Types of Functions
Your cell phone plan charges a fixed rent plus a fee for each extra gigabyte. The delivery service charges differently depending on the weight of the package. And the bill at the taco place gets split among the friends who went. Each situation calls for a different type of function. Here you review the ones you will use throughout the course: how to recognize them, what domain they have, and how to graph them.
Linear function and the equation of the line
The same line can be written in several forms. Depending on the data you have, one or another is more convenient:
| Form | Equation | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Point-slope | $y - y_1 = m(x - x_1)$ | You know a point and the slope |
| Slope-intercept | $y = mx + b$ | You want to read $m$ and $b$ or to graph |
| Intercept form | $\dfrac{x}{a} + \dfrac{y}{c} = 1$ | You know where it crosses the axes: $(a, 0)$ and $(0, c)$ |
| Standard (general) | $Ax + By + C = 0$ | Final form, without fractions |
A video game streaming platform offers a monthly subscription consisting of a fixed fee of $12$ pesos per month plus an additional cost of $0.50$ pesos for each hour of…
A video game streaming platform offers a monthly subscription consisting of a fixed fee of $12$ pesos per month plus an additional cost of $0.50$ pesos for each hour of play in the "cloud".
- a) Write the algebraic expression of the function $f(x)$ that relates the monthly cost to the number of hours played $x$.
- b) State the slope ($m$) and the y-intercept ($n$) of this function.
- c) How much will a student who has played $20$ hours in a month pay?
A municipal e-scooter rental service wants to model its costs. The total daily operating cost $C(x)$ (in pesos) depends on the total distance covered by the fleet in…
A municipal e-scooter rental service wants to model its costs. The total daily operating cost $C(x)$ (in pesos) depends on the total distance covered by the fleet in kilometers $x$ and follows a linear function. It is known that on a day when the scooters covered $20$ km the cost was $300$ pesos, and on another day with $50$ km covered the cost rose to $600$ pesos.
- a) Determine the algebraic expression for the function $C(x)$.
- b) Identify and explain the meaning of the slope and the y-intercept in the context of the problem.
- c) If the maximum daily budget is $1\,000$ pesos, what is the maximum number of kilometers they can cover?
Composition of functions
Given the functions $f(x) = 2x - 3$ and $g(x) = x^2 + 1$, calculate the following composite functions: a) $(g \circ f)(x)$ [Remember that this is $g(f(x))$] b)…
Given the functions $f(x) = 2x - 3$ and $g(x) = x^2 + 1$, calculate the following composite functions:
- a) $(g \circ f)(x)$ [Remember that this is $g(f(x))$]
- b) $(f \circ g)(x)$ [Remember that this is $f(g(x))$]
- c) Evaluate the result of $(g \circ f)(2)$.
Inverse function
Points where $f$ and $f^{-1}$ coincide
A point $(a, a)$ on the diagonal does not change when reflected: it stays in the same position. So, if the graph of $f$ passes through $(a, a)$, the graph of $f^{-1}$ does too. The invariant points are found by solving $f(x) = x$, that is, where the graph of $f$ crosses the line $y = x$.
Find the inverse function of the following linear function, which represents the conversion of in-game virtual currency into pesos: $f(x) = \dfrac{x - 100}{50}$ Follow…
Find the inverse function of the following linear function, which represents the conversion of in-game virtual currency into pesos:
$f(x) = \dfrac{x - 100}{50}$
Follow the steps learned in class:
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Substitute $f(x)$ with $y$.
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Rearrange the variable $x$ in terms of $y$.
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Swap the variables to obtain $f^{-1}(x)$.
Given the rational function $f(x) = \dfrac{2x - 5}{x - 3}$: a) Calculate its domain. b) Find the axes intercepts. c) Determine the inverse function $f^{-1}(x)$. d) Check…
Given the rational function $f(x) = \dfrac{2x - 5}{x - 3}$:
- a) Calculate its domain.
- b) Find the axes intercepts.
- c) Determine the inverse function $f^{-1}(x)$.
- d) Check that $(f \circ f^{-1})(x) = x$.
Given the rational function $f(x) = \frac{2x - 5}{x - 3}$: a) Find its inverse function $f^{-1}(x)$. b) Prove analytically that the composition…
Given the rational function $f(x) = \frac{2x - 5}{x - 3}$:
- a) Find its inverse function $f^{-1}(x)$.
