Composite & Inverse Functions (DP IB Maths: AI HL)

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Composite Functions

What is a composite function?

  • A composite function is where a function is applied to another function
  • A composite function can be denoted
    • left parenthesis f ring operator g right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis
    • space f g left parenthesis x right parenthesis
    • space f stretchy left parenthesis g left parenthesis x stretchy right parenthesis right parenthesis
  • The order matters
    • left parenthesis f ring operator g right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis means:
      • First apply g to x to get space g left parenthesis x right parenthesis
      • Then apply f to the previous output to get space f stretchy left parenthesis g left parenthesis x stretchy right parenthesis right parenthesis
      • Always start with the function closest to the variable
    • left parenthesis f ring operator g right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis is not usually equal to left parenthesis g ring operator f right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis

How do I find the domain and range of a composite function?

  • The domain of space f ring operator g is the set of values of x...
    • which are a subset of the domain of g
    • which maps g to a value that is in the domain of f
  • The range of space f ring operator g is the set of values of x...
    • which are a subset of the range of f
    • found by applying f to the range of g
  • To find the domain and range of space f ring operator g
    • First find the range of g
    • Restrict these values to the values that are within the domain of f
      • The domain is the set of values that produce the restricted range of g
      • The range is the set of values that are produced using the restricted range of g as the domain for f
  • For example: let space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 2 x plus 1 comma space minus 5 less or equal than x less or equal than 5 and space g left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals square root of x comma space 1 less or equal than x less or equal than 49
    • The range of g is 1 less or equal than g left parenthesis x right parenthesis less or equal than 7
      • Restricting this to fit the domain of results in 1 less or equal than g left parenthesis x right parenthesis less or equal than 5
    • The domain of space f ring operator g is therefore 1 less or equal than x less or equal than 25
      • These are the values of x which map to 1 less or equal than g left parenthesis x right parenthesis less or equal than 5
    • The range of space f ring operator g is therefore 3 less or equal than left parenthesis f ring operator g right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis less or equal than 11
      • These are the values which f maps 1 less or equal than g left parenthesis x right parenthesis less or equal than 5 to

Examiner Tip

  • Make sure you know what your GDC is capable of with regard to functions
    • You may be able to store individual functions and find composite functions and their values for particular inputs
    • You may be able to graph composite functions directly and so deduce their domain and range from the graph
  • The link between the domains and ranges of a function and its inverse can act as a check for your solution
  • space f f left parenthesis x right parenthesis is not the same as stretchy left square bracket f left parenthesis x right parenthesis stretchy right square bracket squared

Worked example

Given space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals square root of x plus 4 end root and space g left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 3 plus 2 x:

a)
Write down the value of left parenthesis g ring operator f right parenthesis left parenthesis 12 right parenthesis.

2-3-2-ib-aa-sl-composite-functions-a-we-solution

b)
Write down an expression for left parenthesis f ring operator g right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

2-3-2-ib-aa-sl-composite-functions-b-we-solution

c)
Write down an expression for left parenthesis g ring operator g right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

2-3-2-ib-aa-sl-composite-functions-c-we-solution

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Inverse Functions

What is an inverse function?

  • Only one-to-one functions have inverses
  • A function has an inverse if its graph passes the horizontal line test
    • Any horizontal line will intersect with the graph at most once
  • The identity function id maps each value to itself
    • id left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x
  • If space f ring operator g and space g ring operator f have the same effect as the identity function then space f and space g are inverses
  • Given a function space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis we denote the inverse function as space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis
  • An inverse function reverses the effect of a function
    • space f left parenthesis 2 right parenthesis equals 5 means space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis 5 right parenthesis equals 2
  • Inverse functions are used to solve equations
    • The solution of space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 5 is x equals f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis 5 right parenthesis
  • A composite function made of space f and space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent has the same effect as the identity function
    • left parenthesis f ring operator f to the power of negative 1 end exponent right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals left parenthesis f to the power of negative 1 end exponent ring operator f right parenthesis left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x

Language of Functions Notes Diagram 9

What are the connections between a function and its inverse function?

