Functions I

CHAPTER 2: FUNCTIONS I

A manufacturer would like to know how his companys profit is related to its production level, a
biologist would like to know how the size of the population of a certain culture of bacteria will change
over time, a psychologist would like to know the relationship between the learning time of an
individual and the length of a vocabulary list, etc.
In each instance we are concerned with the same question. How does one quantity depend upon
another? The relationship between two quantities is conveniently described in mathematics by using
the concept of a function.

2.1

Functions

Function is a rule that assigns to each element in set A one and only one element in set B.

The set A is called the domain.

A function is usually denoted by a letter of alphabet such as the letter f, g, h, etc.
If x is an element in the domain of a function f then the element in B that f associates with x is

written f(x) (and is read f of x). Its also called the value of f at x.
The set of all the values of y = f(x) as x takes on all the possible values in its domain is called

range.
The output f(x) associated with the input x is unique. Each x must correspond to one and only
one y. However different xs may have the same y.
3

Example 2.1: Let s be the function s ( t )= ( 3t2 ) 2 . Find

a)
b)

s (1 )=

( 23 )=

s 3

c)

s ( a2 ) =

d)

s ( t+1 )=

12

Functions I

2.1.1

Domain of a function

Suppose we are given the function y = f(x). Then the variable x is called the independent variable. The
variable y, whose value depends on x is called the dependent variable.
To determine the domain of a function, we need to find what restrictions, if any, are to be placed on the
independent variable, x of a function.
In general if a function is defined by a rule relating x to f(x) without specific mention of its domain, it
is understood that the domain will consist of all the values of x for which f(x) is a real number.
However, keep in mind that:
1) Division by zero is no permitted (Denominator of a rational function must not be zero).
2) The square root of a negative number is not defined.
Example 2.2: Find the domain of each function

a)

f ( x )=

1
x 15

b)

1
x + x2

i)

c)

f ( x )= x1

d)
e)
f)
g)
h)

g (x )=

j)

g ( x ) =2 ( x1 )

5
2

k)
l)
m)
n)
o)
p)

g (x )=

x1
( x +2 ) ( x 3 )

q)
r)
s)
t)
u)
v)
w)
13

Functions I

x)
y) Example 2.3: Find the domain and range of the graphs below.
y
z)
y
a)
b) .
c)
d)
e)
y 4 x2
f)
g)
x
h)
O
i)
O
j)
k)
l)
m)

yx2

y x3

n)

14

o)
yx
p)
q)
r)
s)
x
t)
O
x
u)
O
v)
w)
x)
y)
z)
aa)
ab)
ac) 2.2
Algebra of Functions
ad)
ae)
af) 2.2.1 The Sum, Difference, Product and Quotient of Functions
ag)
ah)
ai) Most functions are built up from other, generally simpler functions. Take for example
f ( x )=x +4

can be said to be the sum of h(x) and g(x) where h(x) = x and g(x) = 4. In

general, given the functions f and g, we define the sum f + g, the difference f g, the product fg,
and the quotient f/g of f and g as follows:
aj)
Sum: f + g , f ( x ) + g ( x ) or ( f + g ) (x)
ak)

Difference: f g , f ( x )g ( x )

al)

Product: f g , f ( x ) g ( x )

am)

Quotient:

or ( f g ) (x)

f ( x)
f f
, (x) ,
,
g g
g( x) where g(x) cannot be zero.

2.2.2 Composition of functions

an)
ao)
ap) Let f and g be two functions. Then the composition of g and f is the function denoted as
aq)
ar)
(g o f)(x) = g(f(x)) = gf
as)
at)
2
au) Example 2.4: Let f ( x )=x 1 and g ( x ) = x +1 . Find
av)
a) The composite function g o f
aw)

b) The composite function f o g

ax)
ay)
az)
ba)
bb)
bc)
bd)
be)
bf)
bg)
bh)
bi)
bj) Example 2.5: Given the function

g ( x ) =x2 and h ( x )=2 x +1 , find the following:

bk)
a)

2
g ( x )=

bl)
bm)
bn)
bo)
bp)
bq)
br)
bs)
bt)
bu)

b) ( h+g ) ( x )=

c) (g h) ( 2 )=

2.2.3 Inverse Functions

bv)
bw)
bx) A function g is the inverse of the function f if
by) y=f ( x ) x=g( y )
bz) Or equivalently, we can write
1
ca) x=g ( y )=f ( y)
cb) Note that not all functions have inverses. To be specific, only one-to-one functions have
inverses. A function is a one-to-one function if each output corresponds to only one input x.
This can be seen using the horizontal line test.
cc)
cd) Steps for finding the inverse of a function:
ce)
Step 1: Write y=f ( x ) .
cf)

Step 2: Express x in terms of y.

cg)

Step 3: Interchange x and y to obtain

ch)
ci)
cj) Example 2.6: Find the inverse function for:
ck)
a)

f ( x )=2 x+ 1

b)

f ( x )=

y=f 1 ( x ) .