- b) Prove analytically that the composition $(f \circ f^{-1})(x) = x$.
- c) Graph both functions on the same Cartesian plane and draw the line of symmetry $y = x$. State the coordinates of the points where the function and its inverse coincide (invariant points).
Square root function
Average rate of change
The average rate of change of $f$ on $[a, b]$ is $\dfrac{f(b) - f(a)}{b - a}$: the slope of the line joining the two points on the graph. For example, for $f(x) = \sqrt{x+5}$ on $[4, 20]$: $\dfrac{f(20) - f(4)}{20 - 4} = \dfrac{5 - 3}{16} = 0.125$. On average, $f$ rises $0.125$ for each unit of $x$.
Inverse and translations
The inverse of $f(x) = \sqrt{x-1}$ comes from solving: $y^2 = x - 1 \Rightarrow x = y^2 + 1$. So $f^{-1}(x) = x^2 + 1$ with $x \ge 0$. Notice how domain and range are swapped: $\text{Dom}(f) = [1, +\infty)$, $\text{Range}(f) = [0, +\infty)$, and for $f^{-1}$ it is the other way around.
Adding or subtracting inside and outside the root translates the graph. In $g(x) = \sqrt{x - 2} + 3$, the $-2$ inside the root moves it $2$ units to the right and the $+3$ outside raises it $3$. The starting point moves from $(0, 0)$ to $(2, 3)$.
The design of a new ramp for a skate park follows the shape of a square root function. For the structure to be stable, the engineer must calculate its domain. Find the…
The design of a new ramp for a skate park follows the shape of a square root function. For the structure to be stable, the engineer must calculate its domain.
Find the domain of the function:
$f(x) = \sqrt{2x - 8}$
Remember that for functions with even-index roots, the radicand must be greater than or equal to zero.
A forest fire surveillance drone analyzes the terrain following a path whose height above the ground is given by the function $h(x) = \sqrt{2x + 8}$, where $x$ is the…
A forest fire surveillance drone analyzes the terrain following a path whose height above the ground is given by the function $h(x) = \sqrt{2x + 8}$, where $x$ is the horizontal distance from the operating base in kilometers and $h(x)$ is the height in hectometers.
- a) Determine the domain of the function in this context.
- b) Calculate the average rate of change (ARC) of the height over the interval $[0, 4]$.
- c) At what distance from the base does the drone reach a height of $4$ hectometers?
Given the function $f(x) = \sqrt{x + 1}$, you are required to: 1. Find its inverse function $f^{-1}(x)$, clearly specifying the domain and range of both. 2. Now consider…
Given the function $f(x) = \sqrt{x + 1}$, you are required to:
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Find its inverse function $f^{-1}(x)$, clearly specifying the domain and range of both.
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Now consider a new function $g(x) = f(x - 3) + 2$. Explain in detail which geometric transformations (horizontal and vertical translations) have been applied to the original square root function to obtain $g(x)$.
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Write the algebraic expression for $g(x)$ and calculate its y-intercept, if it exists.
Piecewise-defined function
A young entrepreneur sells custom t-shirts online. He has decided to apply a bulk discount, defining the total price using the following piecewise function:…
A young entrepreneur sells custom t-shirts online. He has decided to apply a bulk discount, defining the total price using the following piecewise function:
$f(x) = \begin{cases} 15x & \text{if } 0 \le x \le 5 \\ 12x + 15 & \text{if } x > 5 \end{cases}$
Where $x$ is the number of t-shirts purchased.
- a) How much will it cost to buy $4$ t-shirts?
- b) What is the price of an order of $10$ t-shirts?
- c) Is the function continuous at the boundary point $x = 5$? Justify your answer by calculating the value of the function at that point for both sections.
A municipality has established a new water tariff designed to encourage saving. The monthly cost $f(x)$ in pesos for $x$ cubic meters consumed is defined by the…
A municipality has established a new water tariff designed to encourage saving. The monthly cost $f(x)$ in pesos for $x$ cubic meters consumed is defined by the following piecewise function:
$$f(x) = \begin{cases} 16x + 240 & \text{if } 0 \leq x \le 15 \\ 24x + k & \text{if } x > 15 \end{cases}$$- a) Find the value of $k$ so that the tariff is continuous at the transition point (so that there are no sudden jumps in the bill).
- b) Sketch the graph of the resulting function.
- c) How much will a family that consumes $22$ $m^3$ per month pay?
An online video game retailer offers a discount that depends on the total spend $x$ made. The function describing the final amount payable $G(x)$ after applying the…
An online video game retailer offers a discount that depends on the total spend $x$ made. The function describing the final amount payable $G(x)$ after applying the discount is:
$$G(x) = \begin{cases} x & \text{if } 0 \leq x < 30 \\ 0.8x + 6 & \text{if } x \ge 30 \end{cases}$$- a) Study whether the function is continuous at $x = 30$. What does this result mean for the buyer?
- b) Represent the function graphically.
- c) If a user has paid $54$ pesos, what was the original price of their purchase before the discount?
You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.
Absolute value function
Graph the absolute value function $f(x) = |x + 2|$. To do so: 1. Identify the vertex of the function (the value of $x$ that makes the expression inside the absolute…
Graph the absolute value function $f(x) = |x + 2|$.
To do so:
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Identify the vertex of the function (the value of $x$ that makes the expression inside the absolute value equal to zero).
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Create a table of values with two points to the left and two to the right of the vertex.
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Draw the resulting graph on a Cartesian coordinate system, marking the vertex and the points from the table.
You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.
Plot the function $f(x) = |x^2 - 4x + 3|$. To do so, follow these steps: a) Draw the parabola $y = x^2 - 4x + 3$ by finding its vertex and intercepts with the $OX$-axis.…
Plot the function $f(x) = |x^2 - 4x + 3|$. To do so, follow these steps:
- a) Draw the parabola $y = x^2 - 4x + 3$ by finding its vertex and intercepts with the $OX$-axis.
- b) Apply the definition of modulus to express $f(x)$ as a piecewise function.
- c) State the intervals where the function is increasing and decreasing.
You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.
Absolute value of a quadratic and sum of absolute values
When the inside is a more complex expression, the procedure is the same: find where the inside equals zero, study the sign on each interval, and write one formula per piece.
Find the analytic expression of the function $f(x) = |x + 2| + |x - 3|$. To do so: a) Divide the real line into the intervals defined by the roots of the arguments of…
Find the analytic expression of the function $f(x) = |x + 2| + |x - 3|$. To do so:
- a) Divide the real line into the intervals defined by the roots of the arguments of the absolute values.
- b) Write the resulting function as a piecewise function, with the expression of $f(x)$ in each interval.
- c) Graph it. What is this type of function, made up of straight-line segments, called? What is its absolute minimum value?
An investment portfolio management application uses a function to model risk based on the exposure time $t$ (in months). The cumulative risk function is: $$R(t) = |t^2 -…
An investment portfolio management application uses a function to model risk based on the exposure time $t$ (in months). The cumulative risk function is:
$$R(t) = |t^2 - 6t + 5|$$You are required to:
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Express the function $R(t)$ as a piecewise-defined function without using modulus bars.
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Sketch its graph and identify the moments when the risk is zero.
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Determine the time intervals, within the first 6 months, in which the risk is strictly increasing.
You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.
Inverse proportionality function
Given the inverse proportion function $f(x) = \dfrac{4}{x}$, perform the following tasks: a) Complete the table of values for $x = \{-4, -2, -1, 1, 2, 4\}$. b) State the…
Given the inverse proportion function $f(x) = \dfrac{4}{x}$, perform the following tasks:
- a) Complete the table of values for $x = \{-4, -2, -1, 1, 2, 4\}$.
- b) State the asymptotes of the function.
- c) Explain, giving reasons, why the value $x = 0$ does not belong to the domain of this function.
In a chemistry laboratory, the concentration of a reactant in a solution (in mg/L) as a function of time $t$ (in minutes) is given by the inverse proportion function:…
In a chemistry laboratory, the concentration of a reactant in a solution (in mg/L) as a function of time $t$ (in minutes) is given by the inverse proportion function:
$$C(t) = \dfrac{40}{t + 2}$$- a) What is the concentration at the initial time $t=0$?
- b) Plot the function for values of $t \ge 0$.
- c) Is it possible for the concentration to reach $0$ mg/L? Justify your answer by analysing the horizontal asymptote of the function.
- d) At what time is the concentration exactly $5$ mg/L?
You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.
The supply ($O$) and demand ($D$) functions for a model of wireless headphones are given by the following expressions, where $p$ is the price in pesos and $O(p)$, $D(p)$…
The supply ($O$) and demand ($D$) functions for a model of wireless headphones are given by the following expressions, where $p$ is the price in pesos and $O(p)$, $D(p)$ are the quantities (in units):
$$O(p) = \frac{1}{2}p - 10$$ $$D(p) = \frac{800}{p}$$- a) Determine the market equilibrium point (price and number of units). Round to one decimal place.
- b) If the government imposes a maximum price of 30 pesos, will there be excess supply or excess demand? Calculate that difference.
- c) Graph both functions in the first quadrant, marking the equilibrium point and identifying the asymptotes of the demand function.
You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.
Domain of combined functions and discontinuities
Find the domain of the following functions and classify their possible points of discontinuity: a) $g(x) = \dfrac{x^2 - 1}{x^2 - 3x + 2}$ b) $h(x) = \sqrt{x^2 - 9}$ In…
Find the domain of the following functions and classify their possible points of discontinuity:
- a) $g(x) = \dfrac{x^2 - 1}{x^2 - 3x + 2}$
- b) $h(x) = \sqrt{x^2 - 9}$
In each case, justify your answers: state what condition must be met for the function to be defined, factor when necessary and, for each point of discontinuity, study the corresponding limit to decide whether it is removable, a jump, or an (infinite) asymptote.
Analytically study the domain of the following function, which combines radicals and algebraic fractions: $$f(x) = \sqrt{\frac{x^2 - 5x + 6}{x + 4}}$$ To do this, you…
Analytically study the domain of the following function, which combines radicals and algebraic fractions:
$$f(x) = \sqrt{\frac{x^2 - 5x + 6}{x + 4}}$$To do this, you will need to solve the resulting rational inequality and express the final domain using interval notation. Justify whether the endpoints of the intervals should be included or excluded based on the definition of the function.
A 3D printing workshop has determined that the monthly production cost (in thousands of pesos) is given by the function $C(x)$, where $x$ represents the number of…
A 3D printing workshop has determined that the monthly production cost (in thousands of pesos) is given by the function $C(x)$, where $x$ represents the number of batches produced. For logistical reasons, the cost structure changes when exceeding 10 batches:
$$C(x) = \begin{cases} x^2 + ax + 20 & \text{if } 0 \le x \le 10 \\ \sqrt{bx + 100} + 40 & \text{if } x > 10 \end{cases}$$You are required to:
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Determine the values of $a$ and $b$ so that the cost function is continuous throughout its domain, given that if nothing is produced the cost is 20,000, pesos and if 10 batches are produced the cost is 120,000. pesos
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Having found $a$ and $b$, analyze whether there is any production level in the second section for which the cost stabilizes at a fixed value.
Reading a graph
Often you do not have the formula, only the graph. From it you can read:
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Domain: the values of $x$ that the graph covers (from left to right).
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Range: the values of $y$ that it reaches (from bottom to top).
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Increasing: where the graph goes up as you move to the right; decreasing: where it goes down.
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Maximum and minimum: the highest and the lowest point.
Observe the following graph showing the relationship between the temperature in a greenhouse and the time of day. a) Determine the domain and range of the function based…
Observe the following graph showing the relationship between the temperature in a greenhouse and the time of day.
- a) Determine the domain and range of the function based on the image.
- b) State the intervals of increase and decrease.
- c) At what time is the maximum temperature reached and what is this value?
Extension: quadratic interpolation
In a market study, product prices were analysed at three different times: In month 1, the price was 200 pesos. In month 3, the price rose to 360 pesos. In month 5, the…
In a market study, product prices were analysed at three different times:
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In month 1, the price was 200 pesos.
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In month 3, the price rose to 360 pesos.
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In month 5, the price stood at 440 pesos.
You are required to:
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Use quadratic interpolation (Newton's method or a system of equations) to find the function $P(t)$ that best fits these data.
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Estimate the expected price for month 7 using extrapolation.
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Discuss whether this model is reasonable in the long term by analysing the vertex of the parabola obtained.
Back to the beginning: the rent of the cell phone plan with a fixed charge plus a price per gigabyte is a linear function $f(x) = mx + b$; the delivery service with prices by weight interval is a piecewise-defined function; and splitting the bill at the taco place among $x$ friends, $\dfrac{k}{x}$, is inverse proportionality.