoided for the domain of , one in inherited from , and another is the one from the restriction that we have just solved. I.e.

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1.5 PIECEWISE FUNCTIONS In the previous sections, we have seen functions of which a rule is applied to the entire domain. Sometimes, we may have an output value that behaves differently on different part of interval on its domain. Under such circumstances, a piecewise-defined function is required. Roughly speaking, a piecewise-defined function uses different formula (or rule) on different part of interval on its domain. This can be easily illustrated using the example below: Example 1 Function is defined by . Sketch the graph

Solution The piecewise function is interpreted as for , and on the interval , the rule is changed to . To sketch the graph of this function, we need to draw the line on the interval . Note that should not exceed as this rule does not apply on that the line interval. Rather, on the interval the rule is . Merge these two rules on the same coordinate axes, we obtain the graph as follows:

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Figure 1.10 Example 2 The graph of a function

is given below. Define the function,

Figure 1.11 Solution Notice that there are 3 rules being applied in this function, each on the interval of , and respectively. , the rule is a linear function, taking the form On the interval The gradient, . Thus, the equation is . On the interval , a horizontal line is observed, taking the equation . On the interval , another horizontal line is observed, taking the equation

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Combining these rules altogether, we have the function defined as follows:

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