FUNCTIONS AND THEIR REPRESENTATION
FUNCTIONS AND THEIR REPRESENTATION 1 / 45
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Lesson Plan
What is a function? GO
Different ways to represent a function GO
Even and odd functions GO
Piecewise defined functions GO
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Definition of a function
Definition
A function f is a rule that assigns to each element x in a set A exactly one element
y = f (x) in a set B.
Then
A is the domain of f
x is an independent variable
y is a dependent variable
The range of f is the set of all values f (x) when x is in A
Typically, A is a subset of real numbers and B is all real numbers.
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Arrow diagram for f
A = {1, 2, 3, 4}, B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
f (1) = 2, f (2) = 1, f (3) = 2, f (4) = 5
1 1
Domain of f is {1, 2, 3, 4};
2 2
Range of f is {1, 2, 5}.
3
3
4 4 Table of values: Formula:
5
x f (x) f (x) = x 2 − 4x + 5
A B 1 2
f :A→B 2 1
3 2
4 5
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Representations of a Function
We can represent a function in several different ways:
Verbally (by a description in words)
Numerically (by a table of values)
Visually (by a graph)
Algebraically (by an explicit formula)
It is useful to have different representations of the same function.
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Graphical Representation
Not every curve in the xy -plane is a graphical representation of a function.
The Vertical Line Test
A curve in the xy -plane is the graph of a function of x if and only if no vertical line
intersects the curve more than once.
y y
11
00
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00
11 11
00
00
11
00
11
00
11
11
00
00
11
0 a x 0 a x
Curve does not represent a function. Curve represents a function.
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Representation by a Formula
The same function could be represented by different formulas. For example,
f (x) = x 2 − 1 and g (x) = (x − 1)(x + 1) define the same function.
Suppose a function is defined algebraically and its domain is not specified.
Then we assume that the domain is the set of all real numbers for which the formula
makes sense. This set is referred to as the natural domain of a function.
f (x) = 2x + 1 Domain is all real numbers
1
f (x) = x−2 Domain is all real numbers except 2
√
f (x) = x Domain is all non-negative real numbers
The most common reasons for limited domains are
the division by zero issue
negative numbers under even radicals
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Example 1
5x+3
Find the domain of f (x) = 2x+1
The denominator cannot be zero, so we set
2x + 1 6= 0
2x 6= −1
1
x 6= −
2
1 1
Domain is (−∞, − ) ∪ (− , ∞)
2 2
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Example 2
√
Find the domain of f (x) = x −2
The expression under the radical has to be nonnegative, so we set
x −2≥0
x ≥2
Domain is [2, ∞)
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Example 3
7x+11
Find the domain of f (x) = x 2 −x−6
The denominator cannot be zero, so we set
x 2 − x − 6 6= 0
(x + 2)(x − 3) 6= 0
x 6= −2 and x 6= 3
Domain is (−∞, −2) ∪ (−2, 3) ∪ (3, ∞)
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Example 4
√
3
Find the domain of f (x) = x − 5 + 3x − 1
Since we can take a cubic root of any number, there are no restrictions on x.
Domain is (−∞, ∞)
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Symmetry
Symmetry about the y -axis Symmetry about the x-axis Symmetry about the origin
y y y
0 x 0 x 0 x
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Symmetry
Symmetry about the y -axis Symmetry about the x-axis Symmetry about the origin
y y y
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Apply the vertical line test
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Symmetry
Symmetry about the y -axis Symmetry about the origin
y y
0 x 0 x
-
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Symmetry
Symmetry about the y -axis Symmetry about the origin
y y
1
0
1
0 1
0
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-f(x)
f is an even function if f (−x) = f (x) for f is an odd function if f (−x) = −f (x) for
every x in its domain every x in its domain
- -
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Example 1
Determine whether f (x) = x 2 − 3 is
even, odd, or neither even or odd 6
We plug in −x instead of x: 4
f (−x) = (−x)2 − 3 = x 2 − 3 = f (x) 2
Therefore, f is even .
−3 −2 −1 1 2 3
−2
−4
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Example 2
Determine whether f (x) = x 3 + 5 is
even, odd, or neither even or odd
60
We plug in −x instead of x: 40
20
f (−x) = (−x)3 + 5
= −x 3 + 5 6= f (x) −4 −2 2 4
3 −20
= −(x − 5) 6= −f (x)
−40
Therefore, f is neither .
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Example 3
Determine whether f (x) = x 3 + 5x is
even, odd, or neither even or odd
We plug in −x instead of x: 50
f (−x) = (−x)3 + 5(−x)
= −x 3 − 5x −4 −2 2 4
= −(x 3 + 5x) = −f (x)
−50
Therefore, f is odd .
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
Piecewise Defined Functions
If a function f is defined by different formulas in different parts of its domain, we say
that f is piecewise defined.
For example, 10
(
x 2 − 5 if x < 1 5
f (x) =
x − 2 if x ≥ 1
f (−1) = (−1)2 − 5 = −4 −4 −2 2 4
f (2) = 2 − 2 = 0
−5
f (1) = 1 − 2 = −1
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
Definition of a function Graphical Representation Representation by a Formula Even and Odd Functions Piecewise Defined Functions
The Absolute Value Function
The absolute value of a number x, denoted by |x|, is the distance from 0 to x on the
real number line. Distances are always positive or 0, so we have |x| ≥ 0.
4
For example,
|2| = 2, | − 5| = 5, |0| = 0
2
The Absolute Value
(
−x if x < 0 −4 −2 2 4
|x| =
x if x ≥ 0
−2
Tamara Kucherenko Functions and Their Representations
1.4 Exercises: Pages 52-54: 19, 20,23.
1.5 Exercises: Pages 66-68: 16, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72.
1.6 Exercises: Pages 75-77: 6, 12, 13
LIMITS AND DERIVATIVE 2/1