1
2 x3

cl)
cm)
cn)
co)
cp)
cq)
cr)
cs)
ct)
cu) 2.3
Applications in Business and Economics
cv)
cw)
cx) A mathematical model is a mathematical description of a real-world situation. If a mathematical
model utilizes a linear function, it is then called a linear model.
cy)
cz) In this section, we explore linear models in the context of business and economics. These
models
da) utilize simple descriptions and provide meaningful insights of a situation. Business
professionals

db) use linear models to analyze the relationships between cost and revenue; economists use linear
models to analyze the relationships between supply and demand.
dc)
dd)2.3.1 Cost Functions
de)
df)
dg) A cost function is a function that relates the production quantity to the corresponding cost.
dh) Specifically, the quantity of production is treated as input and the cost of production is treated
di) as output. Therefore, if x is used to denote the quantity of the number of items produced, the
cost function is denoted by C(x). Cost can be seen as all the money going out in ones business
operations or the total outflow of money.
dj)
dk) In general there are two types of costs: variable cost and fixed cost. Variable costs vary with
the level of production whereas fixed costs dont. They, together, form the cost function C.
dl)
dm)
dn) Example 2.7: Every year, approximately 2500 students and alumni of Central State University
attend the baseball game between Central State University (CSU) and Western State University.
One year, the CSU Business Club decides to sell T-shirts for the annual baseball game.
Production of the T-shirts will require one silk-screen master copy at $100. In addition,
production of each individual shirt will use $5.5 worth of a blank T-shirt and ink.
do)
a) Find the cost function, C(x) for the T-shirts.
dp)
dq)
dr)
ds)
dt)
du)
b) Sketch the graph of C(x).Hence, find the domain and range.
dv)
dw)
dx)
dy)
dz)
ea)
eb)
ec)

2.3.2 Revenue Function

ed)
ee)
ef) A revenue function is a function whose input is the number of items produced and whose
output is the revenue or income generated by selling those items. Therefore, if x denotes the
quantity of the number of items sold, the revenue function is denoted by R(x). Revenue in ones
business can be seen as all the money coming in or the total income.
eg)
eh) Example 2.8: With reference to Example 2.7, determine the following:
ei)
a) If the Business Club sells T-shirts for $9 each, find the revenue function R(x).
ej)
ek)
el)
em)
en)
eo)
b) Sketch the graph of R(x). Hence, find the domain and range.
ep)
eq)
er)
es)
et)
eu)
ev)
ew)
ex)
ey)
2.3.3 Break-Even Analysis
ez)
fa) Any manufacturing company has costs, C(x) and revenue, R(x). The company will:
fb)
fc)
lose if R(x) < C(x)
fd)
break even if R(x) = C(x)
fe)
profit if R(x) > C(x)
ff)
fg) The point at which R(x) = C(x) is called the break-even point. The value of x at which this
occurs is called the break-even quantity; the corresponding revenue is called the break-even
revenue.
fh)
fi)
fj)
fk)
fl) Example 2.9: With reference to Example 2.7 and 2.8,
a) Determine the break-even point for the production of the T-shirts.

fm)
fn)
fo)
fp)
fq)
b) Graph R(x) and C(x) on the same axes and show the break-even point.
fr)
fs)
ft)
fu)
fv)
fw)
fx)
fy)
fz)
ga)
gb)
gc)
gd)
ge) Example 2.10: The daily cost of production for x kg of bread is
gf)
gg) C( x )=$ 2 x+ $ 350
gh)
a) If each kg of bread is sold for $4.00, how many kg must be sold to make a profit?
gi)
gj)
gk)
gl)
gm)
gn)
go)
b) If the selling price is increased to $4.50 per kg, what is the break-even point?
gp)
gq)
gr)
gs)
gt)
gu)
gv)
gw)
gx)
c) If it is known that at least 150kg of bread can be sold daily, what price should be charged per kg
to guarantee no loss?
gy)
gz)
ha)
hb)

