Week 4 Composition of Functions Inverse of Functions

Week 4
Lesson 1 : Composition on Functions

The composition of function f and g is denoted by and is defined by the
equation ( ) (x) = f (g(x) ).
The domain of the composition function is the set of all x such that
1. x is in the domain g and
2. g(x) is in the domain of f.
"Function Composition" is applying one function to the results of another:
The result of f( ) is sent through g( )

It is written: (g º f)(x), which means: g(f(x)) =
Note: The symbol for composition is a small circle º not
Illustrative Examples:
1. f(x) = 2x+3 and g(x) = x2
"x" is just a placeholder. To avoid confusion let's just call it "input":
f(input) = 2(input)+3
g(input) = (input)2
Let's start: (g º f)(x) = g(f(x))

First we apply f, then apply g to that result:
(g º f)(x) = (2x+3)2
What if we reverse the order of f and g?
(f º g)(x) = f(g(x))
First we apply g, then apply f to that result:

(f º g)(x) = 2x2+3
We get a different result!
When we reverse the order the result is rarely the same.
So be careful which function comes first.
2. We can even compose a function with itself
If f(x) = 2x+3, find (f º f)(x) = f(f(x))
Solution: (f º f)(x)= f(f(x))

= f(2x+3)
= 2(2x+3)+3
= 4x+6+3
= 4x + 9
3. If f(x) = and g(x) = 5x-7,

find a. (f º g)(x) b. (g º f)(x) c. (f º f)(x) d. (g º g)(x)
Solution:
a. (f º g)(x)= f( g(x)) b. (g º f)(x)= g(f(x))
= f (5x-7) =g( )
= =5( ) -7
=
c.(f º f)(x)= f(f(x)) d. (g º g)(x)= g(g(x))
=f( ) = g (5x-7)
= = 5 (5x-7)-7
= (1) ( ) = 25x -35-7

=x = 25x -42
4. If h(x) = and k(x) = x3,
find a. (h º k)(x) b. (k º h)(x) c. (k º k)(x) d. (h º k)(2)
Solution:
a. (h º k)(x)= h( k(x)) b. (k º h)(x) = k( h(x))
= h (x3) =k( )
= = ( )3
=( )2( ) simplify
= (x-1) ( )
c.(k º k)(x)= k( k(x) ) d. (h º k)(2)= h( k(2))
= k (x3) = h (x3)
= (x3)3 =
= x9 =
=
=
You just have learned composing functions. Its now your turn to answer the
exercises below. Please show all needed solutions.
Name: ____________________Year & Section:__________Date:_____ Score: ___
Exercise 1
Direction: Find (f º g)(x), (g º f)(x) and (f º g)(3). Show all pertinent solutions. ( 2 points
for solution)
1. f(x) = 3x , g(x) = x+5

2. f(x) = x-1, g(x) = 3x2 -x-2
3. f(x)= , g(x) = x2
Exercise 2
Direction: Find (f º g)(x), (g º f)(x) and (f º f )(-1).Show all pertinent solutions. ( 2 points
solution, 1 point final answer)
1. f(x) = 3x-9, g(x) = x-3

2. f(x) = x2 -x-30, g(x) = x+10
3. f(x) = , g(x) = x
Need help? You may contact Mam Mafe at 09566532207 or pm at

Mafe deLeon Macaso in FB.
_________________________________________________________________________
Lesson 2 : Inverse Functions
Let f and g be two functions such that f (g(x))=x for every x in the domain of g and
g (f(x))=x for every x in the domain of f.
The function g is the inverse of the function f, and denoted by f-1

( read as “ f inverse “.) Thus, f (f-1 (x)) =x and f-1 (f(x)) =x.
The domain of f is equal to the range of f-1 , and vice versa.
Illustrative Examples
Show that each function is an inverse of the other.
1. f(x)= 6x and g(x) =

Solution: In order to prove that two functions are inverses of each other you need to
Show that f(g(x)) =x and g (f(x)) =x
f(x) = 6x g(x) =
f(g(x)) = 6 (g(x)) g (f(x)) =
=6( ) =
=x =x
Since f(g(x)) =x and g (f(x)) =x, then f(x) = 6x and g(x) =
are inverses of each other.
Note how f-1 undoes the change produced by f: f changes x by multiplying 6 and f-1
undoes this by dividing by 6.
2. f(x)= 3x+7 and g(x) = , show that f (g(x)) = g(f(x)) =x

Solution:
For f(g(x)): For g(f(x)):
f(x) = 3x+7 g(x)=

f(g(x)) = 3 (g(x))) +7 g (f(x)) =
=3( ) +7 =
3x
= x-7+7 =
3
=x =x
Because g is the inverse of f ( and vice versa), we can use the notation and write
f(x) = 3x+7 and f-1 (x) =

“ f-1 undoes the changes produced by f: f changes x by multiplying by 3 and adding 7,
and f-1 undoes this by subtracting 7 and dividing by 3.
Now you know how to determine whether the given functions are inverses of each
other. Try answering the exercises below to test your understanding of the lesson.
Name: ____________________Year & Section:__________Date:_____ Score: ___
Exercise 1
Direction: Find (f(g(x)) and g(f(x)) and determine whether each pair of functions f and
g are inverses of each other. Show all pertinent solutions. ( 2 points for solution)
1. f(x)= 2x; g(x) =
2. f(x) = 4x-5; g(x) =
3. f(x)= ; g(x) = x3+2
4. f(x)= ; g(x) =
Exercise 2
Direction: Find (f(g(x)) and g(f(x)) and determine whether each pair of functions f and g are
inverses of each other. Show all pertinent solutions.( 2 points solution, 1 point final
answer)
1. f(x) =2x+5; g(x) =
2. f(x) =
3. f(x) = -x; g(x) =-x
4. f( x)= x3 +1; g(x) =
Need help? You may contact Mam Mafe at 09566532207 or pm at

Mafe deLeon Macaso in FB.
References: Oronce, Orlando A. and Mendoza, Marilyn O., E-math IV, pp. 48-57
https://www.mathsisfun.com/sets/functions-composition.html

Week 4 Composition of Functions Inverse of Functions

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Week 4 Composition of Functions Inverse of Functions

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Week 4

Lesson 1 : Composition on Functions

"Function Composition" is applying one function to the results of another:

The result of f( ) is sent through g( )

Note: The symbol for composition is a small circle º not

1. f(x) = 2x+3 and g(x) = x2

"x" is just a placeholder. To avoid confusion let's just call it "input":

Let's start: (g º f)(x) = g(f(x))

What if we reverse the order of f and g?

First we apply g, then apply f to that result:

2. We can even compose a function with itself

If f(x) = 2x+3, find (f º f)(x) = f(f(x))

Solution: (f º f)(x)= f(f(x))

3. If f(x) = and g(x) = 5x-7,

= (1) ( ) = 25x -35-7

Name: ____________Year & Section:Date:_ Score: _

1. f(x) = 3x , g(x) = x+5

1. f(x) = 3x-9, g(x) = x-3

Need help? You may contact Mam Mafe at 09566532207 or pm at

The function g is the inverse of the function f, and denoted by f-1

The domain of f is equal to the range of f-1 , and vice versa.

1. f(x)= 6x and g(x) =

f(g(x)) = 6 (g(x)) g (f(x)) =

Since f(g(x)) =x and g (f(x)) =x, then f(x) = 6x and g(x) =

are inverses of each other.

2. f(x)= 3x+7 and g(x) = , show that f (g(x)) = g(f(x)) =x

f(x) = 3x+7 g(x)=

f(x) = 3x+7 and f-1 (x) =

Name: ____________Year & Section:Date:_ Score: _

1. f(x)= 2x; g(x) =

2. f(x) = 4x-5; g(x) =

3. f(x)= ; g(x) = x3+2

4. f( x)= x3 +1; g(x) =

Need help? You may contact Mam Mafe at 09566532207 or pm at

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