Combinations of Functions

Operations with Functions:

 Sum  f  g x  f x  gx

 Difference  f  g x  f x  gx
 Product
 f  g x  f x gx
f f x 
 Quotient  x   , where g x   0
g g x 
Example: Let f(x) = 5x² -2x +3 and
g(x) = 4x² +7x -5
 Find (f + g)(x)  Find (f – g)(x)

f ( x)  g ( x) f ( x)  g ( x)
(5 x 2  2 x  3)  (4 x 2  7 x  5) (5 x 2  2 x  3)  (4 x 2  7 x  5)
5x 2  4x 2  2x  7 x  3  5 5x 2  4x 2  2x  7 x  3  5
9 x 2  5x  2 x 2  9x  8
Example:
Example: Let f(x) = 5x² and
and g(x) = 3x – 1.
 Find (f · g)(x)  Find (f/g)(x)

f x   g x  f x 
, where g x   0
5 x 3x  1
2 g x 
2
5 x 3x   5 x 1
5x 1
2 2
, where x 
3x  1 3
15 x  5 x 3 2
Example:
Example: f(x)=2x + 3 and g(x) = x -7

 f  g
Find   x  Find   x 
g  f 

2x  3 x7 3
, x7 , x
x7 2x  3 2
Let’s take a look graphically.
Find: f ( 2)  g ( 4)
1 + 4 = 5

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 1)  g ( 0)
0 + (- 4) =-4

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 2)  g ( 1)
0 - 4 =-4

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f (5)  g (0)
3 - (- 4) =7

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 4)  g ( 1)
5 x 4 = 20

f ( x) g ( x)
Find: f ( 4 )  g ( 2 )
-3 x 5 = - 15

f ( x) g ( x)


Find: g (5)  f ( 3)

6  3 =2

f ( x) g ( x)
Composition of Functions
 A composite function is a combination of
two functions.

 You apply one function to the result of

another.
 The composition of the function f with the
function g is written as f(g(x)), which is read
as ‘f of g of x.’

 It is also known as  f  g  x , which is read as

‘f composed with g of x.”

 In other words: f  g  x   f  g  x 
Ex: f(x)=2x + 5 and g(x) = x - 3

g  f x   g 2 x  5
 2 x  5  3
 2x  2
 Do you think  f  g x will give you the
same result?
 f  g x   f x  3
 2 x  3  5 NO!
 2x  6  5
 2x 1
RE M E M BE R  g  f  x   2 x  2
You Try….
f(x) = 2x + 2 g(x) = (x + 2)2

Find: g  f x  f  g x

g 2 x  2  (( 2 x  2)  2) 2 f (( x  2) 2  2)  2x 2  4 x  4  2
 2 x  4  2 x 2  8x  8  2
2

 4 x  8 x  8 x  16
2  2 x 2  8 x  10

 4 x 2  16 x  16
You may need to evaluate a composite
function for a particular value of x.

f  x   5  3 x and g  x   x 2  4 . F ind  f  g 3 .

Method 1:
Work out the f 
 g  x   5  3 x 2  4 
composite  3 x 2  7
function.
Then substitute
3 for x.
f  g 3  33  7
2

 27  7
 34
You may need to evaluate a composite
function for a particular value of x.

f  x   5  3 x and g  x   x 2  4 . F ind  f  g 3 .

g 3  3  4  13
Method 2: 2

Substitute 3 into
g(x).

f 13  5  313  34

Substitute that
value into f(x).