Inverse

Functions
Objectives
1. determine whether a function is one-
to-one
2. if not, restrict its domain to make it
one-to-one
3. find its inverse.
One-to-one
functions
A function f is one-to-one if for
all distinct ,

For every y in the range of f , th

ere corresponds a unique x.
One-to-one
functions

X1
Y1
X2
Y2
X3
Y3
Y4
One-to-one
Functions
Horizontal Line Test

If the intersection of the graph and any

horizontal line on the plane is at most
one, then the curve is a graph of a one-
to-one function.

Otherwise, the function is not one-to-

one.
Linear Functions
are one-to-one!
 Quadratic
Functions are
 y
3
6
4

2 3

4
2
1
1
2
2 1 O 1 2 3 4 x 4 3 2 1 O 1 2 3 4 x

1
10 8 6 4 2 O 2 4 6 x
1
2

3
2 2
4

3
4

4
6

How about
y

4
1
y
y
3

2
x 4

1
y 2
1
3

x
0

1
2

2
1
3

4
0

4 3 2 1 0 1 1 2 3 4 x

Some rationals
3

are one-to-one. 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 x
Restricting the
domain

For functions which are not one-

to-one, we sometimes restrict
the domain so that the
function is one-to-one over the
new domain.
 Restricting the
Example
domain

not one-to-one on 4

restricted domain: 2

4 3 2 1 O 1 2
 Restricting the
Example
domain yy

g x 4 x 2
44

not one-to-one on 33

22
restricted domain:
0, 2 11

or 2, 0 4
4 3
3 2
2 1
1 O
O 11 22
Inverse
Functions
If f is a one-to-one function consisting
of ordered pairs , then there is an in
verse function that consists of ordered pa
irs
An Analogy:
Function

x f f(x)
An Analogy:
Inverse function

x f -1 y
Inverse
Functions
Properties

Domain and Range

The graphs are symmetric with res

pect to the line
Composition:
(f 1
o f )( x) f 1
f ( x) f 1
y x.
Properties
 y

4 3 2 1 O 1 2 3 4 xx

4
Finding the
inverse
i. Let .
ii. Interchange x and y
iii.Solve for y in terms of x
iv.The result is the expression fo
r the inverse function
Example 1.

 Example 2.

Determine the inverse function.

Example 2.
 Example 2.

g 1
g ( x)

 Example 2.
Sketch the graph of
g and g-1 in one
Cartesian plane.
 y

4 3 2 1 O 1 2 3 4 x

4
Quiz 5.
2x 1
Given h x
1
, find h .
6