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2 day 1 Functions
and Graphs
The Parthenon,
Centennial Park, Nashville, Tennessee
Photo by Vickie Kelly, 2006
Dont panic!
Calculus is a challenging class for everyone.
If you ask questions, keep up with homework, and study for
quizzes and tests, this will be the best math class you have
ever taken, and you will be proud of your success.
and
College will be way more fun if you have taken calculus in
high school and dont have to stress over passing your first
college math class!
Example:
1
Find the domain and range of: f x
x
When finding the domain, it is often easier to think of what
values that we cannot use for x.
In this case, x cannot equal zero. The domain is:
D x x 0
or
D , 0 0,
D x x 0
1
f x
x
D , 0 0,
or
R , 0 0,
Another example:
Find the domain and range of:
y x
D [0, )
Another example:
y x
D [0, )
R 0,
Symmetry
2
y
x
When we graph the function
, we see that it has
y-axis symmetry.
When we square the x, any
negative sign cancels out, so
changing the sign of x does not
change the y value.
y x4 2x2 1
This is
x is
cos x .
2, 4
1 3
y x
2
2, 4
Polynomial functions
with exponents that are
both even and odd have
no symmetry.
x y
Piecewise Functions
While many functions can be defined by a single formula,
others are defined by applying different formulas to
different parts of their domains.
Example:
x, x 0
2
y f x x , 0 x 1
1,
x 1
Example:
Write a piecewise function for
the graph at right:
There are two pieces to this
graph, so we need two
equations.
The equation for the left hand
piece is: y x
1,1
2,1
function: