Lesson 1 : Functions

Learning Outcome(s): At the end of the lesson, the learner is able to represent real life situations using
functions, including piecewise functions.

Lesson Outline: 1.1 Functions and Relations

1.2 Vertical Line Test

1.3 Representing real-life situations using functions, including piecewise functions.

Definition of

Relation
A relation is a rule that relates values from a set of values (called the domain) to a second set of values

A relation is a set of ordered pairs (x,y).

Definition of

Function
A function is a relation where each element in the domain is related to only one value in the range

Example 1. Which of the following relations are functions?

f = { (1,2), (2,3), (3,5), (4,7)}

g = { (1,3), (1,4), (2,5), (2,6), (3,7)}

h = { (1,3), (2,6), (3,9),… (n,3n)…}

Answer: The relationship f and h are functions, each x has only one y while g is simply a
relation.

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Representation of a Relation and Function

1. Mapping diagrams - elements of the domain are mapped to the elements of the range using
arrows.

Example 2.

2. Graphical Representation

A relation between two sets of numbers can be illustrated by a graph in the Cartesian plane, and
that a function passes the vertical line test.

The Vertical Line Test

A graph represents a function if and only if each vertical line intersects the graph at most once

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Example 3.

Definition of

Domain and Range

The domain of a function f (x) is the set of all values for which the function is defined in other words
the set of all possible values that the variable x can take , and the range of the function is the set of all
values that f takes

y = f (x)

where y = range {solution set, output or dependent variable}

x = domain { replacement set, input or independent
variable}

Example 4. Identify the domain for each relation using set builder notation.

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Solution. The domains for the relations are as follows:

Functions as representations of real-life situations.

Functions can often be used to model real situations. Identifying an appropriate functional model will
lead to a better understanding of various phenomena.

Example 5. Give a function C that can represent the cost of buying x meals, if one meal costs P40.

Solution.

Since each meal costs P40, then the cost function is C(x) = 40x.

Example 6. One hundred meters of fencing is available to enclose a rectangular area next to a river (see
figure). Give a function A that can represent the area that can be enclosed, in terms of x.

Solution.

The area of the rectangular enclosure is A = xy.

Since only 100 m of fencing is available, then x + 2y = 100 or y = (100 – x)/2 = 50 – 0.5x.

Thus, A(x) = x(50 – 0.5x) = 50x – 0.5x2 .

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Piecewise functions
Some situations can only be described by more than one formula, depending on the value of the
independent variable.

Example 7. A user is charged P300 monthly for a particular mobile plan, which includes 100 free text
messages. Messages in excess of 100 are charged P1 each. Represent the monthly cost for text
messaging using the function t(m), where m is the number of messages sent in a month.

Solution.

The cost of text messaging can be expressed by the piecewise function:

Example 8. A jeepney ride costs P8.00 for the first 4 kilometers, and each additional integer kilometer
adds P1.50 to the fare. Use a piecewise function to represent the jeepney fare in terms of the distance
(d) in kilometers.

Solution.

The input value is distance and the output is the cost of the jeepney fare. If F(d) represents the fare as a
function of distance, the function can be represented as follows:

Solved Examples

1. Is the relation {(0,0), (1,1), (2,4), (3,9), … ( ), …} a function?

Solution. Yes, it is a function.

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2. Which of the following diagram represents a relation that is NOT a function?

Solution. C. All diagrams, except for C, represent a function.

3. Can the graph of a circle be considered a function?

Solution. No, it cannot. A circle will fail the vertical line test.

4. Contaminated water is subjected to a cleaning process. The concentration of pollutants is

initially 10 mg per liter of water. If the cleaning process can reduce the pollutant by 5% each
hour, define a function that can represent the concentration of pollutants in the water in terms
of the number of hours that the cleaning process has taken place.

Solution. After 1 hour, the concentration of pollutants is (10)*(0.95). After 2 hours, it is this
value, times 0.95, or [(10)*(0.95)](0.95) = 10(0.95)2 . In general, after t hours, the concentration
is C(t) = (10)(0.95)t mg per liter of water

5. Squares of side x are cut from each corner of an 8 in x 5 in rectangle (see figure), so that its sides
can be folded to make a box with no top. Define a function in terms of x that can represent the
volume of this box.

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 Solution.

The length and width of the box are 8 – 2x and 5 – 2x, respectively. Its height is x. Thus, the
volume of the box can be represented by the function

V(x) = (8 – 2x)(5 – 2x)x = 40x – 26x2 + x3

6. A certain chocolate bar costs P35.00 per piece. However, if you buy more than 10 pieces, they
will be marked down to a price of P32.00 per piece. Use a piecewise function to represent the
cost in terms of the number of chocolate bars bought.

Solution.

7. A school’s fair committee wants to sell t-shirts for their school fair. They found a supplier that
sells t-shirts at a price of P175.00 a piece but can charge P15,000 for a bulk order of 100 shirts
and P125.00 for each excess t-shirt after that. Use a piecewise function to represent the cost in
terms of the number of tshirts purchased

8. The fee to park in the parking lot of a shopping mall costs P40.00 for the first two hours and an
extra P10.00 for each hour (or a fraction of it) after that. If you park for more than twelve hours,
you instead pay a flat rate of P200.00. Represent your parking fee using the function p(t) where t
is the number of hours you parked in the mall.

here is the ceiling function applied to t – 2. The ceiling function of a number x gives the smallest
integer greater than o

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Lesson 2: Evaluating Functions

Learning Outcome(s): At the end of the lesson, the learner is able to evaluate functions and solve
problems involving functions. .

Lesson Outline: 1. Evaluating functions

Evaluating a function means replacing the variable in the function, in this case x, with a value from the
function's domain and computing for the result. To denote that we are evaluating f at a for some a in
the domain of f we write f(a)

Example 1. Evaluate the following functions at x = 1.5:

Solution. Substituting 1.5 for x in the functions above, we have

(a) f (1.5) = 2(1.5) +1 = 4

(b) q (1.5) = (1.5)2 – 2(1.5) + 2 = 1.25

(c) g (1.5) = (1.5 + 1) ½ = (2.5) 1/2

(d) r (1.5) = 2(1.5) + 1 = 8

1.5 – 1

Example 2. Evaluate the following functions, where f and q are as defined in Example 1.

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2. For what values of x can we not evaluate the function f (x) = x + 3 ?
x2- 4

Solution. The domain of the function is given by {x : x . Since 2 and -2 are not in the domain, we
cannot evaluate the function at x = -2,2.

3. Evaluate f ( a + b ) where f (x) = 4x2 – 3x.

Solution.

f ( a + b ) = 4 (a + b)2 – 3(a + b) = 4(a2 +2ab + b2) – 3a -3b

= 4a2 – 3a + 8ab -3b + b2

4. Suppose that s(T) is the top speed (in km per hour) of a runner when the temperature is T
degrees Celsius. Explain what the statements s(15) = 12 and s(30) = 10 mean.

Solution. The first equation means that when the temperature is 15C, then the top speed of a
runner is 12 km per hour. However, when temperature rises to 30C, the top speed is reduced to
10 km per hour.

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5. The velocity V (in m/s) of a ball thrown upward t seconds after the ball was thrown is given by
V(t) = 20 – 9.8t. Calculate V(0) and V(1), and explain what these results mean.

Solution. V(0) = 20 – 9.8(0) = 20 and V(1) = 20 – 9.8(1) = 10.2. These results indicate that the
initial velocity of the ball is 20 m/s. After 1 second, the ball is traveling more slowly, at 10.2 m/s.

6.

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Lesson 3: Operations on Functions
Learning Outcome(s): At the end of the lesson, the learner is able to perform addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division, composition of functions, and solve problems involving functions.

Lesson Outline: 1. Review: Operations on algebraic expressions

2. Operation (Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) on functions

3. Function composition

Review :

Addition and Subtraction:

(a) Find the least common denominator (LCD) of both fractions.
(b) Rewrite the fractions as equivalent fractions with the same LCD.
(c) The LCD is the denominator of the resulting fraction.
(d) The sum or difference of the numerators is the numerator of the resulting fraction.

Example 1. Find the sum of 1 and 1

3 5

Solution. The LCD of the two factors is 15

1 + 2 = 5 + 6 = 5 + 6 = 11
3 5 15 15 15 15

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Example 2. Find the sum of

Multiplication
(a) Rewrite the numerator and denominator in terms of its prime factors.
(b) Common factors in the numerator and denominator can be simplified as “1” (this is often called
“cancelling”).
(c) Multiply the numerators together to get the new numerator.
(d) Multiply the denominators together to get the new denominator.

Example 3. Find the product of 10 and 15 . Use cancellation of factors when convenient.
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Solution. Express the numerators and denominators of the two fractions into their prime factors. Multiply
and cancel out common factors in the numerator and the denominator to reduce the final answer to lowest
terms.

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Solution. Express the numerators and denominators of the two rational expressions into their prime
factors. Multiply and cancel out common factors in the numerator and the denominator to reduce the
final answer to lowest terms. Note the similarity in the process between this example and the previous
one on fractions

Division:
To divide two fractions or rational expressions, multiply the dividend with the reciprocal of the divisor.

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Operation on functions

Several functions can work together in one larger function. There are 5 common operations that can be
performed on functions. The four basic operations on functions are adding, subtracting, multiplying, and
dividing. The notation for these functions is as follows

Addition (f + g)(x) = f(x)+ g(x)

Subtraction (f − g)(x) = f(x) − g(x)

Multiplication (f · g)(x) = f(x)g(x)

Division ( f / g ) (x) = f(x) g(x)

Example 6.

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Example 7. Given

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The fifth operation of functions is called composition of functions. A composition of functions is a
function inside of a function. The notation used for composition of functions is:

(f ◦ g)(x) = f(g(x))

To calculate a composition of function we will evaluate the inner function and substitute the answer
into the outer function. This is shown in the following example.

Example 8.

It is important to note that very rarely is (f ◦ g)(x) the same as (g ◦ f)(x) as the following example will
show, using the same equations, but compositing them in the opposite direction

Example 9

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Solved Examples

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Practice Problems

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Generalization

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Post Test

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Answer key

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