Inverse Functions

Objectives
• Find the inverse of a function
• Use the horizontal line test to determine if
the function has an inverse function
Suppose f(x) = 2x + 1

Let’s set up a table of values.

x y
 - 1  -1
 0 1
 1 3
 2 5
What does an inverse function look like?

f(x) = 2x + 1 Mystery Function

x y x y

 -1  -1  -1 -1 

 0  1  1  0
 1  3  3  1
 2  5  5  2

What’s the difference in the two tables?

 Compare the two tables
f(x) = 2x + 1 Inverse Function

x y x y

 -1  -1  -1 -1 

 0  1  1  0
 1  3  3  1
 2  5  5  2

We simply interchanged the x and y coordinates.

The x and y coordinates traded places to form
the inverse function’s table of values.

To put it in mathematical jargon, the input

values (x) in the original function became the
output values (y) in the inverse function.

Both functions become inverse functions of

each other.
 Inverses of Functions
If the inverse of a function f is also a function, it is
named f 1 and read “f-inverse.”
The negative 1 in f 1 is not an exponent. This
does not mean the reciprocal of f.

f 1(x) is not equal to

1
f ( x)
Steps for Finding the Inverse of a
One-to-One Function

Replace y with
f -1(x)

Solve for y

Trade places
with x and y

Replace f(x)
with y
 
Find the inverse function of
 
Replace with y.
 
𝑦 =2 𝑥 + 1
Change the "y" to "x" and change the "x" to “y”
 
𝑥 =2 𝑦+ 1
  1 1
Solve for y 𝑦= 𝑥−
2 2
  −1 1 1
 
Replace y with 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= 𝑥 −
2 2
 Compare the two tables
𝟏 𝟏
 𝒇 ( 𝒙)=𝟐 𝒙 +𝟏
  −𝟏
𝒇 ( 𝒙 = 𝒙−
)
𝟐 𝟐

x y x y

 -1  -1  -1 -1 

 0  1  1  0
 1  3  3  1
 2  5  5  2

The domain of the inverse relation is the range of the original function.
The range of the inverse relation is the domain of the original function.
 Finding the Inverse of a Function
Find the inverse of f(x) = 7x - 5
 
𝑦 =7 𝑥 − 5
 
𝑥 =7 𝑦 − 5
 
7 𝑦 = 𝑥 +5
  1 5
𝑦= 𝑥 +
7 7
  −1 1 5
𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= 𝑥+
7 7
 4
Find the inverse of f  x 
2 x
4  2x
f  x  
1

or x
y = f -1(x)
2x  4
f  x 
1

x
Solve for y x 2  y   4
2 x  xy  4
 xy  4  2 x
Interchange x 4
x 4  2x
and y
2 y y
x
Replace f(x) 4
with y y
2 x
 Finding the Inverse of a Function
 
Find the inverse of
3
 
𝑦= 𝑥 +3
 
𝑥 = 𝑦 3 +3
 
𝑦 3= 𝑥 − 3
  3
𝑦= √ 𝑥 − 3
  −1 3
𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= √ 𝑥 − 3
 One-to-One Functions
A function f has an inverse function if and only if the function
is one-to-one.
 Find the inverse function of

Step 1 Replace with y:

Step 2 Interchange and :

Step 3 Solve for

A one-to-one function is a function in which no two different

ordered pairs have the same y-coordinate. This function has two
y-coordinates for every x-coordinate. Only one-to-one functions
have inverse functions.
 
Horizontal Line Test
A function f has an inverse function if and only if the function is
one-to-one. A function is one-to-one if and only if no horizontal
line intersects the graph of in more than one point.

y
One-to-one means that for every x-
coordinate, the y-coordinates cannot (0, 7) (4, 7)
repeat.
y=7
Example: The function 2
y = x2 – 4x + 7 is not one-to-one x
2
on the real numbers because the
line y = 7 intersects the graph at
both (0, 7) and (4, 7).
 To be a one-to-one function, each y value could only be paired with one x. Let’s
look at a couple of graphs.

Look at a y value (for example y = 3) For any y value, a horizontal line will
and see if there is only one x value only intersect the graph once so we
on the graph for it. have only have one x value

This is a many-to-one function This then IS a one-to-one function

 Recall that to determine by the graph if an equation is a function, we
have the vertical line test.

If a vertical line intersects the graph of an equation more than

one time, the equation graphed is NOT a function.

The Winner

This is NOT a
This is a function function This is a function

Which graph has an inverse function?

 If a horizontal line intersects the graph of an equation more
than one time, the equation graphed is NOT a one-to-one
function and will NOT have an inverse function.

This is NOT a one-to-

This is a one function This is NOT a one-to-
one-to-one function one function
Example: Apply the horizontal line test to the graphs
below to determine if the functions are one-to-one.
a) y = x3 b) y = x3 + 3x2 – x – 1
y y
8 8

4 4

-4 4 -4 4
x x

one-to-one not one-to-one

Why are one-to-one
functions important?

One-to-One Functions
have
Inverse functions
Existence of an Inverse Function

A function, f, has
an inverse function, g,
if and only if the function f is
a one-to-one (1-1) function.
The graphs of a relation and its inverse are reflections
in the line y = x.
Example: Find the graph of the inverse relation
geometrically from the graph of f (x) = ( x 3
 2)
4
The ordered pairs of f are 3 y y=x
( x  2)
given by the equation y  . 2
4
The ordered pairs of the inverse are
( y  2)
3 x
given by x  . -2 2
4
-2
( y  2)
3
( x 3  2)
x y
4 4
 f  x  x
Notice that the x and y values traded
3 These functions are
places for the function
Let’s consider and its inverse. and compute some values and
the function
graph them.
reflections of each other
about the line y = x
This means “inverse function”
x f (x) (2,8)
f  x  x3
 x  3
-2 -8 1
-1 -1 f x
0 0 (8,2)
1 1 x f -1(x)
2 8
-8 -2 f 1  x   3 x
-1 -1
Let’s take the 0 0
1 1 (-8,-2)
values we got out
8 2
of the function and
put them into the
(-2,-8)
inverse function
and plot them
Is this a one-to-one function? Yes, so it will have an inverse
function
What will “undo” a cube? A cube root
Determine Inverse Function
Example: From the graph of the
function y = f (x), determine if the
inverse relation is a function and, if it y y = f -1(x)
is, sketch its graph. y=x
y = f(x)
The graph of f passes the
horizontal line test. x

The inverse
relation is a function.

Reflect the graph of f in the line y = x to produce the graph

of f -1.
Example:
Consider the graph of the function f ( x)  2 x  4

y  2x  4

x4
y
2

1 x4
The inverse function is f ( x) 
2
Consider the graph of the function f ( x)  2 x  4

y  2x  4
x ( 0, 4 )

( 4, 0 )
xx  4
(  3,  2 )x y
2
x
(  2,  3 )

1 x4
The inverse function is f ( x) 
2
An inverse function is just a rearrangement with x and y swapped. So the
graphs just swap x and y
What else do you notice about the graphs?

yx
y  2 x  4 x ( 0, 4 )
( 4, 0 )
x
x4
(  3,  2 )x y
x
2
(  4,  4 )
x (  2,  3 )

1
f ( x ) is a reflection of f ( x ) in the line y =x
The function and its inverse must meet on y =x