Week # 1

Calculus and Analytical Geometry Week # 1
Calculus is like a tool that helps you understand how things change. For example, it can
help you figure out how fast a plant grows or how quickly a population changes. Geometry
is about shapes and sizes. It helps you understand the world in terms of lines, angles, and
curves.
When you combine calculus and geometry, you can solve many real-world problems. For
example, engineers use calculus and geometry to design bridges and buildings, while
scientists use them to study the natural world.
DEFINITION: A function 𝑓 is a rule that assigns to each element 𝑥 in a set 𝐷 exactly one
element, called 𝑓(𝑥), in a set 𝐸.
We usually consider functions for which the sets 𝐷 and 𝐸 are sets of real numbers. The set
𝐷 is called the domain of the function. The number 𝑓(𝑥) is the value of 𝒇 at 𝒙 and is read
“𝑓 of 𝑥.” The range of 𝑓 is the set of all possible values of 𝑓(𝑥) as 𝑥 varies throughout the
domain. A symbol that represents an arbitrary number in the domain of a function 𝑓 is
called an independent variable. A symbol that represents a number in the range of 𝑓 is
called a dependent variable.
Functions arise whenever one quantity depends on another. Consider the following four
situations.
• The area 𝐴 of a circle depends on the radius 𝑟 of the circle. The rule that connects
𝑟 and 𝐴 is given by the equation
𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟 2 .
With each positive number 𝑟 there is associated one value of 𝐴, and we say that 𝐴 is a
function of 𝑟.
• The human population of the world 𝑃 depends on the time 𝑡. The table gives
estimates of the world population 𝑃(𝑡) at time t, for certain years. For instance,
𝑃(1950) ≈ 2,560,000,000.
But for each value of the time 𝑡 there is a corresponding value of 𝑃, and we say that 𝑃 is a
function of 𝑡.
• The cost 𝐶 of mailing an envelope depends on its weight 𝑤. Although there is no
simple formula that connects 𝑤 and 𝐶, the post office has a rule for determining 𝐶
when 𝑤 is known.
GRAPH OF FUNCTIONS:
If 𝑓 is a real-valued function of a real variable, then the graph of 𝑓 in the 𝑥𝑦-plane is
defined to be the graph of the equation 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥). For example, the graph of the function
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 is the graph of the equation 𝑦 = 𝑥, shown in Figure. Graphs can provide
valuable visual information about a function. For example, since the graph of a function 𝑓
in the 𝑥𝑦-plane is the graph of the equation 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥), the points on the graph of 𝑓 are of
the form (𝑥, 𝑓(𝑥)); that is, the 𝑦-coordinate of a point on the graph of 𝑓 is the value of 𝑓
at the corresponding 𝑥-coordinate
One disadvantage of point plotting is that to get a good idea about the shape of a graph,
you may need to plot many points. With only a few points, you could badly misrepresent
the graph. For instance, to sketch the graph of
𝑥
𝑦= (39 − 10𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 )
30
you plot five points:
(_3, _3), (_1, _1), (0, 0), (1, 1), and (3, 3)
as shown in Left Figure. From these five points, you might conclude that the graph is
a line. This, however, is not correct. By plotting several more points, you can see that
the graph is more complicated, as shown in Right Figure.
THE VERTICAL LINE TEST: A curve in the 𝑥𝑦-plane is the graph of some function 𝑓
if and only if no vertical line intersects the curve more than once.
For example, consider the curve in Figure, which is cut at two distinct points, (𝑎, 𝑏) and
(𝑎, 𝑐), by a vertical line. This curve cannot be the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) for any function 𝑓.
EXAMPLE: The graph of the equation
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 25,
is a circle of radius 5 centered at the origin and hence there are vertical lines that cut the
graph more than once (Figure). Thus, this equation does not define 𝑦 as a function of 𝑥.
THE ABSOLUTE VALUE FUNCTION:

Recall that the absolute value or magnitude of a real number 𝑥 is defined by
|𝑥| = { 𝑥 𝑥≥0
−𝑥 𝑥<0
The effect of taking the absolute value of a number is to strip away the minus sign if the
number is negative and to leave the number unchanged if it is nonnegative. Thus, the graph
of the function 𝑓(𝑥) = |𝑥| can be obtained by graphing the two parts of the equation
𝑥 𝑥≥0
𝑦={
−𝑥 𝑥<0
separately. Combining the two parts produces the V-shaped graph in Figure.
EXAMPLE: Sketch the graph of the following piece-wise function:

−𝑥 𝑥<0
{ 𝑥2 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1.
1 𝑥>1

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Calculus and Analytical Geometry Week # 1

the graph is more complicated, as shown in Right Figure.

THE ABSOLUTE VALUE FUNCTION:

EXAMPLE: Sketch the graph of the following piece-wise function:

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