GENERAL MATHEMATICS

REPRESENTATION
OF INVERSE
FUNCTION
 FINDING INVERSES OF LINEAR FUNCTIONS

An inverse relation maps the output values back to their

original input values. This means that the domain of the
inverse relation is the range of the original relation and
that the range of the inverse relation is the domain of the
original relation.

Original relation Inverse relation

x – 2 DOMAIN
–1 0 1 2 x 4 DOMAIN
2 0 –2 –4
y 4 RANGE
2 0 –2 –4 y – 2 RANGE
–1 0 1 2

General Mathematics 2
FINDING INVERSES OF LINEAR FUNCTIONS
Original relation Inverse relation

x –2 –1 0 1 2 x 4 2 0 –2 –4
y 4 2 0 –2 –4 y –2 –1 0 1 2

Graph of original
relation yy == xx

Reflection in y = x

Graph of
inverse
relation

General Mathematics 4
 FINDING INVERSES OF LINEAR FUNCTIONS

To find the inverse of a relation that is given by an

equation in x and y, switch the roles of x and y and
solve for y.

General Mathematics 5
 Finding an Inverse Relation

Find an equation for the inverse of the relation y =2x–4

4SOLUTION
y=2x–4 Write original
relation.
x =2y – 4 Switchx x and
y y.
x + 4 = 2y Add 44 to each side.
1x+2=y Divide each side 2
by 2.
2

The inverse relation is yy = 1 x + 2.

1
2
If both the original relation and the inverse relation happen to be
functions, the two functions are called inverse functions.

General Mathematics 6
 Finding an Inverse Relation

INVERSE FUNCTIONS

Functions f and g are inverses of each other

provided:

f (g (x)) = x and g ( f (x)) = x

–1
The function g is denoted by f , read as “f inverse.”
Be aware!
It is not an exponent 1
x 1 
It does not mean reciprocal x

Given any function, you can always find its inverse relation
by switching x and y.
For a linear function f (x ) = mx + b where m  0, the
inverse is itself a linear function.
General Mathematics 7
 Verifying Inverse Functions

Verify that f (x) = 2 x – 4 and g (x) =

1 x + 2 are inverses.
2
SOLUTIO
N
Show that f (g (x)) = x and g (f (x)) = x.

1
f (g (x)) = f ( 2 x + 2) g (f (x)) = g (2x – 4)

=2 ( 12 x + 2) – 4 = 1 (2x – 4) + 2
2
= x+4 – 4 = x–2+2
=x =x

General Mathematics 8
 Verify that the given
functions are inverses.
FINDING INVERSES OF NONLINEAR
FUNCTIONS

HORI Z ONT AL L I NE T E ST

If no horizontal line intersects the

graph
of a function f more than once,
then the
inverse of f is itself a function.

General Mathematics 10
Determine whether or not the
given functions are inverses.
FIND THE INVERSE FUNCTION

1. H(x)= 5-9x
2. F(x)= x-2
3. P(x)= 12x-7
4. G(x)= 7x
5. Q(x)=