Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________

INTRODUCTION TO FUNCTIONS
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I
The concept of the function ranks near the top of the list in terms of important Algebra concepts. Almost all of
higher-level mathematical modeling is based on the concept. Like most important ideas in math, it is relatively
simple:
THE DEFINITION OF A FUNCTION

A function is a clearly defined rule that converts an input into at most one output. These rules often come
in the form of: (1) equations, (2) graphs, (3) tables, and (4) verbal descriptions.

Exercise #1: Consider the function rule: multiply the input by two and then subtract one to get the output.
(a) Fill in the table below for inputs and outputs. (c) Graph the function rule on the graph paper
Inputs are often designated by x and outputs by y. shown below. Use your table in (a) to help.
y
Input Calculation Output
x y
0
1
2
3 x

(b) Write an equation that gives this rule in

symbolic form.

Exercise #2: In the function rule from #1, what input would be needed to produce an output of 17? Why is it
harder to find an input when you have an output than finding an output when you have an input?

Exercise #3: A function rule takes an input, n, and converts it into an output, y, by increasing one half of the
input by 10. Determine the output for this rule when the input is 50 and then write an equation for the rule.

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Exercise #4: Function rules do not always have to be numerical in nature, they simply have to return a single
output for a given input. The table below gives a rule that takes as an input a neighborhood child and gives as
an output the month he or she was born in.
Child Birth Month
(a) Why can we consider this rule a function? Max January
Evin April
Zeke May
Rosie February
Niko May
(b) What is the output when the input is Rosie?

(c) Find all inputs that give an output of May. Why does this not violate the definition of a function even
though there are two answers?

Functions are useful because they can often be used to model things that are happening in the real world. The
next exercises illustrates a function given only in graphical form.
Exercise #5: Charlene heads out to school by foot on a fine spring day. Her distance from school, in blocks, is
given as a function of the time, in minutes, she has been walking. This function is represented by the graph
given below.

(a) How far does Charlene start off from school?

20
Distance from School
(in blocks)

(b) What is her distance from school after she

has been walking for 4 minutes?
10

(c) After walking for six minutes, Charlene stops

to look for her subway pass. How long does
she stop for?

5 10 15
Time Spent Walking (minutes)

(d) Charlene then walks to a subway station before (e) How long did it take for her to get to school once
heading to school on the subway (a local). How she got on the train?
many blocks did she walk to the subway?

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
INTRODUCTION TO FUNCTIONS
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I HOMEWORK
FLUENCY
1. Decide whether each of the following relations is a function. Explain your answer.
Input Outputs Function?
(a) States Capitals
(b) States Cities
(c) Families Pets
(d) Families Last names

2. In each of the following examples, use an input-output chart to decide if the following relation is a function.
(a) Consider the following relation: multiply the (b) Consider the following table;
input by five and then subtract seven to get
the output.
Input Calculation Output Input Calculation Output
x y x y
-3 -2 None 4

0 3 None 3

6 3 None 2

Function? Yes/No Function? Yes/No

(c) Consider the following graph (d) Consider the following graph
y y

x x

Input Calculation Output(s) Input Calculation Output(s)

x y x y
-2 None -3 None
1 None 1 None
2 None 3 None

Function? Yes/No Function? Yes/No

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #1

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APPLICATIONS
3. Andrew has a new job at the local pizza store as a delivery boy. The following graph shows one of his
deliveries he made. Analyze the graph and answer the following questions.

(a) How long was the entire trip?

Distance from Pizza store

10

(in blocks)
(b) If he arrived at the house after 4 minutes, how
far away was the house from the pizza place?

(c) Why might Andrew have stopped 3 times for 1

minute?

5 10 15
(d) Was Andrew’s trip longer going to the house or coming back? Time Spent Driving (minutes)

REASONING
4. Given the following scenario, graph a function that would map Liza’s distance away from her house
according to the time elapsed.

Liza has a few items she needs to pick up from a grocery store 8 blocks away. Liza travels as a constant rate
of 2 blocks per minute when not stopped at a light. On her way to the grocery store she doesn’t hit any red
lights and the trip takes her 4 minutes. She spends 8 minutes in the grocery store and then starts to head
home. When she’s halfway home she hits a red light that lasts 3 minutes. After the light ends, she then
drives the second half of the way home.

10
Distance from home
(in blocks)

5 10 15 20
Time elapsed (minutes)

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #1

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
FUNCTION NOTATION
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I
Since functions are rules that convert inputs (typically x-values) into outputs (typically y-values), it makes
sense that they must have their own notation to indicate what the what the rule is, what the input is, and what
the output is. In the first exercise, your teacher will explain how to interpret this notation.

Exercise #1: For each of the following functions, find the outputs for the given inputs.

x6
(a) f  x   3 x  7 (b) g  x   (c) h  x   2 x  1
2

f  2  g  20   h  4 

f  3   g  0  h  0 

Function notation can be very, very confusing because it really looks like multiplication due to the parentheses.
But, there is no multiplication involved. The notation serves two purposes: (1) to tell us what the rule is and (2)
to specify an output for a given input.

FUNCTION NOTATION
y  f  x
Output Rule Input

x
Exercise #2: Given the function f  x    7 do the following.
3
(a) Explain what the function rule does to convert (b) Evaluate f  6  and f  9  .
the input into an output.

(c) Find the input for which f  x   13 . Show the (d) If g  x   2 f  x   1 then what is g  6  ? Show
work that leads to your answer. the work that leads to your answer.

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #2

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Recall that function rules commonly come in one of three forms: (1) equations (as in Exercise #1), (2) graphs,
and (3) tables. The next few exercises will illustrate function notation with these three forms.

Exercise #3: Boiling water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit is left in a room that is at 65 degrees Fahrenheit and
begins to cool. Temperature readings are taken each hour and are given in the table below. In this scenario, the
temperature, T, is a function of the number of hours, h.

h
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
(hours)
T h
212 141 104 85 76 70 68 66 65
 F


(a) Evaluate T  2  and T  6  . (b) For what value of h is T  h   76 ?

(c) Between what two consecutive hours will T  h   100 ? Explain how you arrived at your answer.

Exercise #3: The function y  f  x  is defined by the graph shown below. It is known as piecewise linear
because it is made up of straight line segments. Answer the following questions based on this graph.
y
(a) Evaluate each of the following:

f 1  f  5 

f  3   f 0 
x
(b) Solve each of the following for all values of the input, x, that
make them true.

f  x  0 f  x  2

(c) What is the largest output achieved by the function? At what x-value is it hit?

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #2

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
FUNCTION NOTATION
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I HOMEWORK

FLUENCY

1. Given the function f defined by the formula f  x   2 x  1 find the following:

1
(a) f  4  (b) f  5  (c) f  0  (d) f  
2

x5
2. Given the function g defined by the formula g  x   find the following:
2
(a) g  9  (b) g  0  (c) g  3 (d) g 17 

3. Given the function f defined by the formula f  x   x 2  4 find the following:

(a) f  3 (b) f  4  (c) f  0  (d) f  2 

x
4. If the function f  x  is defined by f  x    6 then which of the following is the value of f 10  ?
2
(1) 1 (3) 14

(2) 2 (4) 7

3
5. If the function f  x   2 x  3 and g  x   x  1 then which of the following is a true statement?
2
(1) f  0   g  0  (3) f  8   g  8 

(2) f  2   g  2  (4) g  4   f  4 

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #2

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6. Based on the graph of the function y  g  x  shown below, answer the following questions.
y
(a) Evaluate each of the following. Illustrate with a point on the graph.

g  2   g  0 

g  3  g 7 
x
(b) What values of x solve the equation g  x   0 ? These are
called the zeroes of the function

(c) How many values of x solve the equation g  x   2 ? How can you illustrate your answer on the graph?
Remember, we are not looking for the exact x-values, only how many solutions.

APPLICATIONS
7. Physics students drop a ball from the top of a 100 foot high building and model its height above the ground
as a function of time with the equation h  t   100  16t 2 . The height, h, is measures in feet and time, t, is
measured in seconds. Be careful with all calculations in this problems and remember to do the exponent
(squaring) first.
(a) Find the value of h  0  . Include proper units. (b) Calculate h  2  . Does our equation predict that
What does this output represent? Reread the the ball has hit the ground at 2 seconds?
problem if necessary. Explain.

REASONING
8. If you knew that f  4   8 , then what  x, y  coordinate point must lie on the graph of y  f  x  ? Explain
your thinking.

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #2

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
GRAPHS OF FUNCTIONS
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I
Graphs are one of the most powerful ways of visualizing a function’s rule because you can quickly read outputs
given inputs. You can also easily see features such as maximum and minimum output values. Let’s review
some of those skills in Exercise #1.

Exercise #1: Given the function y  f  x  defined by the graph below, answer the following questions.

