Inverse Functions

Functions often occur as inverse pairs.

In order for a function to have an inverse, 𝑓 must be a one-to-one function. This means the
function does not take the same value more than once:
𝑓 𝑥1 = 𝑓 𝑥2 𝑖𝑓𝑓 𝑥1 = 𝑥2 or 𝑓 𝑥1 ≠ 𝑓 𝑥2 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥1 ≠ 𝑥2
𝑥1 𝑥2
NOT a one-to-one function
Graphically, it passes the Horizontal Line Test (HLT): A function is one-to-one if and only if no as 𝑓 𝑥1 = 𝑓 𝑥2
horizontal line intersects its graph more than once. 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑥1 ≠ 𝑥2

Definition: Let 𝑓 be a one-to-one function with domain 𝐴 and range 𝐵 . Then the inverse
function 𝑓 −1 has domain 𝐵 and range 𝐴 and is defined by
𝑓 −1 𝑦 = 𝑥 ⇔ 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑦 𝐴 𝑥
𝑓 𝑓 −1
𝐵 𝑦
That means 𝑓 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥 and 𝑓 −1 𝑓 (𝑥) = 𝑥

To find the inverse: eg. Find the inverse of 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 + 2

1) Write out the function Soln: 𝑦 = 𝑥3 + 2
2) Interchange 𝑥 and 𝑦 𝑥 = 𝑦3 + 2
3
make 𝑦 the subject 𝑦 = 𝑥−2
3
3) Write out 𝑓 −1 𝑓 −1 𝑥 = 𝑦 = 𝑥 − 2
Now you try these questions:
4𝑥−1
1) Show that 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥+3 is one-to-one and then find its inverse.
2) Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 1 − 𝑥 2 , 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1. Find 𝑓 −1 . How can you show they are inverses of each other.?

Solution: 1) 𝑓 𝑎 = 𝑓 𝑏 𝑖𝑓𝑓 𝑎 = 𝑏 2) 𝑓 −1: 𝑦 = 1 − 𝑥 2, 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1

4𝑎−1 4𝑏−1
= 𝑥 = 1 − 𝑦2
2𝑎+3 2𝑏+3
2𝑏 + 3 4𝑎 − 1 = 4𝑏 − 1 2𝑎 + 3 𝑥2 = 1 − 𝑦2
8𝑎𝑏 + 12𝑎 − 2𝑏 − 3 = 8𝑎𝑏 − 2𝑎 + 12𝑏 − 3 𝑦2 = 1 − 𝑥2
14𝑎 = 14𝑏 ∴ 𝑓 −1 𝑥 = 1 − 𝑥 2 , 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1 (same)
𝑎 = 𝑏 ∴ 𝑜𝑛𝑒 − 𝑡𝑜 − 𝑜𝑛𝑒

4𝑥−1
𝑓 −1 : 𝑦 = 2𝑥+3
4𝑦−1
𝑥 = 2𝑦+3
2𝑥𝑦 + 3𝑥 = 4𝑦 − 1
2𝑥𝑦 − 4𝑦 = −3𝑥 − 1 2
−(3𝑥+1)
𝑦 = 2(𝑥−2) 𝑓 𝑓 −1 𝑥 = 1− 1 − 𝑥2
−(3𝑥+1)
∴ 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 2(𝑥−2) = 1 − 1 + 𝑥2
= 𝑥2
=𝑥
Exponential Functions are really useful functions and model population growth and radio-active decay.
The most general form is 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑥 , where 𝑎 is a positive constant and 𝑥 is in the exponent.
1 𝑥
= 2−𝑥 𝑦 10𝑥 2𝑥
2
Exponent Laws (𝑎 > 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 ≠ 1)

𝑥 𝑦 𝑥+𝑦 𝑎𝑥
𝑎 𝑎 =𝑎 = 𝑎 𝑥−𝑦
𝑎𝑦
1
𝑎𝑥 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑥𝑦 𝑎𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑥𝑏𝑥
𝑥

𝑒𝑥
A special exponential is 𝑒 𝑥 , where 𝑒is an
irrational number such that 2<𝑒<3.
𝑒=2.7182818284590….aka Euler’s Number.

What's special about e?

