Operations of Function
Function Operations
Addition : ( f + g )( x) = f (x ) + g (x )
Subtraction : ( f − g )(x ) = f (x ) − g (x )
Multiplication : ( f g )(x ) = f (x ) g (x )
f f (x )
Division : (x ) = where g(x ) 0
g g (x )
Adding and Subtracting Functions
Let f (x ) = 3x + 8 and g(x ) = 2 x − 12.
Find f + g and f - g
( f + g )( x) = f (x ) + g (x ) ( f − g )( x) = f (x ) − g (x )
= (3x + 8) + (2 x − 12) = (3x + 8) − (2 x − 12)
= 5x − 4 = x + 20
When we look at functions, we also want to look at
their domains (valid x values). In this case, the
domain is all real numbers.
Multiplying Functions
Let f (x ) = x - 1 and g(x ) = x + 1.
2
Find f g
f (x ) g ( x) = ( x 2 − 1)( x + 1) In this case, the domain is
all real numbers because
= x + x − x −1
3 2 there are no values that will
make the function invalid.
Dividing Functions
Let f (x ) = x 2 - 1 and g(x ) = x + 1.
f
Find
g
f (x ) x 2 − 1
= =
g (x ) x + 1
In this case, the domain is
all real numbers EXCEPT
-1, because x=-1 would give
( x − 1)( x + 1) a zero in the denominator.
= x −1
( x + 1)
Let’s Try Some
Let f (x ) = 5 x 2 - 1 and g(x ) = 5 x + 1.
Find f (x) + g ( x) What is the domain? Find f (x ) − g ( x)
Let’s Try Some
Let f (x ) = 6 x 2 + 7x - 5 and g(x ) = 2 x − 1.
f (x )
Find f (x ) g ( x) What is the domain? Find
g(x)
Example – Composition of
Functions
Let f (x ) = x − 2 and g (x ) = x . Find (g f )(− 5)
2
Method 1: Method 2:
(g f )(x) = g ( f (x)) (g f )(x) = g ( f (x))
g (x ) = g ( x − 2) = ( x − 2) 2 g ( f (− 5)) = g (−5 − 2)
(g f )(− 5) = (− 5 − 2) 2
= g (−7)
= (−7) = 49
2
= (−7) = 49
2