High School Math : Understanding Functional Notations

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Functions And Graphs

Which analysis can be performed to determine if an equation is a function?

Possible Answers:

Horizontal line test

Calculating domain and range

Calculating zeroes

Vertical line test

Correct answer:

Vertical line test

Explanation:

The vertical line test can be used to determine if an equation is a function. In order to be a function, there must only be one  (or ) value for each value of . The vertical line test determines how many  (or ) values are present for each value of . If a single vertical line passes through the graph of an equation more than once, it is not a function. If it passes through exactly once or not at all, then the equation is a function.

The horizontal line test can be used to determine if a function is one-to-one, that is, if only one  value exists for each  (or ) value. Calculating zeroes, domain, and range can be useful for graphing an equation, but they do not tell if it is a function.

Example of a function:

Example of an equation that is not a function:

Example Question #1 : Function Notation

Let  and . What is ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

THe notation  is a composite function, which means we put the inside function g(x) into the outside function f(x). Essentially, we look at the original expression for f(x) and replace each x with the value of g(x).

The original expression for f(x) is . We will take each x and substitute in the value of g(x), which is 2x-1.

We will now distribute the -2 to the 2x - 1.

We must FOIL the  term, because 

Now we collect like terms. Combine the terms with just an x.

Combine constants.

The answer is .

Example Question #11 : Functions And Graphs

If  and , what is ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

means gets plugged into .

Thus .

Example Question #2 : Understanding Functional Notations

Let and .  What is ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Calculate and plug it into .

Example Question #2 : Function Notation

Evaluate  if and .

Possible Answers:

Undefined

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This expression is the same as saying "take the answer of and plug it into ."

First, we need to find . We do this by plugging in for in .

Now we take this answer and plug it into .

We can find the value of by replacing with .

This is our final answer.

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