  • The domain of a function becomes the range of its inverse
  • The range of a function becomes the domain of its inverse
  • The graph of space y equals f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis is a reflection of the graph space y equals f left parenthesis x right parenthesis in the line space y equals x
    • Therefore solutions to space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x or space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x will also be solutions to space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis
      • There could be other solutions to space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis that don't lie on the line space y equals x

Inverse Functions Notes Diagram 2

How do I find the inverse of a function?

  • STEP 1: Swap the x and in space y equals f left parenthesis x right parenthesis
    • If space y equals f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis then x equals f left parenthesis y right parenthesis
  • STEP 2: Rearrange x equals f left parenthesis y right parenthesis to make space y the subject
  • Note this can be done in any order
    • Rearrange space y equals f left parenthesis x right parenthesis to make x the subject
    • Swap x and space y

Can many-to-one functions ever have inverses?

  • You can restrict the domain of a many-to-one function so that it has an inverse
  • Choose a subset of the domain where the function is one-to-one
    • The inverse will be determined by the restricted domain
    • Note that a many-to-one function can only have an inverse if its domain is restricted first
  • For quadratics – use the vertex as the upper or lower bound for the restricted domain
    • For space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x squared restrict the domain so 0 is either the maximum or minimum value
      • For example: x greater or equal than 0 or x less or equal than 0
    • For space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals a left parenthesis x minus h right parenthesis squared plus k restrict the domain so h is either the maximum or minimum value
      • For example: x greater or equal than h or x less or equal than h
  • For trigonometric functions – use part of a cycle as the restricted domain
    • For space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals sin x restrict the domain to half a cycle between a maximum and a minimum
      • For example: negative pi over 2 less or equal than x less or equal than pi over 2
    • For space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals cos x restrict the domain to half a cycle between maximum and a minimum
      • For example: 0 less or equal than x less or equal than pi
    • For space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals tan x restrict the domain to one cycle between two asymptotes
      • For example: negative pi over 2 less than x less than pi over 2

How do I find the inverse function after restricting the domain?

  • The range of the inverse is the same as the restricted domain of the original function
  • The inverse function is determined by the restricted domain
    • Restricting the domain differently will change the inverse function
  • Use the range of the inverse to help find the inverse function
    • Restricting the domain of space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x squared to x greater or equal than 0 means the range of the inverse is space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis greater or equal than 0
      • Therefore space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals square root of x
    • Restricting the domain of space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals x squared to x less or equal than 0 means the range of the inverse is space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis less or equal than 0
      • Therefore space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals negative square root of x

Examiner Tip

  • Remember that an inverse function is a reflection of the original function in the line y equals x
    • Use your GDC to plot the function and its inverse on the same graph to visually check this
  • space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis  is not the same as  fraction numerator 1 over denominator f left parenthesis x right parenthesis end fraction

Worked example

The function space f open parentheses x close parentheses equals open parentheses x minus 2 close parentheses squared plus 5 comma blank x less or equal than m has an inverse.

a)
Write down the largest possible value of m.

d7t4IIb~_2-3-2-ib-aa-hl-inverse-functions-a-we-solution

b)
Find the inverse of space f left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

2-3-2-ib-aa-hl-inverse-functions-b-we-solution

c)
Find the domain of space f to the power of negative 1 end exponent left parenthesis x right parenthesis.

2-3-2-ib-aa-hl-inverse-functions-c-we-solution

d)
Find the value of k such that space f left parenthesis k right parenthesis equals 9.

2-3-2-ib-aa-hl-inverse-functions-d-we-solution

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Dan

Author: Dan

Expertise: Maths

Dan graduated from the University of Oxford with a First class degree in mathematics. As well as teaching maths for over 8 years, Dan has marked a range of exams for Edexcel, tutored students and taught A Level Accounting. Dan has a keen interest in statistics and probability and their real-life applications.