60 Part I: Foundation (And We Don’t Mean Makeup!
Finding the Inverse of a Function
(Who Knew It Was Lost?)
An inverse function undoes what a function does. You’ve seen inverse operations
before: Addition undoes subtraction and division undoes multiplication. It shouldn’t
surprise you, then, that functions have inverses. If f(x) is the original function, then
f–1(x) is the symbol for the inverse. This notation is only used for the inverse function
and is never meant to represent .
You’ll be asked to do three main things with inverses:
! Given a function, graph its inverse
! Find the inverse of a given function
! Show that two functions are inverses of each other
In any case, all you need to know is that it’s all about input and output. If (a, b) is a
point in the original function, then (b, a) is a point in the inverse function. Domain and
range swap places from a function to its inverse. If asked to graph the inverse function,
graph the original and then swap all x and y values in each point to graph the inverse.
To find the inverse of a given function, literally take x and y (or f(x)) and switch them.
After the swap, change the name to the symbol for an inverse function, f–1(x), and solve
for the inverse. Lastly, to show that two functions f(x) and g(x) are inverses of each
other, place one inside the other using composition of functions, f(g(x)), and simplify
to show that you get x. Then do it the other way around with g(f(x)) to make sure it
works both ways.
Q. Find the inverse of f(x) = 5x – 4. Q. Determine whether f(x) = 3x – 1 and
g(x) = are inverses of each other.
A. f–1(x) = . First, switch x and f(x):
x = 5f(x) – 4. Name the new function by A. These two functions are inverses. First,
its correct name, the inverse function: find : 3( ) – 1. Simplify this
x = 5f–1(x) – 4. Now solve for the inverse:
expression: x + 1 – 1 = x. That’s what it’s
x + 4 = 5f–1(x); = f–1(x). supposed to be, so move onto the next
one: : = x. That one
works, too, so these two functions are
inverses of each other.
Chapter 3: Understanding the Function of Functions 61
33. Graph the inverse of g(x) = x−2 . 34. Find the inverse of k(x) = .
Solve It Solve It
35. Determine whether f(x) = x3 – 1 and 36. Determine whether f(x) = and
g(x) = are inverses of each other. g(x) = 1 – 2x are inverses of each other.
Solve It Solve It