hc)
hd)
he)
hf)
hg)
hh)
hi) Example 2.11: The manager of FrozenAir Refrigerator factory notices that on Monday it costs
the company RM25000 to build 30 refrigerators and on Tuesday it costs RM 30,000 to build 40
refrigerators.
hj)
a) Find a linear cost function based on this information. What is the daily fixed cost and what is
the marginal cost?
hk)
hl)
hm)
hn)
ho)
hp)
hq)
hr)
hs)
ht)
b) FrozenAir sells its refrigerators for RM 1500 per unit. What is the revenue function?
hu)
hv)
hw)
c) What is the profit function? How many refrigerators must be sold per day in order to breakeven?
hx)
hy)
hz)
ia)
ib)
ic)
id)
ie)
if)
ig)
ih)
ii)
2.3.4 Supply and Demand in Economics
ij)
ik)
il) Supply-and-demand analysis is a very important part of business and economics. In general,
producers are willing to supply more of an item as the price of an item increases and less of an

item as the price decreases. Similarly, buyers are willing to buy less of an item as the price
increases, and more of an item as the price decreases.
im)
in) We have a dynamic situation where the price, supply, and demand fluctuate until a price is
reached at which the supply is equal to the demand. In economic theory, this point is called the
equilibrium point.
io)
ip) Example 2.12: The demand for your colleges magazine is 3000 copies per week if the
newsletter is given away free-of-charge and the demand drops to 1500 copies per week if the
charge is 50 cents per copy. On the other hand, the college is prepared to supply 750 copies per
week free-of-charge but will supply 2150 copies per week at 70 cents per copy.
iq)
(a) Write the associated linear demand, D(p) and supply, S(p) functions.
ir)
is)
it)
iu)
iv)
iw)
ix)
(b) At what price should the college newsletters be sold so that there is neither a surplus nor a
shortage of newspapers?
iy)
iz)
ja)
jb)
jc)
jd)
je)
(c) Graph both functions on the same coordinate system and indicate the equilibrium point.
jf)
jg)
jh)
ji)
jj)
jk)
jl)
jm)
jn)
jo)
jp)

jq) Tutorial 2
jr)
1. Find the domain of each function:
3
2
(a) f ( x )=2 x x +3
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)

f ( x )=

x2
x+4

f ( x )=

x +1
x2

g (x )=

f ( x )=

1
5+ x

x2
x+4

js)
2. Find the range of each function:
(a) f ( x )=3 x +1 if the domain is {x1 x 2 }
(b) f ( x )=x6

if the domain is {x3 x 7 }

jt)
2
3. Given f ( x )=x ,

(a)

g (x )=

x1
2 x3

and h ( x )=x+ 1 . Find

( f + h ) (1)

(b) ( g h )( x )
(c) (g o h)(x)
g
(3)
(d)
h

()

ju)
4. Given

f ( x )=

(a)

f +g

(b)

gf

(c)

f g

(d)

g/f

5x
2x

and

g (x )=

x
x 24 , find the following, write your answer in simplest form.

jv)
5. A manufacturer has a monthly fixed cost $50,000 and a production cost of $100 for each unit
produced. The product sells for $150 per unit.
(a) What is the cost function?

(b) What is the revenue function?

(c) What is the profit function?
jw)
6. Local magazine, The Investor, has a fixed production cost of $80 per edition and a marginal
printing and distribution costs of $0.50 per copy. The Investor sells for $1.20 per copy.
(a) Write the associated cost, revenue and profit functions.
(b) What profit (or loss) results from the sale of 450 copies of The Investor?
(c) How many copies should be sold in order to break-even?
(d) Graph the cost and revenue functions. Obtain the break-even point from the graph.
jx)
7. The quantity demanded for a digital SLR camera is 500 when the unit price is $2000. For each $50
decrease in the unit price, the quantity demanded increases by 100 units. Find the demand function
and sketch its graph.
jy)
8. A company manufactures memory chips for microcomputers has a monthly fixed cost of $20,000
and a production cost of $500 for each timer manufactured. The units sell for $750 each.
(a) Sketch the graphs of the cost function and the revenue function and hence find the breakeven point graphically.
(b) Find the break-even point algebraically.
(c) Find the profit function and sketch the graph.
(d) At what point does the graph of the profit function cross the x-axis? Interpret your result.
jz)
9. There is no demand for a certain make of football jersey when the unit price is $15. However, when
the unit price is $10, the quantity demanded is 800 per week. The suppliers will not market any
jerseys if the unit price is $5 or lower. At $9 per jersey, however, the manufacture will make
available 500 jerseys per week.
(a) Find the demand and supply function.
(b) Find the equilibrium quantity and price.
(c) Sketch the demand equation, supply equation and plot the equilibrium point in a graph.
ka)
10. The One Piece Company sells its latest product at a unit price of $10. Variable costs are estimated
to be 30% of the total revenue while fixed costs amount to $10,000 per month. How many units
should the company sell in order to break-even?
kb)
11. A donut shop has a fixed cost of $124 per day and a variable cost of $0.12 per donut. Find the total
daily cost of producing x donuts. How many donuts can be produced for a total daily cost of $250?
kc)
12. A plant manufactures 80 golf clubs per day for a total daily cost of $7,647 and 100 golf clubs per
day for a total daily cost of $9,147.
(a) Find the total daily cost of producing x golf clubs.
(b) Graph the total daily cost for 0 x 200 .
(c) Interpret the slope and y-intercept of this cost equation.

