COMPOSITE AND

INVERSE FUNCTIONS
Mrs. Aldous, Mr. Beetz & Mr. Thauvette
IB DP SL Mathematics

You should be able to

Find the composition of two functions

Find the value of the composition of two
functions for a particular value of x
Use the graph of a function to decide
whether the function has an inverse
Sketch the graph of the inverse of a
function from the graph of a function
Verify that two functions are inverses of
each other

You should know

The composite function

can also be
f g
denoted
orfmore
x
g x simply,
f g by
The composition
is the operation ofg
f g
applying
then ; the
gcomposition
f
f
is the operation
g of applying then
f
If f is a function that maps
to
,
x
f
x
1
then the inverse
mapsx
f function
f x
back onto
Geometrically, the graph of the inverse
y x
function is a reflection of the original
function in the line

You should know

1
The domain fof is the range
of
and
f
1
thef range of
is the
f domain of
To find the inverse of a function
analytically, simply switch the positions
of x and y and then solve the resulting
equationgfor
f x
xy
A
if
f function
g x g f xis the
x inverse of
and only if

Composite functions
A composite function is made up
of two or more functions.
f(x) x 3

f(x) 3x 1

g(x) x 1

fg(x) means take g(x) and put it

into f(x).

Replace each
x in f(x) with the
complete g(x).
2

fg(x) (x 1) 3

fg(x) x 2 2

gf(x) means take f(x) and put it

into g(x).

Replace each x in g(x) with the
complete f(x).

Try some of these:

gf(x) x 3 1
gf(x) x 2 6x 8

1.fg(x)

3x 2 8

2.gf (x)
9x 2 6x 4

3.gh(x)
x 1

4.hf (x)
3x 3

g(x) x2 3

h(x) x 2

Inverse functions
The inverse of a function, is
reversing the operations of that
function.

Another example:
f(x)

f(x) 4x 3

Replace f(x) with y=

y 4x 3
Now make x the subject of the
equation.

y 3 4x
y 3
x
4

x3
4

3x 4
7

7y 3x 4
7y 4 3x

Finally replace y with x, and the x

with a f-1(x).
f 1(x)

3x 4
7

7y 4
x
3

f 1(x)

7x 4
3

Inverse of quadratic equations

First, ensure that the equation is in
the completed the square form.

3x 5
1.f (x)
2

f(x) 2 x 3 4

y 4 2 x 3

2x 5
f (x)
3
1

2
y 4
x 3
2

y 4
x 3
2

x4
3
2

2.g(x) 3 x 1 6
g1(x)

x 6
1
3

3.h(x) 2x 2 6x 3

y 4
3 x
2
f 1(x)

Try some of these:

3 3
h(x) 2 x
2 2

h1(x)

x 3 3

2 4 2

Example
Consider the functions
f x 2x

1
g x
, x 3.
x 3
(a) Find
f g 4
1

g
(b) Find

x
1

(c) Write down the domain

g of
.

and

Example continued

Example continued

Example continued

Be prepared

The order in which the functions are to

be composed is extremely important
Proceed with caution when simplifying
expressions resulting from a composition