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SPM Additional Mathematics- by KBJIM - jimmigmig@yahoo.com

Functions

1. A mapping transforms one set of numbers into a different set of numbers.

Suppose we have one set of numbers {2, 0, 1, 4, x }and we add 2 to each element in the set.
After doing it we get a new set of numbers {0 , 2, 3, 6, x +2 }

In a mapping diagram we can represent the mapping as follows:

add 2 Y y =x +2


2
Domain Codomain X
A function is a special mapping such that every element in the domain is mapped to exactly one element
in the codomain. The set of numbers that has been mapped in the codomain is called the range.




one-to one many-to- one one-to-many
(function) (function) (not a function)


Exampl e F.1: Which of the following mappings represent functions?

Y


y y


x
X
x1 x2
one-to-one one-to-one many-to-one one-to-many
(function) (function) (function) (not a function)

- 2
0
1
4
x
0
2
3
6
x+2
A
B
C
D


1
2
3
4

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2. The equation y =x +1 is a function because for every value of x, there is a corresponding value of y.
We write it as y =f(x) =x +1 or f:x x +1. In our lesson we will use y =f(x) instead of f:x
Exampl e F.2: Given f(x) =x
2
+ 3x 3 , find f(2), f(0) and f(1)
Solution: f(x) = x
2
+3x 3
f(2) = 2
2
+3(2) 3 = 7 just substitute x =2 in the equation

f(0) = 0
2
+3(0) 3 = 3

f( 1) = (1)
2
+3(1) 3 = 5


Exampl e F.3: Given f(x) =|x
2
+ 3x 3| , find f(2), f(0) and f(1)
Solution: f(x) = |x
2
+3x 3 | | | means absolute value and you give only the positive answer
f(2) = | 2
2
+3(2) 3 | = 7 (The working is the same but give the answer without the sign)

f(0) = | 0
2
+3(0) 3 | =| 3 | = 3

f( 1) =| (1)
2
+3(1) 3 | = | 5| =5


Exampl e F.4: Given f(x) =x
2
+ px 3 , and that f(2) =11,find the value of p
Solution: f(x) = x
2
+px 3
f(2) = 2
2
+p(2) 3 = 11

p =5

Exampl e F.5: Sketch the graphs of (a) f(x) = x, (b) f(x) =| x |, (c) g(x) =x
2
3, (d) g(x) =| x
2
3 |

Solution:

Y Y Y Y
f(x) = x f(x) =| x | f(x) =x
2
3 f(x) =| x
2
3 |


3


X X X X
(a) (b) (c) (d)



For absolute value (modulus) graph, all graph lines below the x-axis are reflected because we only want
the positive values. For graph (b) and (d), notice that graph lines below the x-axis are reflected and
appear above the x-axis because these are modulus graphs (graphs showing absolute values)

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Composite Functions



f g


A B C

gf


1. The two basic functions are f(x) and g(x).

2. The function f maps elements of set A onto set B and the function g maps the elements of set B
onto set C. To map elements of set A onto set C directly, we make a new composite function gf(x)

3. gf(x) means apply f(x) first and after that then apply g(x).

Example F.6: Given that f(x) =x +1 and g(x) = x
2
then find (a) gf(3) and (b) fg(3)

Solution:

(a) gf(x) = g(x +1) we substitute f(x) for x +1, and when x =3, f(3) =3 +1 =4

gf(3) = g(4) but g(x) =x
2
, then g(4) =4
2
=16

Therefore gf(3) = g(4) =16

(b) fg(x) = f( x
2
) we substitute g(x) for x
2
, and when x =3, g(3) =3
2
=9

fg(3) =f(9) but f(x) =x +1 , then f(9) =9 +1 =10

Therefore fg(3) =f(9) =10

Exampl e F.7: Given that f(x) =3x +5 and g(x) = x
2
+ 3 then find (a) gf(3) and (b) fg(3)

Solution:

(a) gf(x) = g(3x +5) we substitute f(x) for 3x +5, and when x =3, f(3) =3(3) +5 =14

gf(3) = g(14) but g(x) =x
2
+3, then g(14) =14
2
+3 =199

Therefore gf(3) = g(14) =199

(b) fg(x) = f( x
2
+3) we substitute g(x) for x
2
+3 ,and when x =3, g(3) =3
2
+3 =12

fg(3) =f(12) but f(x) =3x +5 , then f(12) =36 +5 =41

Therefore fg(3) =f(12) =41



x
f(x) fg(x)
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Exampl e F.8: Given that f(x) =3x +1 and g(x) =x
2
+ 4 then find (a) gf( 4) and gf(4)
(b) fg( 4) and fg(4)

Solution:

(a) gf(x) = g(3x +1) (b) fg(x) = f( x
2
+4)

gf( 4) = g(11) fg( 4) =f(20)

Therefore gf( 4 ) = g( 11) =125 Therefore fg( 4 ) =f(20) =62

And

gf(x) = g(3x +1) fg(x) = f( x
2
+4)

gf( 4) = g(13) fg( 4) =f(20)

Therefore gf(4 ) = g(13) =170 Therefore fg( 4 ) =f(20) =62


Exampl e F.9: Given that f(x) = 1 , find (a) f
2
(x), (b f
3
(x) , (c) If h(x) =3x +1, find h
4
(x), h
8
(x).
x + 1 and a general term.