kd)
13. Each Sunday, a newspaper agency sells x copies of certain newspaper for $1.00 per copy. The cost
to the agency of each newspaper is $0.50. The agency pays a fixed cost for storage, delivery, and
so on, of $100 per Sunday.
(a) Write an equation that relates the profit, P, in dollars, to the number x of copies sold. Graph
this equation.
(b) What is the profit to the agency if 1000 copies are sold?
ke)
14. To determine the best sales price for their Baseball game T-shirts, Business Club member show a
number of students and alumni a sample T-shirt and asked them if they would pay $9 or $10 for the
shirt. Of the 50 people asked, 40 said they would pay $9 and 30 said they would pay $10.
a) Use the data to project the number of shirts that the CSU Business Club would sell at these
prices if 2000 CSU fans attend the game. Find the linear demand function D(p) for the
baseball game. Hence, find the domain and range of D(p), assuming that no one buys more
than one T-shirt. Then, graph D(p).
b) Members of the CSU Business Club will be selling the T-shirts at booths at the baseball
game. At $9 per shirt, the members are willing to put in enough time to sell 600 shirts, but
at $10 per shirt, more members would be willing to put in their time and 700 shirts could be
sold. Find the linear supply function S(p) for the baseball game. Find the domain and range
of S(p), assuming that no one buys more than one T-shirt. Then, graph S(p).
kf)
c) Find the equilibrium price. Then, graph S(p) and D(p) on the same axes and indicate the
equilibrium point.
kg)
kh) Answers
1.
a. All real numbers
x 4
b.
c.

x2

d.

x 2, x <4

e.

x>5
ki)

2.
a.

{ f ( x )|4 f ( x ) 7 }

b.

{f ( x)3 f ( x) 1 }

kj)
3.
a.

b.

x 1
2 x3

c.

x
2 x1

d.

1
6

kk)
4.
a.

x (5 x +11)
(x 24)

b.

x(5 x9)
( x2 ) (2x)

c.

5 x
(2x ) ( x 24 )

d.

1
5 ( x+2)

kl)
5.
a.

C ( x )=50,000+100 x

b.

R ( x ) =150 x

c.

P ( x )=50 x50,000

a.

C ( x )=80+ 0.5 x , R ( x ) =1.2 x ,

6.
b. Profit = $ 235
c. 114 copies
d.

P ( x )=0.7 x80

km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
km)
kn)
ko)
kp)
kq)
kr)
ks)
kt)
ku)
kv)
kw)

7.

d ( p )=2 p+ 4500

kx)
ky)
8.
a.

C ( x )=20,000+500 x ,

kz)
b. Break-even point = 80
la)

R ( x ) =750 x

c.

P ( x )=250 x20,000

lb)
d. Give your own opinion for this question.
lc)
ld)
9.
a.

d ( p )=160 p+2400 , s ( p )=125 p625

b. The equilibrium quantity = 700 and equilibrium price = $10.60.

c.
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
le)
lf)
lg)

lh)
li)
lj)
lk)
ll)
lm)
ln)
lo)
lp)
lq)
lr)
ls)

10.
11.

x=1428 units
C=124+0.12 x , 1050 donuts

12.
a.

C=75 x+1647

b.
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lt)
lu)
lv)
lw)
lx)
ly)
lz)
ma)
mb)
mc)

md)
me)
mf)
mg)
mh)
mi) Give your own opinion for this question.
mj)
13.
a.

P=0.5 x100

mk)
b. $400

d ( p) 400 p 5200
ml) 14.

a. (9, 1600) & (10, 1200),

mm) Range: 0 < d((p) < 2000. Domain: 8 < p < 13