Composite Functions

What Are They?

Composite functions are functions that are formed from two functions
f(x) and g(x) in which the output or result of one of the functions is used
as the input to the other function. Notationally we express composite
functions as

f  g  x  or f  g  x  
In this case the result or output from g becomes the input to f.
Example 1

Given f  x  x3 g x  x  2 the composite function

f  g  x   f  g  x    f  x  2   x  2  x 3  6 x 2  8 x  8
3

Replace g(x) with x+2

Replace the variable x in the f

function with x+2

Expand
Example
Given

 f(x) = 2x + 1
 q (X) = x^2 – 2x + 2
 r(X) = 2x + 1
x–1
• g(x) = Vx + 1
• F(x) = x - 3
Example
Given
 f(x) = 2x + 1
 q (X) = x^2 – 2x + 2
 r(X) = 2x + 1
x–1
• g(x) = Vx + 1
• F(x) = x - 3
 Example 2
Given h x   2x  4 kx  x2  2 the composite function

k h  x  k  h  x  k    
2
2x  4  2x  4  2   2x  4  2  2x  2

The result of the

Replace the
function h
variable x in k(x)
becomes the input
with 2x  4
to k

Simplify
Example 2 Con’t.

Now see what happens when we take the same two functions and reverse the order of the
composition.

h x   2x  4 kx  x2  2 The composite function

 
h  k  x  h  k  x   h x2  2   
2 x2  2  4  2x2  4  4  2x2  2 x

Notice, the result here is not the same as the previous result. This is usually the case with
composite functions. Changing the order of the composition (changing which function is the
“inner” function and which is the “outer” function) usually changes the result.
Problem 1
1
For the functions f  x  g  x   3x  5 find
x
f  g  x (click mouse to see answer)

1
f  g  x  f  3x  5 
3x  5

g  f  x (click mouse to see answer)

1 1  3
g  f  x  g    3 5 5
x x  x
Breaking Composite Functions Apart
There are instances when we want to take a composite function and break
it into its component parts. In this case we’ll be looking for an “inner”
function and an “outer” function. To help you find the inner function look
for expressions in parentheses, or under radical signs or in denominators.
Example 3
h  x   5  4x
2
Break the composite function into two smaller functions

f  x  and g  x  so that h x  f  g  x

h  x   5  4x
2
g  x  5  4x
f  x  x2

Inner part Outer part

Problem 2
Break the given function h(x) into components f(x) and g(x) such that
h(x) =f (g(x))

h x  3
1  x2 (click mouse to see answer)

g  x  1  x2
f  x  3
x

2
h  x  (click mouse to see answer)
9x  3
g  x  9x  3
2
f  x 
x