A Review of Functions

Functions
One of the most useful ideas in mathematics is function. We know that when the radius
of a circle becomes bigger, the circle’s area also increases. To accurately find the
relationship between the circle’s radius with its area, we can construct a rule that
relates the two variables. This rule is what we call the function. Functions are the
fundamental objects we deal with in Calculus. These functions can be represented in
different ways to show us more perspective.

Functions

Functions arise whenever one quantity depends on another. Consider the given
examples:

a. The area A enclosed by a circle depends on its radius r. The rule that connects
2
these two is given by the equation 𝐴 = π𝑟 . With each positive number r, there is
associated value of A, and we say that A is a function of r.

b. The human population of the World depends on time t. A table of values

estimates the population on Earth P(t) at a time t, in years. For example,

P(2020) = 7,800,000,000

and for each value of the time t, there is a corresponding value of P, and we say
that P is a function of t.

c. The cost C of sending a delivery thru LBC depends on its mass m. Although there
exists no simple formula that connects m and C, the LBC office has a rule for
determining C when m is known.

d. The vertical acceleration a of the ground as measured by a seismograph during

an earthquake is a function of the elapsed time t. Figure 1 shows a graph
generated by a seismic activity in 1994 somewhere in California. For a given
value of t, the graph provides a corresponding value of a.

Fig. 1.

Each example describes a rule whereby, given a number (r, t, m, or t), another number
(A, P, C, or a) is assigned. In each case we say that the second number is a function of
the first number.

Functions Handout
 A function f is a rule that assigns to each element x in a set A exactly one element,
called f(x), in a set B.

We usually consider functions for which the sets A and B are sets of real numbers. The
set A is called the domain of the function. The number f(x) is the value of f at x and is
read as “f of x.” The range of f is the set of all possible values of f(x) as x varies
throughout the domain. A symbol that represents an arbitrary number in the domain of
a function f is called an independent variable. A symbol that represents a number in the
range of f is called a dependent variable. In the first example, the radius r of the circle is
the independent variable while the area A enclosed by the circle is the dependent
variable.

A common way of illustrating a function is thinking of it as

a machine as illustrated in Figure 2. If x is in the domain of
the function f, then when x enters the machine, it’s
accepted as an input and the machine produces an
output f(x) according to the rule of the function. Thus, we
can think of the domain as the set of all possible inputs
and the range as the set of all possible outputs.

Another way to picture a function is by an arrow diagram as

in Figure 3. Each arrow connects an element of A to an
element of B. The arrow indicates that f(x) is associated
with x, f(a) is associated with a, and so on.

Helpful illustrations to visualize the domain and range of a

function is through the graph below (Figures 4 and 5).

Functions Handout
The graph of a function f is shown at the right.
a. Find the values of f(-3) and f(2)

b. What are the domain and range of f?

Solution

a. We see from Figure 6 that the point

(-3, 1) lies on the graph of f. Therefore,
the value of f at -3 is 1. When x = 2,
the graph lies on (2, -3). Therefore,
f(2) = -3.

b. We see that f(x) is defined when the value of x is from -3 to 2. In symbols, we write
− 3 ≤𝑥 ≤2 which makes the domain be the closed interval [-3, 2]. Notice that the
possible values of y are from -3 to 3. We can write the range as
{𝑦| − 3 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 3} = [− 3, 3].

Representations of a Function

There are four possible ways to represent a function:

verbally numerically visually algebraically

By a description in By a table of By a graph By an explicit
words values formula (equation)
Examples
The area of a 𝐴 = π𝑟
2

circle is r A (in π)
dependent in its 1 1
radius. 2 4
3 9

If a single function can be represented in all four ways, it’s often useful to go from one
representation to another to gain additional insight into the function.

Let F(C) be the Fahrenheit temperature corresponding to the Celsius temperature C.

Represent this function in four ways.

