M3 - Lesson 8
M3 - Lesson 8
M3 - Lesson 8
The importance of one-to-one functions is due to the fact that these are the only functions that have an
inverse, as defined below.
ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION
A function f is one-to-one if every number in its range corresponds to exactly one
number in its domain, that is, for all x 1 and x 2 in the domain of f , if x 1 ≠ x 2 then
f (x 2) ≠ f ( x 2). Equivalently, f (x 1)=f (x 2) only when x 1=x 2.
INVERSE FUNCTION
If f is a one-to-one function, then the inverse of f , denoted by f −1, is the function formed
by reversing all the ordered pairs in f . thus f −1={( y , x ): (x , y ) is in f }. If f is not one-to-
one, then f does not have an inverse and f −1 does not exist.
To find f −1 ( x), we first let y=f (x ), interchange the roles of x and y, and solve for y.
f (x)=2 x +3
y=2 x +3 Write y=f (x )
x=2 y +3 Interchange the roles of x and y.
2 y=x−3 Isolate the y-term
x−3
y= Solve for y.
2
−1 x−3
f (x)=
2
The domains and ranges of f and f −1 consist of all real numbers. It can be verified that
f (f −1 (x))=f ( x −3
2 )=2 (
x−3
2 )
+3=x and f −1
(f ( x))=f −1 (2 x +3)=
(2 x +3)−3
2
=x .
Check your work by verifying that f 1 ( f ( x)) x for all x in the domain of f and
f ( f 1 ( x)) x for all x in the domain of f 1 .
Solution:
f ( x) x 3 2
y x3 2
x y3 2
y3 x 2
1
y ( x 2) 3
y 3 ( x 2)
f 1 ( x) 3 ( x 2)
IV. Activities:
a. Determine if f is a one-to-one or not. If a function f is a one-to-one find the inverse of the function.
1
f ( x)
1. x2
3
f ( x) x 4
2. 4
3. f ( x ) ( x 2)
2
4. f ( x ) x2 1
x
f ( x)
5. x 1
6. f ( x) 9 x
7. f ( x) x 3
3
8. f ( x) x4
3x 3
f ( x)
9. 2
10 f ( x) 10 x 5
V. Assignment: