Figure 11
WARNING
Be careful! is a symbol for the
inverse function of The used
in is not an exponent. That is,
does not mean the reciprocal
of ; is not equal to .
■
1
f1x2
f
-1
1x2f
f
-1
f
-1
-1f.
f
-1
Solution The function is one-to-one,so the inverse will be a function.To find the inverse func-
tion,we interchange the elements in the domain with the elements in the range. For
example, the function receives as input Indiana and outputs 6,159,068. So, the in-
verse receives as input 6,159,068 and outputs Indiana.The inverse function is shown
next.
The domain of the inverse function is
The range of the inverse function is Washington, South
Dakota, North Carolina,
If the function is a set of ordered pairs then the inverse of is the set of
ordered pairs
Finding the Inverse of a Function Defined
By a Set of Ordered Pairs
Find the inverse of the following one-to-one function:
Solution The inverse of the given function is found by interchanging the entries in each
ordered pair and so is given by
NOW WORK PROBLEMS 23 AND 27.
Remember, if is a one-to-one function, its inverse is a function.Then, to each
x in the domain of there is exactly one y in the range (because is a function);and
to each y in the range of there is exactly one x in the domain (because is one-to-
one).The correspondence from the range of back to the domain of is called the
inverse function of and is denoted by the symbol Figure 11 illustrates this
definition.
Based on Figure 11, two facts are now apparent about a function and its
inverse
Look again at Figure 11 to visualize the relationship. If we start with x, apply
and then apply we get x back again. If we start with x, apply and then
apply we get the number x back again.To put it simply,what does, undoes,
and vice versa. See the illustration that follows.
f
-1
ff,
f
-1
,f
-1
,f,
Domain of f = Range of f
-1
Range of f = Domain of f
-1
f
-1
.
f
f
-1
.f
ff
ff,
ff,
f
51-27, -32, 1-8, -22, 1-1, -12, 10, 02, 11, 12, 18, 22, 127, 326
51-3, -272, 1-2, -82, 1-1, -12, 10, 02, 11, 12, 12, 82, 13, 2726
EXAMPLE 4
1y, x2.
f1x, y2,f
Tennessee6.
5Indiana,5 797 2896.
56 159 068, 6 068 996, 761 063, 8 320 146,