TROY UNIVERSITY PROGRAM AT HUST

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Chapter 3 – Functions
and Their Graphs
MTH112, PRE-CALCULUS ALGEBRA

DR. DOAN DUY TRUNG

Outline
• Functions
• The Graph of a Function
• Properties of Functions
• Library of Functions; Piecewise-defined Functions
• Graphing Techniques: Transformations
• Mathematical Models: Building Functions

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Functions
• Determine Whether a Relation Represents a Function
• Find the Value of a Function
• Find the Domain of a Function Defined by an Equation
• Form the Sum, Difference, Product, and Quotient of Two
Functions

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Determine Whether a Relation
Represents a Function
• When the value of one variable is related to the value of a
second variable, we have a relation.
• A relation is a correspondence between two sets. If x and y are
two elements in these sets and if a relation exists between x and
y, then we say that x corresponds to y or that y depends on x,
and we write 𝑥 → 𝑦.
• There are a number of ways to express relations between two
sets. For example, the equation 𝑦 = 3𝑥 − 1 shows a relation
between x and y.

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Determine Whether a Relation
Represents a Function
• Not only can a relation be expressed through an equation or
graph, but we can also express a relation through a technique
called mapping. A map illustrates a relation by using a set of
inputs and drawing arrows to the corresponding element in the
set of outputs. Ordered pairs can be used to represent 𝑥 → 𝑦 as
(𝑥, 𝑦)
•

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Determine Whether a Relation
Represents a Function
• Let X and Y be two nonempty sets.* A function from X into Y is a
relation that associates with each element of X exactly one
element of Y.

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Determine Whether a Relation
Represents a Function
• Determine which of the following relations represent a function. If
the relation is a function, then state its domain and range.

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Determine Whether a Relation
Represents a Function
• Determine whether each relation represent a function. If it is a
function, state the domain and range.

• Determine if the equation 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 5 define y as a function of x

• Determine if the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1 define y as a function of x.

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Find the Value of a Function
• Functions are often denoted by letters such as F, g, G, and
others.
• We refer to 𝑓(𝑥) as the value of at the number x; 𝑓 𝑥 is the
number that results when x is given and the function is applied;
𝑓(𝑥) is the output corresponding to x or the image of x.
• For a function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) the variable x is called the independent
variable, because it can be assigned any of the permissible
numbers from the domain. The variable y is called the
dependent variable, because its value depends on x

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Find the Value of a Function
• For the function 𝑓 defined by 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 2 − 3𝑥, evaluate

• In general, when a function is defined by an equation in x and y,

we say that the function is given implicitly. If it is possible to solve
the equation for y in terms of x, then we write 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) and say
that the function is given explicitly.
•

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Find the Domain of a Function
Defined by an Equation
• Finding the Domain of a Function Defined by an Equation
– Start with the domain as the set of real numbers.
– If the equation has a denominator, exclude any numbers that give a zero
denominator.
– If the equation has a radical of even index, exclude any numbers that
cause the expression inside the radical to be negative.

• Find the domain of each of the following functions

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Form the Sum, Difference, Product,
and Quotient of Two Functions
If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions.
• The sum 𝒇 + 𝒈 is the function defined by 𝑓 + 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑥)
• The difference 𝒇 − 𝒈 is the function defined by 𝑓 − 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔(𝑥)
• The product 𝒇. 𝒈 is the function defined by 𝑓. 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 . 𝑔(𝑥)
𝒇 𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
• The quotient is the function defined by 𝑥 = 𝑔 𝑥 ≠0
𝒈 𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑓
The domain of consists of the numbers x for which 𝑔 𝑥 ≠ 0 and that are
𝑔
in the domains of both 𝑓 and 𝑔.
𝑓
Domain of = 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 ≠ 0 ∩ domain of 𝑓 ∩ domain of 𝑔
𝑔

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Form the Sum, Difference, Product,
and Quotient of Two Functions
• Operations on Functions

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The Graph of a Function
• Identify the Graph of a Function
• Obtain Information from or about the Graph of a Function

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Identify the Graph of a Function
• Vertical-line Test: A set of points in the xy-plane is the graph of a
function if and only if every vertical line intersects the graph in at
most one point.
• Example: Which of the graphs are graphs of functions?