1. The gradient at 𝑥=0is 1 for y = ex.
2. The gradient equals the y-value at every point on y = ex.
y = ex is the only function whose steepness equals its y-value.
Logarithms
Logarithms and exponentials are inverses of one another. Which means: 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑦 ⇔ 𝑎 𝑦 = 𝑥

Since 𝑓 −1 (𝑓(𝑥)) = 𝑥 and 𝑓(𝑓 −1 (𝑥)) = 𝑥 Then 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 (𝑎 𝑥 ) = 𝑥 or 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑥

Just like exponents, you need to know and use log laws:
ⅇ𝑥
i. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑥 + 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑦 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 (𝑥𝑦)
𝑙𝑛 𝑥 𝑥
ii. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑦 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 ( )
𝑦

iii. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑥 𝑟 = 𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑥

𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑦
iv. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑥 𝑦 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑥
𝑎

And 𝑙𝑜𝑔ⅇ 𝑥 = 𝑙𝑛 𝑥 and ⅇ 𝑙𝑛 𝑥 = 𝑥 and 𝑙𝑛 ⅇ = 1

Now you do these questions

1. Find the exact value, without a calculator, of
a. 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 32
1
b. 𝑙𝑛 (ⅇ 2 )

c. log8 60 − log8 3 − log8 5

3)
d. ⅇ𝑙𝑛(𝑙𝑛 ⅇ
2. Express 𝑙𝑛 𝑏 + 2 𝑙𝑛 𝑐 − 3 𝑙𝑛 𝑑 as a single logarithm.
3. Solve i) 2𝑥−5 = 3 ii) 𝑙𝑛(𝑙𝑛 𝑥) = 1

Solutions:
1. Using log laws
a. 𝑙𝑜𝑔2 32 ⟺ 2𝑦 = 32 ∴ y =5
1
b. 𝑙𝑛 ( 2 ) = 𝑙𝑛 ⅇ −2 = −2
ⅇ
2
c. log 8 60 − log 8 3 − log 8 5 = log 8 4 ⟺ 8𝑦 = 4 ∴ 3
3)
d. ⅇ 𝑙𝑛(𝑙𝑛 ⅇ =3
𝑏𝑐 2
2. 𝑙𝑛 ( 𝑑3 )

3. i) 2𝑥−5 = 3 𝑥 − 5 = log 2 3 ∴ 𝑥 = log 2 3 + 5

ii) 𝑙𝑛(𝑙𝑛 𝑥) = 1 ln 𝑥 = ⅇ 1 ∴ 𝑥 = ⅇ ⅇ
Radian Measure and Trigonometry 180
B 1 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = ≈ 57.3°
መ at the centre of the 1 𝜋
The radian measure of the angle 𝐴𝐶𝐵 𝜋
unit circle is equal to the arc that ACB cuts from the unit C 𝜗 1 𝑑𝑒𝑔 = 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠
180
circle. Since the circumference of a unit circle is 2𝜋, then
the angle of 1 revolution is 2𝜋 radians. A +
𝜋 0, 2𝜋

Degrees 0 30 45 90 120 135 180 270 360

Radians 0 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 2𝜋 3𝜋 𝜋 3𝜋 2𝜋
6 4 2 3 4 2
𝑥 𝜋
𝑟 cos 𝜃 = 𝑥 ⇒ cos 𝜃 = 𝜋 1 𝜋 1 𝜋 3
B 𝑟 3 sin = sin = sin =
2 4 2 6 2 3 2
r 𝑦 1
C 𝜃 𝑟 sin 𝜃 = y ⇒ sin 𝜃 =
𝑥 𝑟 𝜋 𝜋 1 𝜋 3 𝜋 1
cos = cos = cos =
sin 𝜃 𝑦 6 4 2 6 2 3 2
= = tan 𝜃 3
cos 𝜃 𝑥 𝜋
𝜋 𝜋 1 𝜋
4 tan = 1 tan = tan = 3
2 4 6 3 3
1
𝜋
4
Trigonometry continued
Sketch 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃, 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 on different graphs
1
= csc 𝑥
sin 𝑥
1
= sec 𝑥
cos 𝑥
1
= cot 𝑥
tan 𝑥

5𝜋 3
cos =− Square Identities:
6 2
7𝜋 1 sin2 𝑥 + cos 2 𝑥 = 1 tan2 𝑥 + 1 = sec 2 𝑥 1 + cot 2 𝑥 = csc 2 𝑥
sin =−
4 2
Compound angle formulae:
2𝜋
tan =− 3 sin 𝐴 + 𝐵 = sin 𝐴 cos 𝐵 + cos 𝐴 sin 𝐵 sin 2𝜃 = 2 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃
3
sin 𝐴 − 𝐵 = sin 𝐴 cos 𝐵 − cos 𝐴 sin 𝐵
11𝜋
cosec = −2
6 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝐴 + 𝐵 = cos 𝐴 cos 𝐵 − sin 𝐴 sin 𝐵 cos 2𝜃 = cos 2 𝜃 − sin2 𝜃

3𝜋 1 1 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝐴 − 𝐵 = cos 𝐴 cos 𝐵 + sin 𝐴 sin 𝐵 =2 cos 2 𝜃 − 1

sec = = =∞
2 3𝜋 0
cos 2 =1 − 2 sin2 𝜃
Co-ordinate Geometry y (𝑥, 𝑦) y (𝑥2 , 𝑦2 )
𝑦2 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚 𝑥2 − 𝑥1
𝑥 x 𝑥 x
(𝑥1 , 𝑦1 )

