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Domain And Range

2013

The domain of a function is the set of x values (along the x-axis) that gives a valid answer (y value) when the function is evaluated. Also, the set of all x values must be mapped to one and only one y value.

DOMAIN AND RANGE The domain of a function is the set of x values (along the x-axis) that gives a valid answer (y value) when the function is evaluated. Also, the set of all x values must be mapped to one and only one y value. With linear equations such as: y  x3 y  x 2  2x  1 y  x 3  3x 2  2 x  6 The domain is all real numbers, written , (, ) or    x   . You can substitute any number (x value) in for x and get a valid answer (y value). For functions with a variable in the denominator: y  3x  1 6 x2 x2 x4 x2  2x  8 y 2 3x  12 x  9 y the domain is all x values that do not make the denominator equal zero. 1  0 is undefined .  error message.  If you place this in your calculator , you will get an    To find the domain, set the denominator equal to zero. Solve. The answers you get are not part of your domain; all others are. y  3x  x2  0 x0 1 6 x2 D   x  0 read  the set of all reals such that x does not equal zero or  ,0  0,   y x2 x4 x4  0 x4 D   | x  4 read like above or  ,4   4,   y x 2  2x  8 3x 2  12 x  9 3 x 2  12 x  9  0 ( x  3) (3 x  3)  0 3x  3  0 x3  0 3x  3 x3 x 1 D   | x  1 , 3 or   , 1  1 , 3  3 ,   The domain of a square root function cannot have an x value where the expressions under the radical have a negative answer. (Negative numbers do not have square roots when working with real numbers.) Therefore, set what is under the square root greater than/equal to zero. y  x7 x7  0 x  7 or [7, ) y  9 x 9 x  0 x  9 or (,9] y  4 x 4 x  0 x  4 or [4, ) 2 y  3x  4 3x  4  0 3 x  4 4 x 3 When a square root is in the denominator, set the expression under the square root greater than zero. (Remember, you cannot have zero in the denominator.) y x5 x9 x9  0 x  9 or (9, ] The range of a function is all of the y values, or output, of the function. It is literally, the “range” of values that is achieved by carrying out the function in question. For example, if your equation is “y = x”, your range would be all real numbers because the values you get from plugging all possible numbers for x gives back all real numbers. If your equation was “y = x2”, then your “range” of y values would only be from 0 to infinity! y=x Remember: Range is along the y-axis, and domain is along the x-axis! Prepared by Kendrah Smith Revised: Spring 2014 by Dr. Westbrook STUDENT LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER Texas State University-San Marcos 3