One-to-one and  

inverse functions 2.3 

Introduction
In this section we examine more terminology associated with functions. We explain one-to-
one and many-to-one functions and show how the rule associated with certain functions can
be reversed to give so-called inverse functions. These ideas will be needed when we deal with
particular functions in later sections.

 

① understand what is meant by a function

Prerequisites
② be able to sketch graphs of simple functions
Before starting this Section you should . . .
 

✓ understand what is meant by a one-to-

Learning Outcomes one function
After completing this Section you should be ✓ understand what is meant by a many-to-
able to . . . one function

✓ understand what is meant by an inverse

function, and when and how such a func-
tion can be found
1. One-to-many rules, many-to-one and one-to-one
functions
One-to-many rules
Recall from section 1 that a rule for a function must produce a single output for a given input.
Not all rules satisfy this criterion. For example, the rule ‘take the square root of the input’
cannot be a rule for a function because for a given input there are two outputs; an input of 4
produces outputs of 2 and −2. Figure 1 shows two ways in which we can picture this situation,
the first being a block diagram, and the second using two sets representing input and output
values and the relationship between them.

e square ro
2 input take th ot output
take the square root
4 of the input
−2 2
√ 4
x −2
take the square root
x of the input √
− x

Figure 1. This rule cannot be a function - it is a one-to-many rule

Such a rule is described as a one-to-many rule. This means that one input produces more
than one output. This is obvious from inspecting the sets in Figure 1.
√
The graph of the rule ‘take ± x’ can be drawn by constructing a table of values:

x 0 1 2√ 3√ 4
√
y=± x 0 ±1, ± 2 ± 3 ±2

The graph is shown in Figure 2(a). For each value of x there are two corresponding values of y.
Plotting a graph of a one-to-many rule will result in a curve through which a vertical line can
be drawn which cuts the curve more than once as you can see. The vertical line cuts the curve
more than once because there is more than one y value for each x value.

y y

x x

(a) (b)

Figure 2.

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2.3: One-to-one and inverse functions
By describing a rule more carefully it is possible to make sure a single output results from a
single input, thereby defining a valid rule for a function. For example, the rule ‘take the positive
square root of the input’ is a valid function rule because a given input produces a single output.
The graph of this function is displayed in Figure 2(b).

Many-to-one and one-to-one functions

Consider the function y(x) = x2 . An input of x = 3 produces an output of 9. Similarly, an
input of −3 also produces an output of 9. In general, a function for which different inputs can
produce the same output is called a many-to-one function. This is represented pictorially in
Figure 3 from which it is clear why we call this a many-to-one function.

input y = x2
output

−3
9
3

Figure 3. This represents a many-to-one function

Note that whilst this is many-to-one it is still a function since any chosen input value has only
one arrow emerging from it. Thus there is a single output for each input.
It is possible to decide if a function is many-to-one by examining its graph. Consider the graph
of y = x2 shown in Figure 4.

y
y = x2

x
−3 3

Figure 4. The function y = x2 is a many-to-one function

We see that a horizontal line drawn on the graph cuts it more than once. This means that two
(or more) different inputs have yielded the same output and so the function is many-to-one.
If a function is not many-to-one then it is said to be one-to-one. This means that each different
input to the function yields a different output. Consider the function y(x) = x3 which is shown
in Figure 5.
A horizontal line drawn on this graph will intersect the curve only once. This means that each
input value of x yields a different output value for y.

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2.3: One-to-one and inverse functions
 y y = x3

10

x
−5 5

−15

Figure 5. The function y(x) = x3 is a one-to-one function

Study the graphs shown in Figure 6. Decide which, if any, are graphs of
functions. For those which are, state if the function is one-to-one or many-to-
one.

a) b) c)
y y y

x x

Figure 6.

a) not a function, b) one-to-one function, c) many-to-one function

2. Inverse of a function
We have seen that a function can be regarded as taking an input, x, and processing it in some
way to produce a single output f (x) as shown in Figure 7(a). A natural question to ask is
whether we can find another function that will reverse the process. In other words, can we
find a function that will start with f (x) and process it to produce x again? This idea is also
shown in Figure 7(b). If we can find such a function it is called the inverse function to f (x)
and is given the symbol f −1 (x). Do not confuse the ‘−1’ with an index, or power. Here the
superscript is used purely as the notation for the inverse function. Note that the composite
function f −1 (f (x)) = x as shown in Figure 8.

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2.3: One-to-one and inverse functions
 f

x process f (x) (a)

f −1

f (x) reverse process x (b)

Figure 7. The second block reverse the process in the first

f f −1
f (x)
x process reverse process x

Figure 8. f −1 reverses the process in f

Example Find the inverse function to f (x) = 3x − 8.

Solution
The given function takes an input, x and produces an output 3x − 8. The inverse function,
f −1 , must take an input 3x − 8 and give an output x. That is

f −1 (3x − 8) = x

If we introduce a new variable z = 3x − 8, and transpose this for x to give

z+8 z+8
x= then f −1 (z) =
3 3
So the rule for f −1 is add 8 to the input and divide the result by 3. Writing f −1 with x as its
argument gives
x+8
f −1 (x) =
3
This is the inverse function.

Not all functions possess an inverse function. In fact, only one-to-one functions do so. If a
function is many-to-one the process to reverse it would require many outputs from one input
contradicting the definition of a function.

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2.3: One-to-one and inverse functions
 Find the inverse of the function f (x) = 7 − 3x.

Your solution
The inverse function must take an input 7 − 3x and produce an output x. So

f −1 (7 − 3x) = x

Introduce a new variable z so that z = 7 − 3x and transpose this to find x. Hence write down
the inverse function.

3 3
7−x
. With x as its argument the inverse function is f −1 (x) = 7−z
. f −1 (z) =

Exercises
1. Explain why a one-to-many rule cannot be a function.
2. Illustrate why y = x4 is a many-to-one function by providing a suitable example.
3. By sketching a graph of y = 3x − 1 show that this is a one-to-one function.
4. Explain why a many-to-one function does not have an inverse function. Give an example.
5. Find the inverse of each of the following functions.
a) f (x) = 4x + 7, b) f (x) = x, c) f (x) = −23x, d) f (x) = x+11
.
x
1−x
. b) f −1 (x) = x, c) f −1 (x) = − 23
x
, d) f −1 (x) = 4
x−7
, 5. a) f −1 (x) = Answers

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2.3: One-to-one and inverse functions