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Obtain Information from or about
the Graph of a Function

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Properties of Functions
• Determine Even and Odd Functions from a Graph
• Identify Even and Odd Functions from the Equation
• Use a Graph to Determine Where a Function Is Increasing,
Decreasing, or Constant
• Use a Graph to Locate Local Maxima and Local Minima
• Use a Graph to Locate the Absolute Maximum and the Absolute
Minimum

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Determine Even and Odd Functions
from a Graph
• A function is even if, for every number 𝑥 in its domain, the
number −𝑥 is also in the domain and 𝑓 −𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑥)
• A function is odd if, for every number 𝑥 in its domain, the number
− 𝑥 is also in the domain and 𝑓 −𝑥 = −𝑓(𝑥)
• A function is even if and only if its graph is symmetric with respect
to the y-axis.A function is odd if and only if its graph is symmetric
with respect to the origin.

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Determine Even and Odd Functions
from a Graph
• Determine whether each graph given in Figure is the graph of an
even function, an odd function, or a function that is neither even
nor odd

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Identify Even and Odd Functions
from the Equation
• Determine whether each of the following functions is even, odd,
or neither. Then determine whether the graph is symmetric with
respect to the y-axis, or with respect to the origin.

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Use a Graph to Determine Where a Function
Is Increasing, Decreasing, or Constant
• A function is increasing on an open interval 𝐼 if, for any choice of
𝑥1 and 𝑥2 in 𝐼, with 𝑥1 < 𝑥2 we have 𝑓 𝑥1 < 𝑓(𝑥2 )
• A function is decreasing on an open interval 𝐼 if, for any choice
of 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 in 𝐼, with 𝑥1 < 𝑥2 we have 𝑓 𝑥1 > 𝑓(𝑥2 )
• A function 𝑓 is constant on an open interval 𝐼 if, for all choices of
𝑥 in 𝐼, the values 𝑓(𝑥) are equal.

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Use a Graph to Determine Where a Function Is
Increasing, Decreasing, or Constant
• Where is the function in Figure increasing? Where is it
decreasing? Where is it constant

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Use a Graph to Locate Local
Maxima and Local Minima
Suppose f is a function defined on an open interval containing c
• A function 𝑓 has a local maximum at 𝑐 if there is an open interval
𝐼 containing 𝑐 so that for all 𝑥 in 𝐼, 𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 𝑓(𝑐). We call a local
maximum value of 𝒇.
• A function 𝑓 has a local minimum at 𝑐 if there is an open interval
𝐼 containing 𝑐 so that for all 𝑥 in 𝐼, 𝑓 𝑥 ≥ 𝑓(𝑐). We call a local
minimum value of 𝒇.

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Use a Graph to Locate Local
Maxima and Local Minima
• At what value(s) of x, if any, does 𝑓 have a local maximum? List
the local maximum values.
• At what value(s) of x, if any, does 𝑓 have a local minimum? List
the local minimum values.
• Find the intervals on which 𝑓 is increasing. Find the intervals on
which is decreasing.

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Use a Graph to Locate the Absolute
Maximum and the Absolute Minimum
• Look at the graph of the function f given in Figure. The domain of
f is the closed interval [𝑎, 𝑏] . Also, the largest value of f is 𝑓(𝑢)
and the smallest value of f is 𝑓(𝑣).

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Use a Graph to Locate the Absolute
Maximum and the Absolute Minimum
• Let f denote a function defined on some interval I. If there
is a number u in I for which 𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 𝑓(𝑢) for all x in I, then 𝑓(𝑢) is the
absolute maximum of f on I and we say the absolute maximum
of f occurs at u.
• If there is a number 𝑣 in 𝐼 for which 𝑓 𝑥 ≥ 𝑓(𝑣) for all x in I, then
𝑓(𝑣) is the absolute minimum of f on I and we say the absolute
minimum of f occurs at v

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Use a Graph to Locate the Absolute
Maximum and the Absolute Minimum
• For each graph of a function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) in Figure on the following
page, find the absolute maximum and the absolute minimum, if
they exist.

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Find the Average Rate of Change of
a Function
• If 𝑎 and 𝑏, 𝑎 ≠ 𝑏, are in the domain of a function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥), the
average rate of change of 𝑓 from 𝑎 to 𝑏 is defined as
Δ𝑦 𝑓 𝑏 −𝑓(𝑎)
Average rate of change = =
Δ𝑥 𝑏−𝑎

Example

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The Secant Line
• The average rate of change of a function has an important
geometric interpretation. Look at the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) in Figure.
We have labeled two points on the graph: (𝑎, 𝑓 𝑎 ) and (𝑏, 𝑓(𝑏).
The line containing these two points is called the secant line; its
slope is
𝑓 𝑏 − 𝑓(𝑎)
𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑐 =
𝑏−𝑎

• The average rate of change of a function from 𝑎 to 𝑏 equals the

slope of the secant line containing the two point (𝑎, 𝑓 𝑎 ) and
𝑏, 𝑓 𝑏 on its graph.