(a) Find the value of each of the following: y

f  4  f  1 

(b) For what values of x does f  x   2 ? Illustrate on the graph.

x

(c) State the minimum and maximum values of the function.

So, if we can read a graph to produce outputs (y-values) if we are given inputs (x-values), then we should be
able to reverse the process and produce a graph of the function from its algebraically expressed rule.

Exercise #2: Consider the function given by the rule g  x   2 x  3 .

(a) Fill out the table below for the inputs given. (b) Draw a graph of the function on the axes
provided. y
x 2x  3  x, y 
3
2
1
0
1 x

2
3
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #3
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Never forget that all we need to do to translate between an equation and a graph is to plot input/output pairs
according to whatever rule we are given. Let’s look at a simple non-linear function next.
Exercise #3: Consider the simplest quadratic function f  x   x 2 . Fill out the function table below for the
inputs given and graph the function on the axes provided. y

x x2  x, y 
3
2
1
0
1
2 x
3

Sometimes the function’s rule gets all sorts of funny and can include being piecewise defined. These functions
have different rules for different values of x. These separate rules combine to make a larger (and more
complicated rule). Let’s try to get a feel for one of these.
2 x  6 x  0
Exercise #4: Consider the function given by the formula f  x    . Your teacher will help you
 6 x x  0
understand the notation of this function.
(a) Evaluate each of the following: (c) Graph y  f  x  on the axes below.
y
f  4  f  3  

(b) Fill out the table below for the inputs given.
Keep in mind which formula you are using.
x Rule/Calculation  x, y 
3
2 x

1
0
1
2
3

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #3

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
GRAPHS OF FUNCTIONS
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I HOMEWORK

FLUENCY

1. Using the graph of the function f  x  shown below, answer the following questions.
y
(a) Find the value of each of the following:

 
f 7  
f 0 

f  4  
f 9 
x

(b) For how many values of x does f x  5 ? 

Illustrate on the graph.

(c) What is the y-intercept of this relation?

(d) State the maximum and minimum values the graph obtains.

(e) Explain why the graph above represents a function.


2. Consider the function f x  3(2  x)  2 . Fill out the function table below for the inputs given and graph
y
the function on the axes provided.

x 3(2  x)  2  x, y 
2

1

1
x
2

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #3

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APPLICATIONS
3. The following graph represents the cost of a phone plan after a certain number of text messages used in a
month. Analyze the graph to answer the following questions.
(a) How much would you have to pay if you used: 100

Cost (in dollars)

500 text messages ____________
50
1800 text messages ____________

 
(b) Interpret f 1400  60
Number of Text messages sent
(in hundreds)
(c) What might have caused the graph to begin increasing at 800 text messages?

REASONING
3  2 x x  1
4. Consider the following relationship given by the formula f  x    .
 2x 1 x  1
(a) Evaluate each of the following:
(d) Graph y  f  x  on the axes below.

f 5   
f 2 
y


(b) Carefully evaluate f 1 .

(c)Fill out the table below for the inputs given.

Keep in mind which formula you are using.
x

x Rule/Calculation  x, y 
1

(e) What is the minimum value of the function? Circle the point that indicates this value on the graph.

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #3

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
GRAPHICAL FEATURES AND TERMINOLOGY
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I
There is a lot of terminology associated with the graph of a function. Many of the terms have names that are
descriptive, but still, work is needed to master the ideas.

Exercise #1: The function y  f  x  is shown graphed below over the interval 7  x  7 .
y
(a) Find the maximum and minimum values of the function.
State the values of x where they occur as well.

(b) What is the y-intercept of the function? Explain why a

function cannot have more than one y-intercept. x

(c) Give the x-intercepts of the function. These are also known
as the function’s zeroes because they are where f  x   0 .

(d) Would you characterize the function as (e) Give one additional interval over which the
increasing or decreasing on the domain function is increasing and give one over which it
interval 5  x  1 ? Explain your choice. is decreasing.

Increasing: ____________________

Decreasing: ____________________

(f) The following points are known as turning points. Each can be classified as a relative maximum or a
relative minimum. State which you think each is.

 5, 1  1, 7   2, 2  5, 5

relative minimum relative minimum relative minimum relative minimum

or or or or

relative maximum relative maximum relative maximum relative maximum

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #4

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Let’s get some more practice with piecewise defined functions and mix in our function terminology while we
are at it.

 x3 x 1
Exercise #2: Consider the piecewise linear function given the equation f  x    .
6  2 x x 1

(a) Create a table of values for this function below over the interval 4  x  4 . Then create a graph on the
axes for this function. y

x Rule/Calculation  x, y 
4
3
2
1
x
0
1
2
3
4

(b) State the zeroes of the function. (c) State the function’s y-intercept.

(d) Give the interval over which the function is (e) Give the coordinates of the one turning point
increasing. Give the interval over which it is and classify it as either a relative maximum or
decreasing. relative minimum.

Increasing: ______________________

Decreasing: ______________________

(f) Use your graph to find all solutions to the (g) State the interval over which this function is
equation f  x   2 . Illustrate your solution positive. How can you tell this quickly from the
graph?
graphically and find evidence in the table you
created.

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 FUNCTIONS – LESSON #4

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
GRAPHICAL FEATURES
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I HOMEWORK

FLUENCY

1. The function y  f  x  is shown graphed below over the interval 8  x  8 .

y
(a) Evaluate each of the following;

 
f 2  
f 8 

 
f 8  
f 4 

(b) Find all the relative maximum and minimum values x

of the function. State the values of x where they
occur as well.

(c) What are the absolute maximum and absolute minimum values of the function? At what x-values do they
occur?

(d) What are the x and y-intercept(s) of the function? List each of the following as an ordered pair (x, y).

x-intercept(s): _____________________________ y-intercept(s): ________________________

(zeroes)

(e) Give an interval over which the function is increasing. Give an interval over which it is decreasing.

Increasing: ______________________

Decreasing: ______________________


(f) Use your graph to find all solutions to the equation f x  3. Illustrate your solution graphically.

(g) Is the function positive or negative on the interval 1  x  3 ? How can you quickly tell?

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #4

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APPLICATIONS

2. The following graph shows the height, h, above the ground of a toy rocket t seconds after it was fired. Use
the graph of h  t  to answer the following questions.
200
(a) What was the maximum height the rocket reached?
After how many seconds?

h, height above the ground

150

(in meters)
(b) How many seconds was the rocket in flight?

100

(c) Interpret h  2   90 .

50

(d) Give the interval for t over which the height of the
rocket is decreasing. 5 10
t, time elapsed
(in seconds)

REASONING

3. On the following set of axes, create the graph of a function f  x  with the following characteristics:

Passes through the points, y

(8,0), (5,2) and (8,3)

 
Has an absolute maximum at f 4  5
x

Has an absolute minimum at f 2  6

Decreasing on the interval on the interval 4  x  2

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 FUNCTIONS – LESSON #4

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
EXPLORING FUNCTIONS USING THE GRAPHING CALCULATOR
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I
Graphing calculators are powerful tools in our exploration of functions and the rules that define them. Because
calculators are so good at doing calculations, it is fairly easy to have them evaluate expressions that are the
rules for generating the outputs for the functions. Throughout this entire lesson, we will assume that you have
a calculator that can do the following:
GRAPHING CALCULATOR ESSENTIALS

1. A TABLE APP AND 2. A GRAPHING APP

We can use our calculator to help us produce tables that are very useful in plotting graphs and exploring
functions.

1
Exercise #1: Consider the linear function f  x   x  2. Do the following by using your graphing
2
y
calculator’s table function.

(a) Evaluate f  6  , f  0  and f  8  .

x
(b) Explore the table to determine the value of x for
which f  x   11 .

(c) Use the table to fill out the following table and
graph the function on the grid for the interval
6  x  6 .
(d) Graph the linear function g  x   5  x on the
x y  x, y  same set of axes and find where the two lines
intersect.
6
4
2 (e) Show that the point that you found in (d) is a
solution to both equations:
0
1
2 y x  2 and y  5  x
2
4
6

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The calculator can do the heavy lifting with the calculations, while we examine the results. Always be careful
when entering algebraic expressions on your calculator. Let’s take a look at a quadratic function using the
graphing calculator.

Exercise #2: Consider the function y   x  1  4 over the interval 1  x  4 . Do the following with the use
2

of tables on your graphing calculator.

(a) Create a table of values for this function over (b) Create a sketch of this function over this
the specified interval. interval. Verify by examining the graph that
your calculator produces.
y

(c) What are the function’s minimum and

maximum values on this interval?

(d) Over what interval is the function negative?

(e) For your graph, state the interval over which the
function is increasing.

(f) How can this graph help to solve the equation  x  1  4  3 ? Can you solve this by looking at your
2

table?

3
Exercise #3: Which of the following is a point where y  x  7 and y  5 x  6 intersect?
2

(1)  0, 7  (3)  2, 4 

(2)  1,  1 (4)  2, 10 

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #5

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
EXPLORING FUNCTIONS USING THE GRAPHING CALCULATOR
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I HOMEWORK

FLUENCY


1. Consider the function g x  3x 2  2x  4 . Evaluate the following using your graphing calculator.

 
(a) g 2  
(b) g 0 


(c) g 4   
(d) g 15 


2. Given the function f x  x 2  2x 1 , fill in the missing values in the table then using the table graph the
function on the grid for the interval. Use your calculator.
y
x y  x, y 
2
1,4
0
0
2
3
x
9

 
2
3. Which of the following values of x will make the equation 3 x  2  4  23 true? Show the table on your
calculator that justifies your choice.

(1) x  1 (3) x  5

(2) x  4 (4) x  0

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APPLICATIONS
4. Profits for the upcoming year for a shipping company have been quantified and put into the equation
1
 
P x  (x  2) 2  8 where x is the number of packages shipped in thousands and P x is the corresponding
2
profit in millions of dollars.

(a) Use your calculator to fill out the following


P x

table and graph the function on the grid for the

interval 0  x  10 .

x 
P x  x, y 
0
2
4 x
6
8
10


(b) Over what interval is P x  0 ? What does this
interval represent?


(c) Evaluate P 0 . What might this stand for? (d) Explore the table to determine the value of x for


which P x  0. What might this stand for?

REASONING

5. After placing an equation into his calculator Rob got the following table. He then determines that x  6

when f x  4. Is he correct? Explain.
x f x 
4 6
2 3
0 1
2 4

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
AVERAGE RATE OF CHANGE
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I
Functions are rules that give us outputs when we supply them with inputs. Often we want to know how fast
the outputs are changing compared to a change in the input values. This is referred to as the average rate of
change of a function.
Exercise #1: Max and his younger sister Evie are having a race in the backyard. Max gives his sister a head
start and they run for 20 seconds. The distance they are along in the race, in feet, is given below with Max’s
distance given by the function m  t  and Evie’s distance given by the function e  t  .

(a) How do you interpret the fact that m 12   30 ?

Illustrate your response by using the graph. 60

50 e t 

40

Distance (ft)
(b) If both runners start at t  0 , how much of a head start
does Max give his little sister? How can you tell? 30

20
m t 
10
(c) Does Max catch up to his sister? How can you tell?
10 20
time, t (sec)

(d) How far does Max run during the 20 second race? How far does Evie run? What calculation can you do to
find Evie’s distance?

(e) How fast do both Evie and Max travel? In other words, what are their speeds in feet per second? Express
your answers as decimals and attach units.
MAX’S SPEED EVIE’S SPEED
(FEET PER SECOND) (FEET PER SECOND)

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In the first exercise we were calculating the rate that the function’s output (y-values) were changing compared
to the function’s input (or x-values). This is known as finding the average rate of change of the function.
You might think you’ve seen this before. And you have.

Exercise #2: Finding the average rate of change is the same as finding the _____________ of a line.

There is, of course, a formula for finding average rate of change. Let’s get it out of the way.

AVERAGE RATE OF CHANGE

For the function y  f  x  , the average rate that f  x  changes from x  a to x  b is given by:

f  b   f  a  how much the y-values have changed


ba how much the x-values have changed

Exercise #3: Consider the function given by f  x   x 2  3 . Find its average rate of change from x  1 to
x  3 . Carefully show the work that leads to your final answer.

Exercise #4: The function h  x  is given in the table below. Which of the following gives its average rate of
change over the interval 2  x  6 ? Show the calculations that lead to your answer.
x h  x
3 7
(1)  (3) 
2 6 0 10
2 9
6
(2) (4) 1
4 4 6
6 3
t2  4
Exercise #5: Frances is selling glasses of lemonade. The function g  t   models the number of glasses
2
she has sold, g, after t-hours. What is the average rate at which she is selling lemonade between t  2 and t  6
hours. Include proper units in your answer.

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
AVERAGE RATE OF CHANGE
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I HOMEWORK

FLUENCY


1. Consider the function given by f x  9  x 2 . Find its average rate of change between the following points.
Carefully show the work that leads to your final answer.

