4 Oct 2019

INVERSE
FUNCTION

RECALL…
• Solving of composition of function

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 4 Oct 2019

INVERSE FUNCTION
Definition. Suppose that 𝑓 is a one-
to-one function with the domain 𝑋
and 𝑌. The inverse function for the
function 𝑓 is the function denoted
by 𝑓 −1 with domain 𝑌 and range 𝑥
and defined for all values of 𝑥 ∈ 𝑋
by,
𝑓 −1 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥
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INVERSE FUNCTION
Function-Inverse Function
Relationship.
a. 𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 for every 𝑥 in 𝐷
b. 𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑦 for every 𝑦 in 𝑅

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Function-Inverse Function
Relationship.
Example: Show that
𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 + 3 and
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𝑔 𝑥 = (𝑥 − 3) are
2
inverse of each other.
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Function-Inverse Function
Relationship.
1
Sol’n: 𝑓(𝑔 𝑥 ) 𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 =𝑓 𝑥−3
2
𝑥−3
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 =𝑓
2
𝑥−3
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 =2 +3
2
𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 =𝑥−3+3
∴𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 =𝑥
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Function-Inverse Function
Relationship.
Sol’n: 𝑔(𝑓 𝑥 ) 𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑔(2𝑥 + 3)
1
𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 + 3 − 3
2
1
𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥
2
2𝑥
𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 =
2
∴𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 =𝑥
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Function-Inverse Function
Relationship.

Since 𝑓 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 and
𝑔 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 then the given 2
functions are inverse.

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 4 Oct 2019

INVERSE FUNCTION
Determining the Inverse of a One-to-
One Function 𝑓.
a. Set 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
b. Solve for 𝑥 in terms of 𝑦
c. Interchange the variables 𝑥 and 𝑦 so
that the domain of 𝑓 −1 is
represented by numbers on the 𝑥-
axis. This gives an equation of the
form of 𝑦 = 𝑓 −1 (𝑥)
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Example #1:
Find the inverse of 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3.
Step #1: set 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 3
Step #2: Solve for 𝑥 in terms of 𝑦.
𝑦+3
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 3 𝑥=
2

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Example #1:
Step #3: Interchange the variable
𝑥 and 𝑦
𝑦+3 𝑥+3
𝑥= 𝑦=
2 2

𝑦+3
∴ 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) =
2
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Example #2:
Find the inverse of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 3,
𝑥 ≥ 0.
Step #1: set 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥2 + 3 𝑦 = 𝑥2 + 3
Step #2: Solve for 𝑥 in terms of 𝑦.
𝑦 = 𝑥2 + 3 𝑥= 𝑦−3
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Example #2:
Step #3: Interchange the variable
𝑥 and 𝑦
𝑥 = 𝑦−3 𝑦 = 𝑥−3
∴ 𝑓 −1 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 3
Note:
𝐷𝑜𝑚 𝑓 = 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑓 −1 = [0, ∞)
𝐷𝑜𝑚 𝑓 −1 = 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑓 = [3, ∞)
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Example #3:
Find the inverse of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 1,
𝑥 ≤ 0.
Step #1: set 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥2 + 1 𝑦 = 𝑥2 + 1
Step #2: Solve for 𝑥 in terms of 𝑦.
𝑦 = 𝑥2 + 1 𝑥 =− 𝑦−1
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Example #3:
Step #3: Interchange the variable
𝑥 and 𝑦
𝑥 =− 𝑦−1 𝑦 =− 𝑥−1

∴ 𝑓 −1 𝑥 = − 𝑥 − 1

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Try it yourself!
Find the inverse of the following
functions.
1. 𝑓 𝑥 = 3 − 5𝑥
𝑥−2
2. 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥+2

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