CHAPTER 1

1. Section 1.3: Review of Inequalities

Example 1. Solve the inequality and mark the solution set on a number line.
(1) x2 − 4x + 7 ≤ 0.
(2) x3 − 2x2 + x ≥ 0.
(3) 2 < |2x − 1| ≤ 4.
Solution:
(1) We have x2 − 4x + 7 = x2 − 4x + 4 + 3 = (x − 2)2 + 3 ≥ 0 + 3 = 3. Thus the solution
set of such inequality is the empty set.
(2) x3 − 2x2 + x = x(x − 1)2 . Thus the real line can be divided into three intervals
(−∞, 0), (0, 1) and (1, ∞). Now the product x(x − 1)2 is nonnegative on the inter-
vals [0, 1] and on [1, ∞). Thus the solution set is given by [0, 1] ∪ [1, ∞) = [0, ∞).

(3) 2 < |2x − 1| ≤ 4 is equivalent to 2 < 2x − 1 ≤ 4 or −4 ≤ 2x − 1 < −2. The first

inequality is equivalent to 32 < x < 25 and the second one is equivalent to −3 −1
2 ≤x< 2 .
−3 −1 3 5
Thus the solution set is given by [ 2 , 2 ) ∪ ( 2 , 2 ].

−3 −1 3 5
2 2 2 2

2. Section 1.4: Coordinate Plane; Analytic Geometry

Let P0 (x0 , y0 ) and P1 (x1 , y1 ) be two points in the plane:
p
• The distance between these two points is given by d(P0 , P1 ) = (x1 − x0 )2 + (y1 −
y0 )2 .
1 y0 +y1
• The midpoint of the line segment P0 P1 is given by the coordinates x0 +x 2 , 2 .
−y0
• The slope of the non vertical line through the points P0 and P1 is given by m = xy11 −x 0
=
tan θ, where θ is the angle formed between the positive x-axis and the given line.
• An equation of the line through the points P0 and P1 is given by y − y0 = m(x − x0 ).
• There are four types of conic sections (a) Circle (b) Parabola (c) Ellipse (d) Hyperbola.
Example 2. Find an equation for the line l that passes through the point (−1, 2) and perpen-
dicular to the line 2y − 4x = 7.
Solution: The line 2y − 4x = 7 has slope equal to 2 since this equation can be written as
follows y = 2x + 72 . Thus the line l has slope equal to −1
2 since its is perpendicular to the other
line with equation y − 2 = −12 (x + 1).
1
Example 3. The point P (1, −1) is on a circle centered at C(−1, 3). Find an equation for the
line tangent to the circle at P .

Solution: The radius of any circle is perpendicular to any tangent to such a circle. Therefore,
this tangent line has slope equal to −1
m where m is the slope of the line segment P C. We know
that mP C = −2, so an equation of such a line is y + 1 = 12 (x − 1).

Example 4. Find an equation of the line of slope 3 and y-intercept 5.

Solution: An equation of such a line is given by y − 5 = 3(x − 0) since the point (0, 5) lies
on the graph on this line as a result of the fact that the y-intercept is 5.

(y−1)2
Example 5. Find the points where the line y = 2x + 1 intersects the ellipse 4 + x2 = 1.

2
Solution: We substitute y = 2x + 1 in the equation of the
 ellipse to obtain 2x = 1 which
±1
√ 
−1
√
implies that x = √ . Therefore the points of intersection are √1 , 2 + 1 and √ ,− 2+1 .
2 2 2

3. Section 1.5: Functions

Definition 6. A function f is a relation that assigns to x in D that is called the domain exactly
one element f (x) in E that is called the range.

Remark 7. • The graph of f is the set {(x, y)|x ∈ D and y ∈ E with y = f (x)}.
• A function f is said to be even if f (−x) = f (x) and in this case the graph of f will be
symmetric about the y-axis.
• A function f is said to be odd if f (−x) = −f (x) and in this case the graph of f will
be symmetric about the origin.

Example 8. Find the domain and range of f (x) = √ 1 .

x2 −4

Solution: The domain of f is D = (−∞, −2) ∪ (2, ∞) and the range is E = (0, ∞).

Example 9. Find the domain, range and sketch its graph

 2
x ,
 if x < 0,
f (x) = −1, if 0 < x < 2,

x, if 2 < x.


Solution: The domain is D = (−∞, 0) ∪ (0, 2) ∪ (2, ∞) and the range is E = {−1} ∪ (0, ∞).
 6

−3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6
−1

−2

Example 10. Express the volume of a cube as a function of one of its diagonals.
Solution: We let V, x and d to be the volume,
√ length of the side and the length of one of the
diagonals of the given cube. We have d = 3x as a result of applying Pythagorean Theorem
 3 3
twice. Also, we know V = x3 . Therefore, we obtain V = √d3 = 3d√3 .

4. 1.6: The Elementary Functions

• Polynomials. A polynomial of degree n for nonnegative integer is a function of the form
P (x) = an xn + an−1 xn−1 + . . . + a1 x + a0 with an ̸= 0 and an−1 , an−2 , . . . a1 , a0 are real
numbers.
P (x)
• Rational functions. A rational function is a function of the form R(x) = Q(x) , where
P (x) and Q(x) are polynomials.
• The Trigonometric Functions. A trigonometric function is one of the six functions
”Sine, Cosine, Tangent, Cotangent, Secant” and ”Cosecant”.
Example 11. Find the number(s) x in the interval [0, 2π] such that sin(2x) = −1
2 .

Solution: We know that sin 7π = −1 11π 7π 11π 19π

6 2 = sin 6 . Thus 2x = 6 or 2x = 6 or 2x = 6
23π 7π 11π 19π 23π
or 2x = 6 which implies that x = 12 or x = 12 or x = 12 or x = 12 .
Example 12. Find the domain and range of f (x) = 1 + sin2 x.
Solution: The domain of f is R and the range is [0, 2] since the range of the Sine function
is [−1, 1].

5. 1.7: Combinations of Functions

(1) Addition or Subtraction
(f ± g)(x) = f (x) ± g(x).
 (2) Multiplication
(f g)(x) = f (x)g(x).
(3) Quotient  
f f (x)
(x) = ,
g g(x)
where g(x) ̸= 0.
(4) Scalar Multiplication
(αf )(x) = αf (x).
(5) Composition of Functions
(f ◦ g)(x) = f (g(x)).
√
Example 13. Let f (x) = x2 + x and g(x) = x.
(1) Find (f + g)(1).
(2) Find (f ◦ g)(x) and its domain.
Solution: We have
(1) (f + g)(1) = f (1) + g(1) =√ 2 + 1 = 3.√
(2) (f ◦ g)(x) = f (g(x)) = f ( x) = x + x with domain [0, ∞).
1+x2
Example 14. Find f and g such that (f ◦ g)(x) = 1+x4 .
1+x
Solution: There are many choices for f and g. One choice could be f (x) = 1+x2 and
2
g(x) = x .