GCSE Maths – Algebra

Functions
Notes

WORKSHEET

This work by PMT Education is licensed under https://bit.ly/pmt-cc

https://bit.ly/pmt-edu-cc CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
Functions

A function can be thought of as a machine that takes in a number, performs operations on it

and outputs a different number.

Input Machine Output

number 𝑥𝑥 (Function) number 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) or 𝑦𝑦

Functions are written in the form 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) which means ‘function with an input number 𝑥𝑥’. A
function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) is typically written in algebra, for example 𝑓𝑓 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 2𝑥𝑥 + 1. We must be careful to
apply the order of operations correctly. To do this, we use BIDMAS (Brackets, Indices,
Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction).

𝑥𝑥 ×2 +1 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥)

We could be asked to replace 𝑥𝑥 with a specific number to evaluate a function at a certain

value.

Example: What is the value of 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑥𝑥 + 1 when 𝑥𝑥 = 2?

1. We replace 𝑥𝑥 with the number 2.

𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) evaluated at 𝑥𝑥 = 2 is equal to 𝑓𝑓(2):

𝑓𝑓(2) = 2(2) + 1

2. Simplify this where possible and compute the required computation.

𝑓𝑓(2) = 2(2) + 1 = 4 + 1 = 5

This type of question can be asked in many different ways. For example, we may simply be
asked to find 𝑓𝑓(2). This similarly means we must replace 𝑥𝑥 with the number 2.

https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
Inverse Functions (Higher Only)

Lots of functions have inverse functions. These do the opposite of what a function does
to a number 𝑥𝑥. They are written in the form 𝑓𝑓 −1 (𝑥𝑥).

A common exam question is to find the inverse function of a function. The following
example demonstrates the method required to do that.

Example: What is the inverse function of 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 3𝑥𝑥 − 7?

1. Replace 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) with y.

𝑦𝑦 = 3𝑥𝑥 − 7

2. Rearrange the equation to make 𝑥𝑥 the subject.

𝑦𝑦 = 3𝑥𝑥 − 7

𝑦𝑦 + 7 = 3𝑥𝑥

𝑦𝑦 + 7
𝑥𝑥 =
3

3. Swap the letters 𝑥𝑥 and 𝑦𝑦 with each other and then replace 𝑦𝑦 with 𝑓𝑓 −1 (𝑥𝑥).

𝑥𝑥 + 7 𝒙𝒙 + 𝟕𝟕
𝑦𝑦 = → 𝒇𝒇−𝟏𝟏 (𝒙𝒙) =
3 𝟑𝟑

We can think of the inverse function as the reverse process.

Composite Functions (Higher Only)

When we have more than one function, we can combine them to form a composite
function. Composite functions formed from functions 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) may take the form
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) or 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥), depending on which function is substituted into the other.

Example: If 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑥𝑥 + 1 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) = 6𝑥𝑥 2 − 4, what is 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥)?

1. Substitute the innermost function, 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥), into the outer function, 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥), in the place of the
letter 𝑥𝑥.

Putting 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) into 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) gives

𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑓𝑓�𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 )� = 2�𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 )� + 1 = 2(6𝑥𝑥 2 − 4) + 1

2. Expand any brackets being multiplied and simplify the equation where possible.

𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 12𝑥𝑥 2 − 8 + 1 = 12𝑥𝑥 2 − 7

𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 − 𝟕𝟕

https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
We may even be asked to find the value of a composite function when 𝑥𝑥 has a specific
value. To do this, it is helpful to first write the composite function algebraically before then
substituting in a value of 𝑥𝑥.

Example: If 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 5 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) = 6𝑥𝑥 − 4, what is 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(3)?

1. Substitute the innermost function in the place of 𝑥𝑥 into the outer function.

2
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑓𝑓�𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥)� = �𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥)� − 5 = (6𝑥𝑥 − 4)2 − 5

2. Expand any brackets being multiplied and simplify where possible.

(6𝑥𝑥 − 4)2 − 5 = (36𝑥𝑥 2 − 48𝑥𝑥 + 16) − 5

𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 − 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 + 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏

3. Substitute the given 𝑥𝑥-value, 𝑥𝑥 = 3, into this equation and calculate the required value.

𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(3) = 36(3)2 − 48(3) + 11 = 324 − 144 + 11 = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏

https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
 Functions – Practice Questions

1. Complete the following:

a) Find the value of 𝑓𝑓(5) when 𝑓𝑓 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 3𝑥𝑥 − 2.

b) Find the value of 𝑔𝑔(7) when 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 4𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 2 .

2. Solve the following for 𝑥𝑥:

a) ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 5𝑥𝑥 + 2, ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) = −4.

b) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 18𝑥𝑥 − 2, 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 6.

3. Find the inverse functions of the following functions:

a) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 4𝑥𝑥 + 7

b) 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 15𝑥𝑥 2 + 3

2𝑥𝑥
c) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) =
3+𝑥𝑥

9−9𝑥𝑥 2
4. Find the value of 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = if 𝑔𝑔−1 (7).
𝑥𝑥 2

5. Solve ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) = 3𝑥𝑥 2 + 6 for 𝑥𝑥 given ℎ−1 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 2.

3 8𝑥𝑥 3 −1
6. Given 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 1 − 2𝑥𝑥 3 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = − 4 show that 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = .
𝑥𝑥 1−2𝑥𝑥 3

7. Given 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 4𝑥𝑥 + 6 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 9 find the value of 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(3).

Worked solutions for the practice questions can be found amongst the worked solutions for the
corresponding worksheet file.

https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc