Chapter 3.

2
Introduction to Functions
Objectives
I will define relation, domain, and
range.
I will identify functions.
I will use the vertical line test for
functions.
I will find the domain and range of a
function.
I will use function notation.
Relation, Domain, and
Range
Relation a set of ordered pairs.
Domain of the relation is the set of all
first components of the ordered pairs.
Range of the relation is the set of all
second components of the ordered
pairs.
Example 1
Determine the domain and range of
each relation.
{(2,3), (2,4), (0,-1), (3, -1)}

Domain set of all first components
{2, 0, 3}
Range Set of all second components
{3,4, -1}
Example 1, Continued
Find the domain and range of each relation.

a. {(2,3), (2,4), (0,-1), (3, -1)}

b. Input: Output:
Cities Population (in thousands)
Erie 109
Miami 359
Escondido 117
Waco 104
Gary 182

Give it a try!
Determine the domain and range of
each relation.
A. {(1,6), (2,8), (0,3), (0,-2)}


Domain {1,2,0}
Range {6,8,3, -2}
Give it a try!
Determine the domain and range of each
relation.

Input: Output:
States # of representatives
Arkansas 4
Texas 30
Oklahoma 6
South 6
Domain: {Arkansas,
Texas, Oklahoma,
South Carolina}
Range: {4, 30, 6}
Function
A function is a relation in which each
first component in the ordered pairs
corresponds to exactly one second
component.

A function is a special type of relation,
so all functions are relations, but not
all relations are functions.
Example 2: Functions
Which of the following relations are
also functions?

A. {(-2,5), (2,7), (-3,5), (9,9)}

Yes! Each x value is assigned to only
one y-value, so this set of ordered
pairs is a function.
Example 2: Functions
Which of the following relations are
also functions?
{(-3,2), (0,3), (1,5), (0, -2), (6, 6)}

No! The x-value 0 is assigned to two y-
values. This relation is not a function.

Example 2: Functions
Which of the following relations are
also functions?

Input: Correspondence: Output:
People Each persons the set
in a certain age of non
city negative
integers
This relation is a function because although two different
People may have the same age, each person has
only one age!
Give it a try!
Determine whether each relation is also a
function.

{(-3,7), (1,7), (2,2)}

Input: Correspondence: Output:
People County Counties of
in a certain that that state
state a person
lives in
Example 3:
Is the relation y = 2x + 1 also a function?

The relation y= 2x+1 is a function if each x-
value corresponds to just one y-value. For
each x-value substituted in the equation
y=2x+1, the multiplication and addition
performed on each gives a single result, so
only one y-value will be associate with each
x-value. Thus, y = 2x +1 is a function.
Example 4:
Is the relation x= y
2
also a function?

Substitute y = 3 and y = -3 into the
equation.
You will get, x = 9 for both values of y.
Thus, x= y
2
is not a function.
Give it a try!
Determine whether the following
relations are functions.

A. x = y
2
+ 1
B. y = 3x + 2
Vertical Line Test
Vertical Line Test If no vertical line
can be drawn so that it intersects the
graph more than once, the graph is
the graph of a function.
Example 5: - Which of the following
graphs are graphs of functions?
A.
F.
E. D.
C. B.
Concept Check
Determine which equations represent
functions. Explain your answer.
a. y = 14
b. x = - 5
c. x + y = 6
Example 6
Find the domain and range of each
relation. Determine whether the
relation is also a function.

Look at graphs on page 146.


Naming Functions
Many times letters such as f, g, and h are
used to name functions. To denote that y is
a function of x, we can write:
y = f(x)
This means that y is a function of x or that y
depends on x. For this reason, y is called
the dependent variable and x is called the
independent variable. The notation f(x) is
read f of x and is called function notation.
Naming Functions
Continued
Use function notation with the function
y = 4x+3.
f(x) = 4x + 3
The notation f(1) means to replace x with 1
and find the resulting y or function value.
f(x) = 4x + 3
f(1) = 4x + 3
f(1) = 4(1) + 3
f(x) = 7
Find f(2), f(0), and f(-1)
f(x) = 4x +3 f(x) = 4x+3 f(x) = 4x + 3
f(2) = 4(2)+3 f(0) = 4(0) + 3 f(-1) = 4(-1) + 3
= 8 + 3 = 0 + 3 = -4 + 3
= 11 = 3 = -1

Ordered pairs:
(2, 11), (0,3), (-1,1)
Helpful Hint
Note that f(x) is a special symbol in
mathematics used to denote a
function. The symbol f(x) is read
f of x It does not mean f times x.
Example 7
If f(x) = 7 x
2
3x + 1 and g(x) = 3x 2, find
the following.
a. f(1) b. g(1) c. f(-2) d. g(0)

Step 1: Substitute
f (1) = 7(1)
2
3(1) + 1
Step 2: Simplify
f (1) = 7 3 + 1
f (1) = 5

Example 7 Continued
g(x) = 3x 2
g(1) = 3(1) -2
g(1) = 1

f (-2) = 7(-2)
2
3(-2) + 1
f (-2) = 28 + 6 + 1
f(-2) = 35


g(x) = 3x 2
g(0) = 3(0) -2
g(0) = -2


Give it a try!
If g(x) = 4x + 5 and f(x) = 3x
2
x + 2, find:
a. g(0) b. g(-5) c. f(2) d. f(-1)
Concept Check
Suppose y = f(x) and we are told that
f(3) = 9. Which is not true?
A. When x = 3, y = 9
B. A possible function is f(x) = x
2
C. A point on the graph of the
function is (3, 9)
D. A possible function is f(x) = 2x + 4
Example 8 Refer to pg.
149

Give it a try!
Use the graphs on page 149 to find :
A. f(2)
B. g(3)
C. Find all x-values such that f(x) = 2
D. Find all x-values such that g(x) = 3
Example 10
Use the function f(x) = 1.558x 3092
to predict the amount of money that
will be spent by Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers Association on
research and development in 2010.
To predict we will use
f(x) = 1.558x 3092 and find f(2010)
Example 10 - Continued
f(x) = 1.558x 3092
f(2010) = 1.558 (2010) 3092
= 39.58
We predict that in the year 2010,
$39.58 billion dollars will be spend on
research and development.
Give it a try!
Use f(x) = 1.558 x 3092 to
approximate the money spend in
2009.