MA 103

LECTURE 02
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Linear: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏
Power: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 𝑛
Root: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑛
𝑥
1
Reciprocal: 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥𝑛

Exponential: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑥
Logarithmic: 𝑓 𝑥 = log 𝑏 𝑥
Trigonometric: 𝑓 𝑥 = sin 𝑥 , 𝑓 𝑥 = cos 𝑥 , 𝑓 𝑥 = tan 𝑥
TRANSFORMATIONS, PIECEWISE FUNCTIONS,
COMBINATION AND COMPOSITE FUNCTIONS
Most functions we will work with will be Transformations, combinations, Composite and
step functions of the essential functions.
• Vertical and horizontal shifts, stretching, and reflecting
• Add, Subtracting, Product and Quotient

• Composite 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑔 𝑥

ℎ(𝑥) 𝑥 ∈ 𝐼1
• Piecewise functions: 𝑓 𝑥 = ቊ
𝑔 𝑥 𝑥 ∈ 𝐼2
INVERSE FUNCTIONS

one-to-one: If 𝑓 𝑎 = 𝑓(𝑏) then a = b. (can sometimes use the horizontal line test)
Definition:Let f be a one-to-one function with domain 𝐴 and range 𝐵. Then its inverse
function 𝑓 −1 has domain 𝐵 and range 𝐴 and is defined by
𝑓 −1 (𝑦) = 𝑥 ⟺ 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑦
for any 𝑦 in 𝐵.
EXPONENTIAL RULE

If 𝑎, 𝑏 positive numbers, and 𝑥, 𝑦 are real numbers then:

1. 𝑏 𝑥 𝑏 𝑦 = 𝑏 𝑥+𝑦
𝑏𝑥
2. 𝑏 𝑥−𝑦 = 𝑏𝑦

3. 𝑏 𝑥 𝑦
= 𝑏 𝑥𝑦
4. 𝑎𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑏𝑥
LOG RULES

1. log 𝑏 𝑥𝑦 = log 𝑏 𝑥 + log 𝑏 𝑦

𝑥
2. log 𝑏
𝑦
= log 𝑏 𝑥 − log 𝑏 𝑦

3. log 𝑏 𝑥 𝑟 = 𝑟 log 𝑏 𝑥 where 𝑟 is a real number

4. log 𝑏 𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑥
5. 𝑏 log𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑥
6. log 𝑒 𝑥 = ln 𝑥
ln 𝑥
7. log 𝑏 𝑥 = ln when 𝑏 ≠ 1 and is positive
𝑏
TANGENT LINES

Definition: A line that just touches a curve at a point,

matching the curve's slope there.
LIMITS

Definition: The “limit of 𝑓 𝑥 , as 𝑥 approaches 𝑐, is equal to 𝐿” means that 𝑓(𝑥) becomes

arbitrarily close to 𝐿 whenever 𝑥 is sufficiently close (but not equal) to 𝑐. We denote this Type
equation here.statement by
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐

or 𝑓 𝑥 → 𝐿 as 𝑥 → 𝑐.

If lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 and 𝐿 is a finite number, we say that the limit exists and that 𝑓(𝑥) converges to
𝑥→𝑐
𝐿. If the limit does not exist, we say that 𝑓 𝑥 diverges as 𝑥 tends to 𝑐.
ONE-SIDED LIMITS

To compute one-sided limits, we use the notation

lim 𝑓(𝑥) when 𝑥 approaches 𝑐 from the right

𝑥→𝑐 +

lim 𝑓(𝑥) when 𝑥 approaches 𝑐 from the left

𝑥→𝑐 −

Note: lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 if and only if lim+ 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 and lim− 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