1 FUNCTIONS AS MODELS

Module 1. Functions and their Graphs

Topics.

1. Functions as Models

2. Evaluating functions

3. Operations on Functions

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the module, students are expected to accurately construct mathematical
models to represent real-life situations using functions.

1 Functions as Models
Introduction Functions have many real-life applications. Whether we find that two things
are related to each other by some type of rule or correspondence, it is a function. What if
your bank charged a monthly fee of PhP 150 for your checking account and also charged PhP
10 for each check written? How would you represent this scenario with a function?
Also, what if you could only afford to spend PhP 200 a month on fees? Could you use
your function to find out how many checks you could write per month?
In this module, we will learn how to handle situations like these by using functions.

Definition 1.1. A relation is a rule that relates values from a set of values (called the
domain) to a second set of values (called the range).
A relation is a set of ordered pairs (x, y).

Definition 1.2. A function is a relation where each element in the domain is related to
only one value in the range by some rule.
A function is a set of ordered pairs (x, y) such that no two ordered pairs have the same
x-value but different y-values.
Using functional notation, we can write

f (x) = y,

read as “f of x is equal to y.” In particular, if (1, 2) is an ordered pair associated with the
function f , then we say that f (2) = 1.

GMath 1 General Mathematics

 1 FUNCTIONS AS MODELS

Figure 1: A Figure 2: B

Figure 3: C

Example 1.1. In the set X = {1, 2, 3, 4} and Y = {a, b, c},

Figures 1 and 2 are functions while is not a function.
This is because in the ordered pairs {(1, a), (2, b), (3, d), (4, c)} from Figure 1, it can be
seen that no two distinct ordered pairs have the same first coordinate.
The same can also be observed in the ordered pairs {(1, a), (2, a), (3, b), (4, b)} from Figure
2. Notice that in this example, both 1 and 2 are paired with a. Also, 3 and 4 are paired with
b. This is still a function since 1 in X in only paired to only one element in Y , the element
a.
On the other hand, Figure 3 gives the ordered pair {(1, a), (1, b), (2, b), (3, c)}. Notice that
1 here is paired with both a and b, hence this is NOT a function.

There are various ways to represent relations. The example above are presented using
diagrams and ordered pairs. Other ways to present relations can be using graphs, tables or
equations.

Try this. Determine which of the following relations represents functions.

1. f = {(1, 3), (4, 1), (2, 0), (7, 2)}

2. g = {(3, 2), (4, 4), (3, 3), (8, 9)}

3. h = {(1, 2), (2, 3), (3, 4), (4, 5)}

Vertical Line Test for Functions

If any vertical line intersects the graph of an equation at exactly one point, then the
equation defines y as a funciton of x.

GMath 2 General Mathematics

 1 FUNCTIONS AS MODELS

Try this. Sketch the graph of the given equation and determine whether it represents a
function.

1. y = 2x

2. y = 2x + 4

3. y = 2x2

Functions as representations of real-life situations.

Functions can often be used to model real situations. Identifying an appropriate functional
model will lead to a better understanding of various phenomena.

Example 1.2. Give a function f that represents the cost of buying x kilos of rice, if a kilo
of rice costs PhP 50.00

Solution. Since a kilo of rice costs PhP 50, then the cost function is

f (x) = 50x.

Example 1.3. Look at the following table.

Number of Days 2 4 6 8 10
Number of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Brgy A 24 48 72 96 120
Write a function to describe the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Solution. Since there are 24 confirmed COVID-19 cases in 2 days, it appears that, on the
average, there are 12 cases in a day.
Hence, we can describe the number of confirmed COVID-19 cased per day as

f (x) = 12x

where x is the number of days.

So, if for example, we want to find out how many confirmed cases will there be in Barangay
A after 20 days, we have
f (10) = 12(20) = 240.

Try this. Can you think of a real-world scenario which describes a function? Discuss.

Definition 1.3. One-to-one function

The function f is one-to-one if for any x1 , x2 in the domain of f , then f (x1 ) 6= f (x2 ).
That is, the same y-value is never paired with two different x-values.

Example 1.4. In the set X = {1, 2, 3, 4} and Y = {a, b, c},

Horizontal Line Test

A function is one-to-one if each horizontal line does not intersect the graph at more
than one point.

GMath 3 General Mathematics

 1 FUNCTIONS AS MODELS

Figure 4: A one-to-one function. Figure 5: A one-to-one function.

Example 1.5. Determine if f (x) = 2x is a one-to-one function.

Solution. Let x1 , x2 be in the domain and suppose that f (x1 ) = f (x2 ). We need to show
that x1 = x2 for f (x) to be one-to-one.
Now, f (x1 ) = f (x2 ) implies that 2x1 = 2x2 which in turn imply that x1 = x2 . Hence,e
f (x) = 2x is a one-to-one function.

Try this. Determine if the function f : [0, +∞) → [0, +∞) defined by f (x) = x2 is a
one-to-one function. Sketch a graph of this function and demonstrate the horizontal line test.

Piecewise Functions

Some real-life situations can only be described by more than one formula, depending on the
value of the independent variable.