(a) x  0 to x  3 (b) x  1 to x  5 (c) x  2 to x  2


2. The function f x is given in the table below. Find its average rate of change between the following points.
Show the calculations that lead to your answer.

(a) x  3 to x  1 (b) x  0 to x  4 .
x 
f x

3 7
0 2
1 3
4 8


3. The function f x is given in the graph below. Find its average rate of change between the following
points. Show the calculations that lead to your answer.
y
(a) x  6 to x  4 (b) x  2 to x  2 .

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APPLICATIONS
4. The following table shows the number of points the Arlington girls team scored in their last basketball game

where t is the time passed in minutes and f t the total number of points scored after t minutes.

(a) What was the average rate they were shooting in the first half of the game? t 
f t
Be sure to include proper units in your answer. (min) (points)
0 0
8 30
16 48
(b) What was their average rate over the whole game?
24 55
32 64

(c) Given your answers above which half of the game do you feel they had a better rate of scoring? Explain.

REASONING


5. Consider the function given by f x  6x  5 .

(a) Find its average rate of change from x  1 to x  5.

(b) Find its average rate of change from x  2 to x  6 .

(c) The average rate of change for this function is always 6 (as you should have found in the first two parts
of the problem). What type of function has a constant average rate of change? What do we call this
average rate of change in this case? Search the Internet if needed.

COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #6

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
THE DOMAIN AND RANGE OF A FUNCTION
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I
Ultimately, all functions do is convert inputs into outputs. So, each function has two sets associated with it.
Those things that serve as inputs and those things that serve as outputs. These sets are given names.

THE DOMAIN AND RANGE OF A FUNCTION

1. The domain of a function is the set of all inputs for which the function rule can give an output.
2. The range of a function is the set of all outputs for which there is an input that results in them.

Exercise #1: Consider the function y  f  x  shown on the graph below. y

(a) Evaluate each of the following:

f  3   f 1  f  3 

(b) Can the function rule, given by the graph, give you a value x
when x  5 ? If so, what is it? If not, why not?

(c) Is x  5 in the domain of the function?

(d) Give two other values of x that are not in the (e) Circle the following y-values that are in the
domain of the function. range of the function? Show evidence on your
graph.

y0 y6 y  1

y 3 y  5 y4

(f) Write the domain and range of this function using a single inequality.
DOMAIN RANGE

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 x
Exercise #2: Given the function f  x    3 and the domain shown below, fill in the range. Write the set in
2
roster notation. Domain Range

4

10

Range: ________________

Exercise #3: Which of the following values is not in the domain of the function f  x  shown below? Illustrate
y
your thinking by marking points on the graph.

(1) 3 (3) 5

x
(2) 4 (4) 0

   x  2
 4  x  2
Exercise #4: Consider the piecewise linear function given by the formula f  x    2 .
 4 x  10 2 x4

Determine the function’s range. y

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Name: ____________________________________ Date: __________________
THE DOMAIN AND RANGE OF A FUNCTION
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I HOMEWORK

FLUENCY
1. In each of the following, state the domain and range; then decide if it’s a function or not. Be sure to explain
using words such as input, output, domain and range!

(a) (b)
y
Domain Range

x 4 12
0 18
6 40

Domain: ________________________ Domain: __________________________

Range: _________________________ Range: _________________________

Function (yes/no): Function (yes/no):

2  3x 1  x  1
2. Consider the piecewise linear function given by the formula f  x    . Determine the
 x  2 1 x  3
function’s domain and range. Draw a graph of the function to fully justify your answer. Use tables on your
calculator to help graph. y

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APPLICATIONS
3. The following graph represents the height above the ground versus time at a resort as Thomas rides his
favorite ski slope.
100
(a) State the domain and, in your own words,
what the domain represents.

Height (in meters)

50

(b) State the range and, in your own words,

what the range represents.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (in minutes)

(c) What might Thomas have been doing for the interval 0  t  2 ? What was his average rate of change?
Use proper units in your answer.

(d) What might Thomas have been doing for the interval 2  t  6 ? What was his average rate of change?
Use proper units in your answer and compare to what you found in (c).

REASONING

4. The graph below represents the height of a ball over the interval 0  t  8 . After how many seconds was the
ball 12 feet off of the ground? Explain your answer.
12
11
10
9
8
Height (in feet)

7
6
What does your answer indicate about the range of this function? 5
4
3
2
1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Time (in seconds)
COMMON CORE ALGEBRA I, UNIT #3 – FUNCTIONS – LESSON #7
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