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The Secant Line

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Library of Functions

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Library of Functions

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Library of Functions

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Library of Functions
• Identity Function: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥
• Square Function: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2
• Cube Function: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 3
• Square Root Function: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥
3
• Cube root Function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥

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Library Functions
∗
• Greatest Integer Function: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑥 =greatest integer less
than or equal to 𝑥

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Graph Piecewise-defined Functions
• Sometimes a function is defined using different equations on
different parts of its domain. When a function is defined by
different equations on different parts of its domain, it is called a
piecewise-defined function.
• Example

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Graph Piecewise-defined Functions
• Example on Cost of Electricity: In the summer of 2009, Duke
Energy supplied electricity to residences of Ohio for a monthly
customer charge of $4.50 plus 4.2345¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWhr)
for the first 1000 kWhr supplied in the month and 5.3622¢ per
kWhr for all usage over 1000 kWhr in the month
– What is the charge for using 300 kWhr in a month?
– What is the charge for using 1500 kWhr in a month?
– If C is the monthly charge for x kWhr, develop a model relating the
monthly charge and kilowatt-hours used. That is, express C as a function of
x.

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Graphing Techniques:
Transformations
• Graph Functions Using Vertical and Horizontal Shifts
• Graph Functions Using Compressions and Stretches
• Graph Functions Using Reflections about the x-Axis and the y-Axis

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Graph Functions Using Vertical Shifts
• If a positive real number k is added to the output of a function
𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥), the graph of the new function 𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑘 is the graph
of shifted vertically up k units.
• If a positive real number k is subtracted to the output of a
function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥), the graph of the new function 𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑘 is
the graph of shifted vertically down k units.
•

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Graph Functions Using Vertical Shifts
• Example on Vertical Shift Up: Use the graph of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 to obtain
the graph of 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 3.

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Graph Functions Using Vertical Shifts
• Example on Vertical Shift Down: Use the graph of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 to
obtain the graph of 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 4

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Graph Functions Using Horizontal
Shifts
• If the argument x of a function 𝑓 is replaced by 𝑥 − ℎ, ℎ > 0, the
graph of the new function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥 − ℎ) is the graph of 𝑓 shifted
horizontally right units.
• If the argument x of a function 𝑓 is replaced by 𝑥 + ℎ, ℎ > 0, the
graph of the new function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥 + ℎ) is the graph of 𝑓 shifted
horizontally left units.

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Horizontal Shift to the Left
• Example: Use the graph of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 to obtain the graph of
𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥+4 2

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Horizontal Shift to the Right
• Example: Use the graph of 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 to obtain the graph of
𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥−2 2

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Combining Vertical and Horizontal
Shifts
2
• Example: Graph the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 3 −5

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Graph Functions Using Compressions
and Stretches
• When the right side of a function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is multiplied by a
positive number 𝑎, the graph of the new function 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑓(𝑥) is
obtained by multiplying each 𝑦-coordinate on the graph of 𝑦 =
𝑓(𝑥) by 𝑎. The new graph is a vertically compressed (if 0 < 𝑎 < 1)
or a vertically stretched (if 𝑎 > 1) version of the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥).

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Vertical Stretch
• Example: Use the graph of 𝑓 𝑥 = |𝑥| to obtain the graph of
𝑔 𝑥 = 2|𝑥|

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Vertical Compression
• Example: Use the graph of 𝑓 𝑥 = |𝑥| to obtain the graph of
1
𝑔 𝑥 = |𝑥|
2

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Graph Functions Using Compressions
and Stretches
• If the argument 𝑥 of a function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is multiplied by a positive
number 𝑎, the graph of the new function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑎𝑥) is obtained
1
by multiplying each 𝑥-coordinate of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) by . A horizontal
𝑎
compression results if 𝑎 > 1, and a horizontal stretch occurs if 0 <
𝑎<1

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Graphing Using Stretches and
Compressions
• Example: The graph of 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is given in Figure. Use this graph
to find the graphs of
(a) 𝑦 = 2𝑓(𝑥) (b) 𝑦 = 𝑓(3𝑥)

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Reflection about the x-Axis
• When the right side of the function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is multiplied by −1 ,
the graph of the new function is the reflection about the x-axis of
the graph of the function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥).
• Example: Graph the function 𝑓 𝑥 = −𝑥 2

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Reflection about the y-Axis
• When the graph of the function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is known, the graph of
the new function 𝑦 = 𝑓(−𝑥) is the reflection about the y-axis of
the graph of the function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
• Example: Graph the function 𝑓 𝑥 = −𝑥

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Summary of graphing techniques

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