Regions: Sketch and describe the region given by the following sets:
a. 𝑥, 𝑦 𝑥 ≤ 2
b. 𝑥, 𝑦 𝑥 = 𝑦
c. 𝑥, 𝑦 𝑦 < 0

y y y

−2 x 𝑥 𝑥

The set of all points in the region The set of all points such that
such that the x-coord is less than or the x-coord is equal to the y- The set of all points in the region
equal to -2. (Region to the left and coord. (Just a line.) such that the y-coord is less than
including the line x=-2.) zero. (The region below the x-axis.)
Conic Sections: Circles, Ellipses, Parabolas and Hyperbolas
Ellipses: The set of all points (on a plane) whose distances from 2 fixed points (in the plane)
have a constant sum. The two fixed points are called the foci.
𝑏 𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) 𝑥2 𝑦2
+ =1
𝑐 𝑃1 𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑐
𝐹1 𝐹2 𝑎
𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑎 b>a 𝑐 2 = 𝑏2 − 𝑎2
𝑎>𝑏 𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 − 𝑏2 𝑐 𝑏
𝑃1 𝐹1 + 𝑃1 𝐹2 = 𝑘 𝑎
𝑏 𝑎
(𝑎 + 𝑐) + (𝑎 − 𝑐) = 2𝑎 𝑐

Example: Find the foci of the ellipse 𝑥 2 + 4𝑦 2 = 4 and sketch the graph.
𝑥−2 2 (𝑦 − 1)2
𝑥2 𝑦2 Sketch + =1
Soln: First get into the form + =1 𝑐2 = 4 − 1 4 1
22 12
𝑎 = 2, 𝑏 = 1, 𝑐 = 3 𝑎 = 2, 𝑏 = 1, 𝑐 = 3
1
𝐹𝑜𝑐𝑖: − 3, 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ( 3, 0) 1
3 2 2− 3 2+ 3
− 3
2
𝐹𝑜𝑐𝑖: 2 − 3, 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (2 + 3, 0)
 Parabolas: 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 2 A set of all points (in a plane that are equidistant from a fixed point F (focus) and a fixed
line (called the directrix).
𝑦
𝑦−𝑝 2 + 𝑥2 = 𝑦 + 𝑝 2

(𝑥, 𝑦) 𝑦 2 − 2𝑦𝑝 + 𝑝2 + 𝑥 2 = 𝑦 2 + 2𝑦𝑝 + 𝑝2

𝑦−𝑝 𝑥 2 = 4𝑦𝑝
𝑝 1 2 1
∴𝑦= 𝑥 ∴𝑎=
𝑦 = −𝑝 𝑝 𝑝 𝑥 4𝑝 4𝑝
directrix
Given “a”, you can determine
𝑦 2𝑥 2 the p, then the focus and the
𝑥2 directrix.

𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑥
𝑥 = 𝑎𝑦 2
 Hyperbolas: The set of all points ( in a plane) whose difference of the two fixed points (foci) are a constant.
𝑥2 𝑦2 𝑦
− =1 Example: Sketch the graph of 36𝑥 2 − 25𝑦 2 = 900
𝑎2 𝑏2 Soln: 𝑥2 𝑦2
𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) − =1 𝑐 2 = 25 + 36
𝑃1 𝐹1 − 𝑃1 𝐹2 = 𝑘 52 62
𝑃1 𝑎 = 5, 𝑏 = 6, 𝑐 = 61
𝑎 + 𝑐 − (𝑐 − 𝑎) = 2𝑎 𝐹1 − 𝑎 𝑎 𝐹2 𝑥 𝐹𝑜𝑐𝑖: − 61, 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ( 61, 0)
𝑦
❑ 𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏2
❑ Symmetry
𝑏
❑ Asymptotes 𝑦 = ± 𝑎 𝑥 (if centre at the origin)
𝑦
− 61 − 5 5 61

𝑦2 𝑥2
− =1 Asymptotes: 𝑥 → ∞ 𝑦 →?
𝑏2 𝑎2 𝑥
𝑥2 − 1 𝑦2 6
= ⇒ 𝑦=± 𝑥
25 36 5
 Sketch (𝑥 − 2)2 (𝑦 − 1)2
− =1
52 62
This is just the previous graph shifted to the right by 2 and up by 1.
𝑦
𝑐 2 = 25 + 36 𝑎 = 5, 𝑏 = 6, 𝑐 = 61

𝐹𝑜𝑐𝑖: 2 − 61, 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (2 + 61, 0)

(2, 1)
6
𝑦 − 1 = ± (𝑥 − 2) which is
5
6 7 6 17
𝑦 = 5𝑥 − 5 and 𝑦 = − 𝑥 +
5 5

Adapted from notes by Kalpana Ramesh Kanjee, copyright owned by University of Cape Town