Solution:

(a) f
2
(x) = ff(x) (c) h
2
(x) = hh(3x +1 ) =h [ 3(3x +1) +1 ]

f ( 1 ) = 1 . =h(9x +4)
x +1 1 + 1
x +1 therefore, h
2
(x) = h(9x +4) = 9(3x +1) +4

= x +1 = 27x +13
2 + x
h
3
(x) = h(h
2
x) =h (27x +13)
(b) f
3
(x) = f f
2
(x) = f ( x +1 )
x +2 = 27(3x +1) +13

= 1 + 1 = 81x + 40
x +1
1 + 2 h
4
(x) = h(h
3
x) =h(81x +40)
x +1
= 81(3x +1) +40
= x +2 .
1 +2x +2 = 243x +121

Notice that h
2
(x) = 3
3
x + (1 +3 +3
2
) =27x +13
= x +2 (Answer). h
3
(x) = 3
4
x +(1 +3 +3
2
+3
3
) =81x +40
2x +3 h
4
(x) =3
5
x +(1 +3 +3
2
+3
3
+3
4
) =243x +121
h
5
(x) = 3
6
x +(1 +3 +3
2
+3
3
+3
4
+3
5
) =729x +364
.......
Generally, h
n
(x) = 3
n +1
x + (3
n+1
1 ) where integer
n > 1

hence h
8
(x) = 3
9
x + (3
9
1 ) = 6561x +3280
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Inverse Functions

When we reverse a function so that the elements of the range are mapped back into the elements of the
domain, we are dealing with an inverse function.

f (x)




A B
f
1
(x)


Exampl e F.10: Given that f(x) =3x +5, find f
1
(x) and, f
1
(3)

Solution:

f(x) = 3x +5

Let y = 3x +5

for inverse function f
1
(x) ,

x =3y +5 for inverse function, interchange the the variable x and y

y = x 5
3

Therefore inverse function f
1
(x) =x 5 and f
1
(3) = 3 5 = 2
3 3 3


Exampl e F.11: Given that f(x) =3x
2
+5, find f
1
(x) and, f
1
(3)

Solution:

f(x) = 3x
2
+5

Let y = 3x
2
+5

for inverse function f
1
(x) ,

x =3y
2
+5 for inverse function, interchange the the variable x and y

y = x
2
5
3

Therefore inverse function f
1
(x) = x
2
5
3

f
1
(3) = 3
2
5 = 2
3 3

x
f(x)
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Exampl e F.11: Given that f(x) =5x and g(x) =x +1, find (i) f
1
(x), (ii) g
1
(x), (iii) f
1
g(x),
(iv) g
1
f

(x), (v) f
1
g
1
(x), (vi) g
1
f
1
(x).

Solution:

(i) f(x) = 5x
Let y = 5x

for inverse function f
1
(x) ,

x =5y
y = x
5

Therefore inverse function f
1
(x) = x
5
(ii) g(x) = x +1
Let y = x +1

for inverse function g
1
(x) ,

x = y +1
y = x 1

Therefore inverse function g
1
(x) =x 1


(iii) f
1
g(x) =f
1
(x + 1) = x +1 (iv) g
1
f

(x) = g
1
(5x) = 5x 1
5

(v) f
1
g
1
(x) = f
1
(x 1) = x 1 (vi) g
1
f
1
(x) = g
1
( x ) = x 1
5 5 5

Micellaneous Examples

Exampl e F.12: Given that f(x) =x +2 , find g(x) if given that (i) fg(x) = 2x + 4
(ii) gf

(x) = 5 .
x +2

Solution:

(i) fg(x) = 2x + 4 = 2g(x) +4 (ii) g[f(x)] = 5 = 5
x +2 f(x)
2g(x) = 2x
Therefore g(x) = 5
Therefore g(x) =x. x


Exampl e F.13: Given that g(x) =6 , find f(x) if given that (i) gf(x) = 4 .
x x + 1
(ii) gf

(x) = 6 and g(x) = 3x.
x +2


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Solution:

(i) gf(x) = 4 = 6 (ii) g[f(x)] = 6 = 3f(x) .
x +1 f(x) x +2

f(x) = 6( x +1) = 3x +3 therefore f(x) = 2 .
4 2 x +2

Exampl e F.14: Given that f(x) =3x +2 , find g(x) if given that (i) fg(x) =2x + 4
(ii) fg

(x) = 3x 5

Solution:

(i) fg(x) = 2x + 4 = 3g(x) +2 (ii) f[g(x)] = 3x 5 = 3g(x) +2

Therefore g(x) = 2( x +1) g(x) = 3x 7
3 3

Exampl e F.15: Given that f(x) =x +2 and g(x) = 2x, what function is represented by
(i) h(x) =2x +2 (ii) h

(x) = x + 4 (iii) h(x) =2x + 4 (iv) h(x) =4x

Solution: first we work out all the possible functions

fg(x) = g(x) +2 gf(x) = 2f(x) =2(x +2) gg(x) =2(gx) =4x ff(x) =f(x) +2
= 2x +2 =x +4

Thererfore,
(i) h(x) =2x +2 =fg(x), (ii) h(x) =x +4 =fg(x) , (iii) h(x) =2x +4 =gf(x), (iv) h(x) =4x =gg(x)

Exampl e F.16: Given that f(x) =5 find f
25
(x) and f
40
(x)
x
Solution:

f(x) = 5 , hence f
2
(x) = 5 = x, and f
3
(x) =f[f
2
(x)] =5 , and f
4
(x) =f[f
3
(x)] =x
x ( 5/x) x

Notice that for f
n
(x), when n is an even integer, f
n
(x) =x and when n is an odd integer, f
n
(x) =5
x
therefore f
25
(x) = 5 and f
40
(x) =x
x

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