Solution

The verbal description tells us that we should first multiply the input C by 9/5 and then
add 32 to the product. We get 𝐹(𝐶) = 5 𝐶 + 32.
9

Functions Handout
We use the algebraic formula for F to construct a table of values.
C (Celsius) F (Fahrenheit)
-10 14
0 32
10 50
20 68
30 86
40 104

We use the points from the table of values to draw the graph of the function.

Functions
The graph of a function f is shown at the right.
a. Find the values of f(-2) and f(1).

b. What are the domain and range of f?

Given a graph of any equation, a test can be done to

identify whether the graph is a function or not.

The Vertical Line Test A curve in the xy-plane is the graph of a function of x if and only if
no vertical line intersects the curve more than once.

The illustration below shows how to administer the vertical line test.

Functions Handout
Applying the vertical line test to conic sections, we know that the circle, ellipse,
hyperbolas, and parabolas opening to the left and right are not functions.

Piecewise-defined functions

A piecewise-defined is identified by different formulas on different part of its domain. As

from the name suggests, the graph of such function consists of separate pieces.

A function f is defined by

2
{
𝑓(𝑥) = 1 − 𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑥≤ − 1 𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 > −1 }
Evaluate f(-2), f(-1) and f(0) and sketch the graph.

Solution

Remember that a function is a rule. For this particular function the rule is the following:
First look at the value of the input x. If it happens that 𝑥≤ − 1, then the value of f(x) is
2
1-x. On the other hand, if 𝑥 > − 1, then the value of f(x) is 𝑥 .

Since − 2≤ − 1, we have f(-2) = 1 – (-2) = 3.

Since − 1≤ − 1, we have f(-1) = 1 – (-1) = 2.

2
Since 0 > − 1, we have f(0) = 0 = 0.

The graph can be drawn by using some points from the

given parts of the domain, then connect these points.
Graphing utilities are also helpful in graphing this type of
functions.

The next example of a piecewise defined function is the absolute value function. Recall
that the absolute value of a number a, denoted by |𝑎|, is the distance from a to 0 on
the real number line. Distances are always positive or 0, so we have

Functions Handout
 |𝑎|≥0 for every number a

For instance,

|3| = 3 |− 3| = 3 |0| = 0 | 5 − 2| = 5 − 2

In general, we have

|𝑎| = 𝑎 if 𝑎≥0
|𝑎| =− 𝑎 if 𝑎<0

The graph of an absolute value function looks like the figure below.

Notice that the range is from zero to positive infinity.

The greatest integer function is defined by

⟦𝑥⟧ = 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑥

For example,
⟦2⟧ = 2
⟦2. 4⟧ = 2 ⟦1. 999⟧ = 1 ⟦0. 035⟧ = 0 ⟦ − 3. 25⟧ =− 4 ⟦ − 0. 50⟧ =− 1

The graph of the greatest integer functions is illustrated below. This is an example of a
step function.

Functions Handout
An international museum charges $5 per person for a guided tour with a group of 1 to 9
people or fixed $50 fee for a group of 10 or more people.

a. Write a function relating the number of visitors, n, to the total cost C.

b. How much will be paid if 8 people will visit the museum? 15 people?

c. Graph the function.

Solution

a. Two formulas will be used. For n people below 10, C = 5n. For 10 or more people, C =
50. This can be represented as

𝐶(𝑛) = {5𝑛 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑛≤9 50 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 9 }

b. If 8 people will visit the museum, 5(8) = 40 dollars will be paid since 0 < 8≤9. If 15
people will be paid, the fixed cost 50 dollars will be paid since 15 > 9.

c. The graph of the function is illustrated below.

References

Larson, R. & Hostetler, R. (2007). Precalculus (7th ed.). Houghton-Mifflin Company.

Larson, R. (2018). Precaculus with calcchat and calcview (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Stewart, J., Redlin, L., & Watson, S. (2012). Stewart’s algebra and trigonometry. Prentice Hall:
Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd.
Stewart, J. (2016). Calculus (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Functions Handout