Section 6.

2
One-to-One Functions;
Inverse Functions
 Relations
Definition: A relation is a set of points, (ordered
pairs) in the plane.
As an example, consider the relation

R {(2 , 1), (4 , 3), (0 , 3 )}

As written, R is described using the roster method.

Since R consists of points in the plane, we follow
our instinct and plot the points.
 Relations
Doing so produces the graph of R.
 Inverse Relation
Definition: If R is a relation, then the relation
R-1  {(y , x) | (x , y)  R }
is called the inverse relation of R.

The inverse relation R-1 is obtained from R by

interchanging the x and y for every point in R.
 Inverse Relation - Example
As an example, consider the relation
R {(2 , 1), (4 , 3), (0 , 3 )}
The inverse relation R-1 is given by
R-1 {(1, 2 ), (3 , 4), (3 , 0 )}
Notice that the graph of R-1 is obtained from the
graph of R by reflecting about the line y  x all the
points in R.
 Inverse Relation - Example
The graph of R and of R-1 (in red).
 Domain and Range of R -1

Definition: If R is relation, then the relation

R-1  {(y , x) | (x , y)  R }
is called the inverse relation of R.
From the definition follows that,

Dom R-1  Ran R

Ran R-1  Dom R
 R When R is a Function
-1

If a relation f is a function defined by an equation

of the form y  f (x), that is, if
f  {(x , y) | y  f (x) }
then, the inverse relation f -1 of f is defined by the
new equation x  f (y), that is,
f -1 {(x , y) | x  f (y) }
 R When R is a Function
-1

In this case, the fact that f is a function does not

automatically imply that f -1 is also a function.
For instance,
f  {(x , y) | y  x2 }
is a function but
f -1 {(x , y) | x  y2 }
is not.
 R When R is a Function
-1

f  {(x , y) | y  x2 } f -1 {(x , y) | x  y2 }

 One to One Function
The previous discussion leads to the following
definition:

This condition guarantees that the inverse relation

f-1 of a one to one function f is also a function.
In this case, f-1 is called inverse function of f.
Examples
For each function, use the graph to determine whether the function
is one-to-one.
 Theorem

A function that is increasing on an interval I is

a one-to-one function in I.
A function that is decreasing on an interval I is
a one-to-one function on I.
 To find the inverse we interchange the elements of the
domain with the elements of the range.

The domain of the inverse function is {0.8, 5.8, 6.1, 6.2, 8.3}
The range of the inverse function is {Indiana, Washington, South Dakota,
North Carolina, Tennessee}
Find the inverse of the following one-to-one function:
{(-5,1),(3,3),(0,0), (2,-4), (7, -8)}
State the domain and range of the function and its inverse.

The inverse is found by interchanging the entries in each ordered

pair:
{(1,-5),(3,3),(0,0), (-4,2), (-8,7)}

The domain of the function is {-5, 0, 2, 3, 7}

The range of the function is {-8, -4,0 ,1, 3).

This is also the domain of the inverse function.

The range of the inverse function is {-5, 0, 2, 3, 7}

 3 3
Verify that the inverse of f ( x ) = is f ( x ) = - 5.
-1

x+5 x
For what values of x is f -1 ( f ( x ) ) = x ?
For what values of x is f ( f -1 ( x ) ) = x ?
Note the domain of f is { x x �-5} and the domain of g is { x x �0} .

3 3 ( x + 5)
f -1
( f ( x) ) =
3
-5 =
3
- 5 = x provided x �-5
x+5
3 3
f( f -1
( x) ) = = = x provided x �0
3 3
-5+5
x x
 1 �1 �
f -1
( f ( x) ) = ( ( 2 x + 3) - 3) = x = 2 � ( x - 3) �+ 3 = f ( f -1 ( x ) )
2 �2 