EM 111- CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS )

GRAPH OF A FUNCTION

The curve 𝑦 = 𝑓 (𝑥 ) is called the graph of the function 𝑓(𝑥 ). Many properties of the
function are made more vivid by this graphic representation.
Say for example, the function 𝑨 = 𝒄𝟐 , 𝒄 > 𝟎 is represented graphically by half of a
parabola (shown in Figure 2).
A

c
0
Figure 2

Example 3:
Graph the equation of the parabola 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 1.

𝒙 𝒚
-2 5
-1 2
0 1
1 2
2 5

Example 4:
Express the altitude of a right circular cone as a function of the volume with a
fixed radius of 3 inches. Graph the function.

From the formula of the volume of a cone,

1 1
𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ = 𝜋(32 )(ℎ)
3 3 𝑽 𝒉
𝟏 0 0
𝒉= 𝑽
𝟑𝝅
1 0.106
2 0.212
 EM 111- CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS )

COMBINATION OF FUNCTIONS
Two functions 𝒇 and 𝒈 can be combined to form new functions 𝒇 + 𝒈, 𝒇 − 𝒈, 𝒇𝒈, and
𝒇⁄
𝒈 in a manner similar to the way we add, subtract, multiply, and divide real numbers.

Algebra of Functions:
Let 𝒇 and 𝒈 be functions with domain 𝑨 and 𝑩. Then the functions 𝒇 + 𝒈, 𝒇 − 𝒈, 𝒇𝒈,
𝒇⁄
and 𝒈 are defined as follows:
(𝒇 + 𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙)
(𝒇 − 𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) − 𝒈(𝒙)
(𝒇𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙)𝒈(𝒙)
𝒇 𝒇(𝒙)
( ) (𝒙 ) =
𝒈 𝒈(𝒙)

Example 8:
𝑓
If 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = √𝑥 and 𝑔(𝑥 ) = √4 − 𝑥 2 , find the functions 𝑓 + 𝑔, 𝑓 − 𝑔, 𝑓𝑔, and ⁄𝑔

(𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥 ) = √𝒙 + √𝟒 − 𝒙𝟐

(𝑓 − 𝑔)(𝑥 ) = √𝒙 − √𝟒 − 𝒙𝟐

(𝑓𝑔)(𝑥 ) = √𝑥√4 − 𝑥 2 = √𝟒𝒙 − 𝒙𝟑

𝑓 𝑓(𝑥) √𝑥 𝒙
( ) (𝑥 ) = = =√
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥) √4 − 𝑥 2 𝟒 − 𝒙𝟐

Composition of Functions:
Given two functions 𝒇 and 𝒈, the composite function 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈 (also called the composition
of 𝒇 and 𝒈) is defined by:
(𝒇 ∘ 𝒈)(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒈(𝒙))

The domain of 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈 is the set of all 𝒙 in the domain of 𝒈 such that 𝒈(𝒙) is in the domain
of 𝒇. In other words, (𝒇 ∘ 𝒈)(𝒙) is defined whenever both 𝒈(𝒙) and 𝒇(𝒈(𝒙)) are defined. The
best way to picture 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈 is by a machine diagram (see fig. 4).

Figure 4. The 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 machine is composed of the

𝑔 machine (first) and then the 𝑓 machine.
 EM 111- CALCULUS 1 (DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS )

Example 9:
If 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟐 and 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝒙 − 𝟑, find the composite functions 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈 and 𝒈 ∘ 𝒇.

(𝑓 ∘ 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥 )) = 𝑓 (𝑥 − 3) = (𝒙 − 𝟑)𝟐

(𝑔 ∘ 𝑓)(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑓 (𝑥 )) = 𝑔(𝑥 2 ) = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑

Note: You can see from Example 7 that, in general, 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈 ≠ 𝒈 ∘ 𝒇. Remember the notation
𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 means that the function 𝑔 is applied first then 𝑓 is applied second while for notation
𝑔 ∘ 𝑓, function 𝑓 is applied first followed by function 𝑔.

Example 10:
If 𝒇(𝒙) = √𝒙 and 𝒈(𝒙) = √𝟐 − 𝒙, find the composite functions 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈, 𝒈 ∘ 𝒇, 𝒇 ∘ 𝒇, and
𝒈∘𝒈

𝟒
(𝑓 ∘ 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥 )) = 𝑓(√2 − 𝑥) = √√2 − 𝑥 = √𝟐 − 𝒙

(𝑔 ∘ 𝑓)(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑓 (𝑥 )) = 𝑔(√𝑥) = √𝟐 − √𝒙

𝟒
(𝑓 ∘ 𝑓)(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑓(𝑥 )) = 𝑓(√𝑥) = √√𝑥 = √𝒙

(𝑔 ∘ 𝑔)(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑔 (𝑥 )) = 𝑔(√2 − 𝑥) = √𝟐 − √𝟐 − 𝒙

Example 11:
𝒙
Find 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈 ∘ 𝒉 if 𝒇(𝒙) = , 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟏𝟎 , 𝒉(𝒙) = 𝒙 + 𝟑
𝒙+𝟏

(𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 ∘ ℎ)(𝑥 ) = 𝑓 (𝑔(ℎ(𝑥 )))

(𝒙+𝟑)𝟏𝟎
= 𝑓(𝑔(𝑥 + 3)) = 𝑓(𝑥 + 3)10 = (𝒙+𝟑)𝟏𝟎 +𝟏
Example 12:
Given 𝑭(𝒙) = 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 (𝒙 + 𝟗), find functions 𝒇, 𝒈, and 𝒉 such that 𝑭 = 𝒇 ∘ 𝒈 ∘ 𝒉

Since 𝐹 (𝑥) = [cos (𝑥 + 9)]2 , the formula for 𝐹 says: First add 9, then take the cosine of the
result, and finally square. Therefore, we let: 𝒉(𝒙) = 𝒙 + 𝟗; 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒙; 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟐

(𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 ∘ ℎ)(𝑥 ) = 𝑓 (𝑔(ℎ(𝑥 ))) = 𝑓(𝑔 (𝑥 + 9))

= 𝑓(cos(𝑥 + 9)) = [𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝑥 + 9)]2 = 𝐹(𝑥)