MTH 1109 §6.

1 Inverse Functions 1/5

Addition and subtraction (as well as multiplication and division) are inverse operations; that is, they undo one
another. If we are given a function, our goal is to find the inverse function – the function that undoes the given
function. As we will see, not every function has an inverse function!

Which of the relations below represent a function? Of those that are functions, what is different between them?

D R D R D R

x1 y1 x1 y1 y1
x1
x2 y2 x2 y2 y2
x3
x3 y3 x3 y3 y3

Function? yes no Function? yes no Function? yes no

One-to-One Function
A function f is a one-to-one function (usually abbreviated as 1–1) if two different inputs from the domain
produce two different outputs in the range. In math, a 6= b implies f (a) 6= f (b).

Or equivalently, f is one-to-one if when the outputs are the same, the inputs must have been the same. In math,
f (a) = f (b) implies a = b.

Horizontal Line Test

A function is one-to-one if every horizontal line intersects the graph of the function at most once. Or equivalently,
a function is not one-to-one if a horizontal line intersects the graph more than once.
y y
3 3

2 2

1 1

x x
−3 −2 −1 1 2 3 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3
−1 −1

−2 −2

−3 −3

NOT one-to-one one-to-one

MTH 1109 §6.1 Inverse Functions 2/5

Example 1: Determine whether the following functions are one-to-one.

(a) {(1, 2), (2, 3), (5, 7), (−1, 3), (4, 10), (3, 8)} (b) f (x) = 4x − 5

Your Turn 1: Determine whether the following functions are one-to-one.

(a) {(−3, −27), (−2, −8), (−1, −1), (0, 0), (1, 1), (2, 8), (3, 27)} (b) f (x) = (x − 2)2 + 1

Two functions will be inverses (of each other) if they undo one another. For example, if f is the function “multiply
x
by 2” and g is the function “divide by 2”, then f (x) = 2x and g(x) = . What happens if we take a number x and
2
multiply it by 2 and then immediately divide that answer by 2? What about the other way?

x x 2x
f (g(x)) = f =2 =x g(f (x)) = g(2x) = =x
2 2 2

Inverse Function
Let f be a one-to-one function. Then g is the inverse function of f , and f is the inverse function of g, if both

(f ◦ g)(x) = x for every x in the domain of g, and

(g ◦ f )(x) = x for every x in the domain of f .

4
! Only one-to-one functions will have an inverse function!
MTH 1109 §6.1 Inverse Functions 3/5

3 3
Example 2: Let f (x) = and g(x) = 2 + . Verify that f and g are inverses of each other.
x−2 x

√
Your Turn 2: Let f (x) = (x + 2)3 − 5 and g(x) = 3
x + 5 − 2. Verify that f and g are inverses of each other.

When a function has an inverse function, it has exactly one inverse; in other words, the inverse function is unique.
Because of this we use special notation.

Inverse Function Notation

If f is a one-to-one function, then its inverse function is written f −1 (read as “f -inverse”). In fact, if f is
one-to-one, then f −1 exists!

4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
!

1
The −1 in f −1 (x) is NOT an exponent! f −1 (x) 6=
f (x)
4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
! 4
!

Domain of f Range of f
f
Roles of Domain and Range for Inverses

x y
Domain of f = Range of f −1
f −1
Range of f = Domain of f −1
Range of f −1 Domain of f −1
MTH 1109 §6.1 Inverse Functions 4/5

Example 3: Find the inverse of the one-to-one function f : {(−2, −5), (−1, −3), (0, 0), (1, 3), (2, 5)}.

Your Turn 3: Find the inverse of the one-to-one function f : {(−2, −4), (−1, −2), (0, 0), (1, 2), (2, 4)}.

Geometric Relationship Between the Graphs of f and f −1

If f is one-to-one, then

• The graphs of y = f (x) and y = f −1 (x) are symmetric (mirror images) across the line y = x.
• If (a, b) is a point on y = f (x), then (b, a) is a point on y = f −1 (x).

Example 4: The graph of y = f (x) is given below. Your Turn 4: The graph of y = f (x) is given below.
On the same set of axes, draw the graph of its inverse On the same set of axes, draw the graph of its inverse
−1
function f (x). function f −1 (x).

Finding the Equation of the Inverse of y = f (x)

If f is one-to-one, then its inverse f −1 can be found by:

1. Replace f (x) by y.
2. Interchange x and y.
3. Solve for y.
4. Replace y with f −1 (x).
MTH 1109 §6.1 Inverse Functions 5/5

2x + 3
Example 5: Find the inverse function, f −1 (x), for the one-to-one function f (x) = . What are the domain
x−1
and range for both f and f −1 ? Write the domain and range using interval notation.

5x − 1
Your Turn 5: Find the inverse function, f −1 (x), for the one-to-one function f (x) = . What are the domain
x+7
and range for both f and f −1 ? Write the domain and range using interval notation.