Chapter 2

Graphs and
Functions

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SECTION 2.4 Functions

OBJECTIVES
• Use functional notation and find function
values.
• Find the domain and range of a function.
• Identify the graph of a function.
• Get information about a function from its
graph.
• Solve applied problems by using
functions.
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Definitions

A special relationship such as y = 10x in which

to each element x in one set there corresponds a
unique element y in another set is called a
function.

Because the value of y depends on the value of

x, y is called the dependent variable and x is
called the independent variable.

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 DEFINTION OF A FUNCTION

A function from a set X to a set Y is a rule

that assigns to each element of X exactly one
element of Y. The set X is the domain of the
function. The set of those elements of Y that
correspond (are assigned) to the elements of
X is the range of the function.

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Definitions
A relation may be described by a
correspondence diagram:

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 FUNCTION NOTATION
For each x in the domain of f, there corresponds
a unique y in its range.

The number y is denoted by f (x) read as “f of x”

or “f at x”.

We call f(x) the value of f at the number x and

say that f assigns the f (x) value to x.

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 Functions Defined by Ordered Pairs
Any set of ordered pairs is called a relation.
The set of first components is the domain of the
relation, and the set of second components is
the range of the relation. In the ordered pair (x,
y), we say that y corresponds to x. Then a
function is a relation in which each element of
the domain corresponds to exactly one element
of the range. In other words, a function is a
relation in which no two distinct ordered pairs
have the same first component.
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 EXAMPLE Functions Defined by Ordered Pairs
Determine whether each relation defines a function.
a. r = {(–1, 2), (1, 3), (5, 2), (–1, –3)}
b. s = {(–2, 1), (0, 2), (2, 1), (–1, –3)}

Solution
a. The domain of the relation r is {–1, 1, 5}, and
its range is {2, 3, –3}. It is not a function
because the ordered pairs (–1, 2) and (–1, 3)
have the same first component but the second
components are different. See the
correspondence diagram for the relation r.
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 EXAMPLE continued

Determine whether each relation defines a

function.
a. r = {(–1, 2), (1, 3), (5, 2), (–1, –3)}

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 EXAMPLE continued
Determine whether each relation defines a function.
b. s = {(–2, 1), (0, 2), (2, 1), (–1, –3)}

The domain of the relation r is {–2, –1, 0, 2}, and its range is {–3, 1, 2}. The relation s is a function
because no two ordered pairs of s have the same first component. See the correspondence diagram for the
relation s. (next slide)

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 EXAMPLE continued

Determine whether each relation defines a

function.
b. s = {(–2, 1), (0, 2), (2, 1), (–1, –3)}

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 FUNCTIONS

Tables and graphs can be used to describe

functions.
A table:
x y x y
–1 2 –2 1
1 3 –1 –3
5 2 0 2
–1 –3 2 1
Relation r Relation s
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 FUNCTIONS
Graph

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 Determining Whether an Equation Defines a
EXAMPLE Function

Determine whether y is a function of x for each

equation.
a. 6x2 – 3y = 12 b. y2 – x2 = 4
Solution
a. 2
6 x  3 y 12
2
6 x  3 y  3 y  12 12  3 y  12
2
6 x  12 3 y
2
2x  4 y
One value of y corresponds to each value of x
so it defines y as a function of x.
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 EXAMPLE continued

b. y2 – x2 = 4
2 2
y  x 4
2 2 2 2
y  x  x 4  x
2 2
y x  4
2
y  x  4

Two values of y correspond to each value of x

so y is not a function of x.
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 EXAMPLE Evaluating a Function

Let g be the function defined by the equation

y = x2 – 6x + 8.
Evaluate each function value.
a. g 3 b. g  2 
d. g a  2  e. g  x  h 

Solution
a. g 3 3  6 3  8  1
2

b. g  2   2   6  2   8 24
2

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 EXAMPLE continued
2
1 1 1 21
c. g      6    8 
 2  2  2 4
d. g a  2  a  2   6 a  2   8
2

a 2  4a  4  6a  12  8
a 2  2a

e. g  x  h   x  h   6  x  h   8
2

 x 2  2 xh  h 2  6 x  6h  8

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 EXAMPLE Finding the Area of a Rectangle

Find the area of the rectangle PLMN.

Solution

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 AGREEMENT ON DOMAIN

If the domain of a function that is defined

by an equation is not explicitly specified,
then we take the domain of the function to
be the largest set of real numbers that result
in real numbers as outputs.

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 EXAMPLE Finding the Domain of a Function

Find the domain of each function.

1
a. f x  2 b. g x  x
1 x
1
c. h x  d. P  x   x 2  x  6
x 1
Solution
a. f is not defined when the denominator is 0.
1  x 2 0 Domain: {x|x ≠ –1 and x ≠ 1}
x 1  ,  1  1,1 1,  
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 EXAMPLE continued

b. g x  x
The square root of a negative number is not a
real number and is excluded from the domain.
Domain: {x|x ≥ 0} or [0, ∞)

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EXAMPLE continued

1
c. h x 
x 1
The square root of a negative number is not a real number, so
x – 1 ≥ 0 and since therefore denominator ≠ 0, x > 1.

Domain: {x|x > 1}, or (1, ∞)

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 EXAMPLE continued

d. P  x   x  x  6 2

The function P(x) is defined when the expression under the radical sign is nonnegative. You can
use the test-point method to see that x2 − x − 6 = (x + 2)(x – 3) ≥ 0
on the two intervals (– ∞, –2] and [3, ∞). So the domain of the function P(x) in interval notation
is

 , 2   3, .

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 EXAMPLE Finding the Range of a Function

Let f(x) = x2 with domain X = [3, 5]

a. Is 10 in the range of f ?
b. Is 4 in the range of f ?
c. Find the range of f.

Solution
We find possible solutions of the equation
f ( x) 10
2
x 10
x  10
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 EXAMPLE continued
Let f(x) = x2 with domain X = [3, 5]
a. Is 10 in the range of f ?
b. Is 4 in the range of f ?
c. Find the range of f.

Because 3  10  5
The equation f(x) = 10 has at least one
solution in the domain of f. Therefore, 10 is
in the range of f.

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 EXAMPLE continued
Let f(x) = x2 with domain X = [3, 5]
a. Is 10 in the range of f ?
b. Is 4 in the range of f ?
c. Find the range of f.

b. The solutions of the equation x2 = 4 are x = 2

Neither of these numbers is in the domain
X = [3, 5]. So 4 is not in the range of f .

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 EXAMPLE continued
Let f(x) = x2 with domain X = [3, 5]
a. Is 10 in the range of f ?
b. Is 4 in the range of f ?
c. Find the range of f.

c. The range of f is the interval [9, 25] because

for each number y in the interval [9, 25], the
number x  y is in the interval [3, 5] so that
 y   y   y.
2
f ( x)  f

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 VERTICAL LINE TEST
If no vertical line intersects the graph of a
relation at more than one point, then the
graph is the graph of a function.

Graph does not represent a function

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 EXAMPLE Identifying the Graph of a Function

Use the vertical-line test to determine which

graphs are graphs of functions.
Solution
Not a function
Does not pass the vertical line
test since a vertical line can be
drawn through the two points
farthest to the left

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 EXAMPLE continued

Use the vertical-line test to determine which

graphs are graphs of functions.

Solution
Not a function
Does not pass the
vertical line test

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 EXAMPLE continued

Use the vertical-line test to determine which

graphs are graphs of functions.

Solution
Is a function
Does pass the
vertical line test

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 EXAMPLE continued

Use the vertical-line test to determine which

graphs are graphs of functions.

Solution
Is a function
Does pass the
vertical line test

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 FUNCTION INFORMATION FROM ITS
GRAPH
1. Point on a graph A point (a, b) is on the
graph of f means that a is in the domain of f
and the value of f at a is b; that is, f(a) = b.
We can visually
determine whether
a
given point is on
the graph of a
function.

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 FUNCTION INFORMATION FROM ITS
GRAPH
2. Domain and range from a graph To determine the
domain of a function, we look for the portion on the x-
axis that is used in graphing f. We can find this portion
by

projecting (collapsing) the

graph on the x-axis. This
projection is the domain of
f. The range of f is the
projection of its graph on
the y-axis.

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 Finding the Domain and Range from a
EXAMPLE
Graph
Use the graphs to find the domain and the range of each function.

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 EXAMPLE continued

Solution
a. The open circle at (–2, 1) indicates that the point does not belong to the graph of f, while the full circle at the point (3, 3) indicates that
the point is part of the graph.

When we project the graph onto the x-axis, we obtain the interval (–2, 3] (the domain). Similarly, the projection of the graph of onto the y-axis gives the interval (1, 4] (the range).

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EXAMPLE continued

b. The projection of the graph onto the x-axis is made up of the two intervals [–3, 1] and [3, ∞]. So the domain of g is [–3, 1]  [3, ∞].
The projection of the line segment joining (−3, −1) and (1, 1) onto the y-axis is the interval [−1, 1]. The projection of the horizontal ray starting
at the point (3, 4) onto the y-axis is just a single point at y = 4. Therefore, the range of g is [−1, 1]  {4}.

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 FUNCTION INFORMATION FROM ITS
GRAPH
3. Evaluations
a. Finding f (c) Given a number c in the
domain of f, we find f(c) from the graph of f.

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 FUNCTION INFORMATION FROM ITS
GRAPH
3. Evaluations
b. Solving f (x) = d Given d in the range of f,
find values of x for which f(x) = d.

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 EXAMPLE Examining the Graph of a Function
Let

y  f x x 2  2x  3.
a. Is the point (1, –3) on the graph of f ?

b. Find all values of x such that (x, 5) is on the graph of f.

c. Find all y-intercepts of the graph of f.

d. Find all x-intercepts of the graph of f.

Solution
a. Check whether (1, –3) satisfies the equation.
f  x   y x 2  2 x  3
?
 3 1  2 1  3  4 No!
2

(1, –3) is not on the graph of f.

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EXAMPLE continued

b. Find all values of x such that (x, 5) is on the

graph of f.
Substitute 5 for y and solve for x.
5 x 2  2 x  3
0 x 2  2 x  8
0  x  4  x  2 
x 4 or x  2

(–2, 5) and (4, 5) are on the graph of f.

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EXAMPLE continued

c. Find all y-intercepts of the graph of f.

Substitute 0 for x and solve for y.
y x 2  2 x  3
y 02  2 0   3
y  3

The only y-intercept is –3.

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EXAMPLE continued

d. Find all x-intercepts of the graph of f.

Substitute 0 for y and solve for x.
2
y x  2 x  3
2
0 x  2 x  3
0  x  1 x  3
x  1 or x 3
The x-intercepts of the graph of f are –1
and 3.
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EXAMPLE Cholesterol–Reducing Drugs

Many drugs used to lower high blood cholesterol levels are called statins and are very popular and widely prescribed.

Bioavailability is the amount of a drug you have ingested that makes it into your bloodstream.

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EXAMPLE continued

A statin with a bioavailability of 30% has been prescribed for Boris. Boris is to take 20 mg of this statin every day. During the same day, one-half of the statin is
filtered out of the body.

Find the maximum concentration of the statin in the bloodstream on each of the first ten days of using the drug, and graph the result.

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EXAMPLE continued

Solution
Since the statin has 30% bioavailability and Boris
takes 20 mg per day, the maximum concentration
in the bloodstream is 30% of 20 mg, or 20(0.3) =
6 mg from each day’s prescription.
Because one-half of the statin is filtered out of
the body each day, the daily maximum
concentration is

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 EXAMPLE continued

Day Max Concentration

1 6.000
2 9.000
3 10.500
4 11.250
5 11.625
6 11.813
7 11.906
8 11.953
9 11.977
Maximum concentration
10 11.988
approaches 12 mg.
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 EXAMPLE Cost of a Fiber Cable
Two points A and B are opposite each other on the banks of
a straight river that is 500 feet wide. The point D is on the
same side as B but is 1200 feet up the river from B. The
local Internet cable company wants to lay a fiber-optic cable
from A to D. The cost per foot of cable is $5 per foot under
water and $3 per foot on land. To save money, the company
lays the cable under water from A to P and then on land from
P to D. Write the total cost C as a function of x.

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EXAMPLE continued

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EXAMPLE continued

Solution

So the total C cost is given by

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 FUNCTIONS IN ECONOMICS
Linear Cost Function
C  x  variable cost   fixed costs 
ax  b
b is the fixed cost
a (the cost of producing each item)
is called the marginal cost.

Average Cost C x 
C x 
x
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 FUNCTIONS IN ECONOMICS
Linear Price–Demand Function
Suppose x items can be sold (demanded) at a price of p dollars per item. Then a linear demand function usually has the form

The constants m, d, n, and k depend on the given situation.

p  x   mx  d
or
x  p   np  k

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 FUNCTIONS IN ECONOMICS
Revenue Function


Revenue = (Price per item) (Number of items sold)
R  x   p x  mx  d  x

Profit Function
Profit = Revenue – Cost
P  x  R  x   C  x 

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 EXAMPLE Breaking Even

Metro Entertainment Co. spent $100,000 on

production costs for its off-Broadway play Bride
and Prejudice. Once the play runs, each
performance costs $1000 and the revenue from
each is $2400. Using x to represent the number
of shows, a. write cost function C(x).
b. write revenue function R(x).

c. write profit function P(x).

d. determine how many showings of

Bride and Prejudice must be held for

Metro to break even?
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 EXAMPLE continued

Solution
a. C x Variable cost  fixed cost 
1000x  100, 000

b. R x Revenue per show Number of shows 

2400x
c. P x R x  C x 
2400x  1000x  100, 000 
1400x  100, 000
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 EXAMPLE continued

d. Metro will break even when P(x) = 0.

1400x  100, 000 0
1400x 100, 000
100, 000
x
1400
71.429
So 71 is the number of shows required for Metro
to break even.
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