Inverse of a Function

Inverse of a function

• The inverse of the ordered pairs (x, y) is the set of

all ordered pairs (y, x).

• The Domain of the function is the range of the

inverse and the Range of the function is the Domain
of the inverse.

• Symbol: 1 In other words, switch the

f ( x) x’s and y’s!
How do we know if an inverse
function exists? 3

• Inverse functions only exist if the original function

is one to one.

• What does it mean to be one to one?

That there are no repeated y values.

Review of one-to-one function 4

• Horizontal Line Test

A function is one-to-one if each
horizontal line does not intersect the
graph at more than one point.
Review of one-to-one function 5
Review of one-to-one function 6
Illustration 7

Consider the table of values for the function

Let us invert the values for x and y:

We can see that it can still represent a function because each x-

value is associated with only one
y-value.
Example

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Example

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Example

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Example: {(1,2), (2, 4), (3, 6), (4, 8)}

Inverse:

2 ,1 , 4 , 2 , 6 , 3 , 8 , 4 
 12

Inverse:
(2,1) , (4,3) , (10,6), (11, 8)
 STEPS IN FINDING THE INVERSE
OF A FUNCTION

• STEP ONE: Rewrite f(x)= as y=.

• STEP TWO: Swap X and Y.

• STEP THREE: Solve for y.

Find Inverse: f (x)  8x  1
f ( x)  8 x  1
y  8x  1
x  8 y 1
8 y  x 1
x 1
y
8
x 1
f x  
1

8
Find Inverse: f (x)  8x  2
f ( x)  8 x  2
y  8x  2
x  8y  2
8y  x  2
x2
y
8
1 x2
f 
8
 3x  1
Find Inverse: f ( x) 
2
3x  1
f x  
2
3x  1
y 
2
3y 1
x 
2
3 y  1  2x
3 y  2x 1
2x 1
y 
3
2x 1
f 1 
3
 2
Find Inverse: f (x)  x  4
f x   x  4 2

2
y  x 4
2
x y 4
2
y  x4
y x4
1
f ( x)   x4
Horizontal Line Test

• Recall that a function passes the vertical line test.

• The graph of a one-to-one function will pass the

horizontal line test. (A horizontal line passes
through the function in only one place at a time.)
Horizontal Line Test
Used to test if a function is one-to one 19

If the line intersect more than once then it is not one to

one.
Therefore there is not inverse function.
y
(0, 7) (4, 7)
Example: The function
y = x2 – 4x + 7 is not one-to-one y=7
because a horizontal line can 2
intersect the graph twice. x
2
Examples points: (0, 7) & (4, 7).
Example: Apply the horizontal line test to the graphs
below to determine if the functions are one-to-one.20
a) y = x3 b) y = x3 + 3x2 – x – 1
y y
8 8

4 4

-4 4 -4 4
x x

one-to-one not one-to-one