1.

Functions and Graphs

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150)

Dawit G. Tadesse
Auburn University

Summer 2011

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.1 Graphs and Graphing utilities

Points and Ordered Pairs

The rectangular coordinate system or Cartesian coordinate
system uses two number lines. The horizontal number line is the
x-axis. The vertical number line is the y-axis. The point of
intersection of these axes is their zero points, called the origin.
Positive numbers are shown to the right and above the origin.
Negative numbers are shown to the left and below the origin. The
axes divide the plane into four quarters, called quadrants. The
points located on the axes are not in any quadrant.
Each point in the rectangular coordinate system corresponds to an
ordered pair of real numbers, (x, y ). The first number in each
pair, called the x-coordinate, denotes the distance and direction
from the origin along the x-axis. The second number in each pair,
called the y-coordinate, denotes vertical distance and direction
along a line parallel to the y-axis or along the y-axis itself.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.1 Graphs and Graphing utilities(Contd.)

Figure: The rectangular coordinate system

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.1 Graphs and Graphing utilities(Contd.)

Example 1: Plot the points A(2, 5), B(-1, 4), C(-4, -2), D(3, -2)
in the rectangular coordinate system.

Graphs of Equations
A relationship between two quantities can be expressed as an
equation in two variables. A solution of an equation in two
variables, x and y, is an ordered pair of real numbers. The graph
of an equation in two variables is the set of all points whose
coordinates satisfy the equation. One method for graphing such
equations is the point-plotting method.
Example 2: Graph the following equations setting x= -3, -2, -1, 0,
1, 2, and 3.
a. y = x 2 + 2
b. y = x + 2
c. y = −2|x|

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.1 Graphs and Graphing utilities(Contd.)

Intercepts
An x-intercept of a graph is the x-coordinate of a point where the
graph intersects the x-axis. It is calculated by setting y=0. A
y-intercept of a graph is the y-coordinate of a point where the
graph intersects the y-axis. It is calculated by setting x=0.
Example 3: Find the x and y-intercepts for the graphs in Example
2.

Home Work: Section 1.1 on page 143 problems 1, 5, 11, 13, 15,
21, 41, 43.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.2 Basics of Functions and Their Graphs

Relations
A relation is any set of ordered pairs. The set of all first
components of the ordered pairs is called the domain of the
relation and the set of all second components is called the range
of the relation.
Example 1: Find the domain and range of the following relations:
a. {(1, 2), (−1, 3), (0, −2)}
b. {(−7, −7), (−5, −5), (0, −3), (2, 3)}

Functions
A relation in which each member of the domain corresponds to
exactly one member of the range is a function.
A function is a correspondence from a first set, called the domain,
to a second set, called the range, such that each element in the
domain corresponds to exactly one element in the range.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.2 Basics of Functions and Their Graphs

Example 2: Determine whether each relation is a function.

a. {(10, 4), (−2, 4), (−1, 1), (5, 6)}
b. {(5, 6), (5, 7), (6, 6), (6, 7)}

Functions as Equations
Functions are usually given in terms of equations rather than as
sets of ordered pairs. For example, y = 3x + 1 represents a
function. For each value of x, there is one and only one value of y.
The variable x is called the independent variable and the variable
y is called the dependent variable.
Example 3: Determine whether an equation represents a function:
a. x 2 + y = 25
b. 4x = y√2
c. y = − x + 4

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.2 Basics of Functions and Their Graphs(contd.)
Function Notation
If an equation in x and y gives one and only one value of y for
each value of x, then the variable y is a function of x. When an
equation represents a function, the function is often named by a
letter such as f , g , h, F , G , or H. Think of the domain as the set of
the function’s inputs and the range as the set of the function’s
outputs. Input can be represented by x and the output by f (x).
The special notation f(x), read ”f of x” or ”f at x,” represents the
value of the function at the number x. For example, the
equation y = 3x + 1 defines y as a function of x. We can denote
the above equation as f (x) = 3x + 1.
Example 4: Let f (x) = 3x + 7. Evaluate the following:
a. f (4) b. f (x + 1) c. f (−x)
Graphs of Functions
The graph of a function is the graph of its ordered pairs. For
example, the graph of f (x) = 2x is the set of points (x, y ) in
Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse
1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.2 Basics of Functions and Their Graphs(contd.)
the rectangular coordinate system satisfying y = 2x.
Example 5: Graph the functions f (x) = x and g (x) = x − 4 in
the same coordinate system by letting x = −2, −1, 0, 1, 2.
The Vertical Line Test
If any vertical line intersects a graph in more than one point, the
graph does not define y as a function of x.
Example 6: Use the vertical line test to identify graphs in which y
is a function of x.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.2 Basics of Functions and Their Graphs(contd.)

Figure: b

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.2 Basics of Functions and Their Graphs(contd.)

Obtaining Information from Graphs

You can obtain information about a function from its graph.
• A closed dot at the right or left of a graph indicates that the
graph does not extend beyond this point and the point belongs to
the graph.
• An open dot at the right or left of a graph indicates that the
graph does not extend beyond this point and the point does not
belong to the graph.
• An arrow indicates that the graph extends indefinitely in the
direction in which the arrow points.
Identifying Domain, Range and Intercepts from a Function’s
Graph
Example 7: Exercise set 1.2 on page 161 problems 78, 82.
Home Work: Section 1.2 on page 159 problems 1, 3, 11, 13, 21,
33, 43, 59, 77, 81.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.3 More on Functions and Graphs
Increasing, Decreasing, and Constant Functions
1. A function is increasing on an open interval, I, if f (x1 ) < f (x2 )
whenever x1 < x2 for any x1 and x2 in the interval.
2. A function is decreasing on an open interval, I, if f (x1 ) > f (x2 )
whenever x1 < x2 for any x1 and x2 in the interval.
3. A function is constant on an open interval, I, if f (x1 ) = f (x2 )
for any x1 and x2 in the interval.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.3 More on Functions and Graphs(contd.)

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.3 More on Functions and Graphs(contd.)

Example 1: Use the graph to determine the intervals on which the

function is increasing, decreasing or constant, if any.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.3 More on Functions and Graphs(contd.)
Relative Maxima and Relative Minima
1. A function value f (a) is a relative maximum (or local
maximum) of f if there exists an open interval containing a such
that f (a) > f (x) for all x 6= a in the open interval.
2. A function value f (b) is a relative minimum (or local
minimum) of f if there exists an open interval containing b such
that f (b) < f (x) for all x 6= b in the open interval.

Figure: -3.5, 2.5 are relative minimum points but -0.5 is relative min pt
Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse
1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.3 More on Functions and Graphs(contd.)
Even and Odd Functions and Symmetry
The function f is an even function if
f (−x) = f (x) for all x in the domain of f .
The right side of the equation of an even function does not change
if x is replaced with -x.
The function f is an odd function if
f (−x) = −f (x) for all x in the domain of f .
Every term on the right side of the equation of an odd function
changes its sign if x is replaced with -x.
Note that the graph of an even function in which f(-x)=f(x) is
symmetric with respect to the y-axis.
The graph of an odd function in which f (−x) = −f (x) is
symmetric with respect to the origin.
Example 2: Determine whether each function is even, odd, or
neither.
Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse
1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.3 More on Functions and Graphs(contd.)
a. f (x) = 2x 2 + x 4
b. g (x) = x 3 − x
c. h(x) = x 2 − x

Piecewise Functions
A function that is defined by two (or more) equations over a
specified domain is called a piecewise function.
Example 3: Draw the graph of the piecewise function given by
(
x if x < 0,
f (x) =
−x if x ≥ 0
Evaluate f (−2), f (0), f (2).

Functions and Difference Quotients

The expression
f (x + h) − f (x)
h
Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse
1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs
1.3 More on Functions and Graphs(contd.)

for h 6= 0 is called the difference quotient of the function f.

Example 4: Find and simplify the difference quotient for the given
function
a.f (x) = 7x
b. f (x) = x 2 − 5x + 8

Home Work: Section 1.3 on page 172 problems 1, 9, 17, 19, 31,
33, 37, 47, 57, 61.

Pre Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (Math 1150) Dawit G. Tadesse

1. Functions
Auburnand
University
Graphs