Definition 1.4. A piecewise function is a function in which more than one formula is
used to define the output over different pieces of the domain.

We use piecewise functions to describe situations in which a rule or relationship changes

as the input value crosses certain “boundaries”.

Example 1.6. A museum charges PhP 50 per person for a guided tour with a group of 1 to
9 people or a fixed PhP 500 fee for a group of 10 or more people. Write a function relating
the number of people, x, to the cost, C.

Solution. This example needs two formula, namely, the cost for x < 10 and for x ≥ 10.
Hence,
(
50x, if 0 < x < 10
C(x) =
500 if x ≥ 10

Try this. A user is charged PhP 300 monthly for a particular mobile plan, which includes
100 free text messages. Messages in excess of 100 are charged PhP 1 each. Represent the
monthly cost for text messaging using the function t(x), where s is the number of messages
sent in a month.

GMath 4 General Mathematics

 2 EVALUATING FUNCTIONS

2 Evaluating Functions
Let f (x) be a function.
Evaluating a function means replacing the variable in the function, in this case x, with
a value from the function’s domain and computing for the result. To denote that we are
evaluating f at a for some a in the domain of f, we write f (a).
In other words, this is the process of determining the value of the function at the number
assigned to a given variable.

Example 2.1. Evaluate the function f (x) = 3x + 4 at x = 2.

Solution. f (2) = 3(2) + 4 = 10

Try this. Evaluate the following functions at x = 2.5

1. f (x) = 3x2 − 4x
√
2. g(x) = x+4

Example 2.2. Let f (x) = 3x − 2. Evaluate f (2x + 1).

Solution. f (2x + 1) = 3(2x + 1) − 2 = 6x + 3 − 2 = 6x + 1.

Try this. Let g(x) = 3x2 − 4x. Evaluate g(4x − 3).

Example 2.3. Suppose that s(T ) is the top speed (in km per hour) of a runner when the
temperature is T degrees Celsius. Explain what the statements s(15) = 12 and s(30) = 10
mean.

Solution. s(15) = 12 means that when the temperature is 15 deg C, the top speed of a runner
is 12 km per hour. However, when the temperature rises to 30 deg C, the top speed is reduced
to 10 km per hour.

Try this. The velocity V (in m/s) of a ball thrown upward t seconds after the ball was thrown
is given by V (t) = 209.8t. Calculate V (0) and V (1), and explain what these results mean.

GMath 5 General Mathematics

 3 OPERATIONS ON FUNCTIONS

3 Operations on Functions
Definition 3.1. Let f and g be functions. Then

• their sum, denoted by f + g, is the function denoted by

(f + g)(x) = f (x) + g(x)

• their difference, denoted by f − g, is the function denoted by

(f − g)(x) = f (x) − g(x)

• their product, denoted by f · g, is the function denoted by

(f · g)(x) = f (x) · g(x)

f
• their quotient, denoted by , is the function denoted by
g
f f (x)
( )(x) = ,
g g(x)
excluding the values of x where g(x) = 0.

Example 3.1. Let f (x) = x + 3 and g(x) = 2x − 7. Determine the following:

1. (f + g)(x)

2. (f − g)(x)

3. (f · g)(x)
f
4. ( )(x)
g
Solution. To solve this, we substitute the values of f (x) and g(x).

1. (f + g)(x) = f (x) + g(x) = (x + 3) + (2x − 7) = 3x − 4

2. (f − g)(x) = f (x) − g(x) = (x + 3) − (2x − 7) = x + 3 − 2x + 7 = −x + 10

3. (f · g)(x) = (x + 3) · (2x − 7) = 2x2 − x − 21

f x+3
4. ( )(x) =
g 2x − 7
Definition 3.2. Let f and g be functions.
The composite function denoted by f ◦ g is defined by

(f ◦ g)(x) = f (g(x)).

The process of obtaining a composite function is called function composition.

√
Example 3.2. Let f (x) = 2x + 1 and g(x) = x + 1.
p √
Then (g ◦ f )(x) = g(f (x)) = g(2x + 1) = (2x + 1) + 1 = 2x + 2
√
Try this. Let f (x) = 2x + 1 and g(x) = x + 1.
Determine (f ◦ g)(x).

GMath 6 General Mathematics

 3 OPERATIONS ON FUNCTIONS

Problems involving Functions

Example 3.3. A spherical balloon is being inflated. Let r(t) = 3t cm represent its radius
4
at time t seconds, and let g(r) = πr3 be the volume of the same balloon if its radius is r.
3
Write (g ◦ r) in terms of t, and describe what it represents.
4 4
Solution. (g ◦ r) = g(r(t)) = πr(3t)3 = π(27t3 ) = 36πt3 .
3 3
This function represents the volume of the balloon at a time t seconds.

Try this. Suppose that N (x) = x denotes the number of shirts sold by a shop, and the selling
price per shirt is given by p(x) = 2505x, for 0 ≤ x ≤ 20. Find (N ◦ p)(x) and describe what
it represents.

GMath 7 General Mathematics