The function f is a set of ordered pairs, (x,y), then the
changes produced by f can be “undone” by reversing
components of all the ordered pairs. The resulting
relation (y,x), may or may not be a function. Inverse
functions have a special “undoing” relationship.
A function y = f (x) with domain D is one-to-one on D
if and only if for every x1 and x2 in D, f (x1) = f (x2)
implies that x1 = x2.
A function is a mapping from its domain to its range
so that each element, x, of the domain is mapped to
one, and only one, element, f (x), of the range.
A function is one-to-one if each element f (x) of the
range is mapped from one, and only one, element, x,
of the domain.
Horizontal Line Test
A function y = f (x) is one-to-one if and only if
no horizontal line intersects the graph of y = f (x)
in more than one point.
y
Example: The function
y = x2 – 4x + 7 is not one-to-one (0, 7) (4, 7)
on the real numbers because y=7
the line y = 7 intersects the
2
graph at both (0, 7) and (4, 7). x
2
Example: Apply the horizontal line test to the
graphs below to determine if the functions are one-
to-one.
a) y = x3 b) y = x3 + 3x2 – x – 1
y y
8 8
4 4
-4 4 -4 4
x x
one-to-one not one-to-one
Definition of Inverse: A function g is the inverse of the
function f if f(g(x)) = x and g(f(x)) = x.
Domain of f = Range of g
Domain of g = Range of f
Ex. Show that the following are inverses of each other.
x 1
f ( x) 2 x 1
3
g ( x) 3
3
2
x 1
f ( g ( x)) 2 3 1
x
2
Reflective Property of Inverse Functions
f contains (a, b) iff f-1 contains (b, a)
“if and only if”
Existence of an Inverse Function
1. A function possesses an inverse iff it is 1 – 1.
2. If f is strictly monotonic on its entire domain, then
it is 1 – 1 and hence, possesses an inverse.
Note: strictly monotonic means the function is increasing
or decreasing over its entire domain.
Let’s look at the following two functions.
a.) f(x) = x3 + x –1 and b.) f(x) = x3 – x + 1
Not 1 – 1
1 – 1, because it does
therefore not pass the
it has an horizontal
inverse. line test.
Find the inverse of f ( x) 2 x 3 Steps for finding
an inverse.
1. solve for x
y 2x 3 Domain of f(x)
2. exchange x’s
y 2x 3
2
3 and y’s
y 3 2x
2 2 ,
3. replace y
y 3
2 with f-1
x Range of f(x)
2
x2 3 0,
y
2 Domain of f -1(x) = Range of f(x)
x 3
2
f 1 ( x) and
2
Range of f-1(x) = Domain of f(x)
Horizontal Line Test
b and c are not one-to-one functions because they
don’t pass the horizontal line test.
y=x
f-1(x)
f(x)
The Derivative of an Inverse Function
If f is differentiable on its domain and possesses an inverse
function g, then the derivative of g is given by
1
g ' ( x)
f ' ( g ( x))
Graphs of inverse functions have reciprocal slopes.
Let f(x) = x2 (for x >0) and let f-1(x) = x .
Show that the slopes of the graphs of f and f-1 are reciprocals
at the following points. (2, 4) and (4, 2)
Find the derivatives of f and f-1.
f ' ( x) 2 x and f ' x
1 1
2 x
At (2, 4), the slope of the graph of f is f’(2) = 4.
At (4, 2), the slope of the graph of f-1 is ¼.
For a function y = f (x), the inverse relation of f
is a function if and only if f is one-to-one.
For a function y = f (x), the inverse relation of f
is a function if and only if the graph of f passes
the horizontal line test.
If f is one-to-one, the inverse relation of f
is a function called the inverse function of f.
The inverse function of y = f (x) is written y = f -1(x).
16
Applications of Inverse Functions
The function given by f(x)=5/9x+32 converts x degrees Celsius
to an equivalent temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.
a. Is f a one-to-one function? Why or why not?
F=f(x)=5/9x+32 is 1 to 1 because it is a linear function.
b. Find a formula for f -1 and interpret what it calculates.
5 The Celsius formula converts x
f ( x) x 32
9 degrees Fahrenheit into Celsius.
5
y x 32 Replace the f(x) with y
9
5
x y 32 Solve for y, subtract 32
9
5 Multiply by 9/5 on both sides
x 32 y
9
9
( x 32) y
5
