Section 8.7 Inverse Functions

What is a Function? domain range Relationship between inputs (domain) and outputs (range) such that each input produces only one output Passes the vertical line test OK for outputs to be shared

One-to-One Functions one-to-one A function is a one-to-one function if no outputs are shared (each y -value corresponds to only one x -value) Passes the horizontal line test

One-to-One Functions Horizontal Line Test A function is one- to-one if and only if each horizontal line intersects the graph of the function in at most one point.

(a) An increasing function is always one-to-one (b) A decreasing function is always one-to-one (c) A one-to-one function doesn’t have to be increasing or decreasing Increasing and Decreasing Functions

{(1, 1), (2, 4), (3, 9), (4, 16), (2, 4)} Yes, each y-value corresponds to a unique x-value. {(-2, 4), (-1, 1), (0, 0), (1, 1)} Example 1: Are the following functions one-to-one? No, there are 2 y-values of 1, which correspond to different x-values. This is a modified slide from the Prentice Hall Website.

What is an Inverse Function? Function Machine 5 Function Machine g(5) f(17)

What is an Inverse Function? ( cont’d ) Function Machine x Function Machine g( ) f [ ] g(x)

Inverse Function An Inverse Function is a new function that maps y - values (outputs) to their corresponding x -values (inputs). Notation for an inverse function is: f -1 ( x ) For a function to have an inverse, it must pass the horizontal-line test (i.e., only one-to-one functions have an inverse function!) Why do we need a new function? Sometimes we have the y -value for a function and we want to know what x -value caused that y -value.

Example 2: This is a modified slide from the Prentice Hall Website.

Yes, these functions are inverses. Example 2 (cont’d):

How do we find an Inverse Function? If a function f is one-to-one, its inverse can generally be found as follows: 1. Replace f(x) with y. 2. Swap x and y and then solve for y. 3. Replace y with f -1 (x).

This is a slide from the Prentice Hall Website. Example 3: Swap x and y. Solve for y. Replace f(x) with y

What does an Inverse Function look like? Remember, to find an inverse function we just interchanged x and y. Geometric interpretation: graph will be symmetrical about the line y = x.

Domain of fRange of f This is a slide from the Prentice Hall Website. The domain of the original function becomes the range of the inverse function. The range of the original function becomes the domain of the inverse function.