Inverse functions

The function Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle g} is the inverse of the one-to-one function Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle f} if and only if the following are true:

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle g(f(x))=x \,}

$f(g(x))=x\,$

The inverse of function $f$ is denoted as $f^{-1}$ .

Geometrically $f^{-1}$ is the reflection of $f$ across the line $y=x$. Conceptually, using the box analogy, a function's inverse box undoes what the function's regular box does.

Example:

$f(x)=2x\,$
$f^{-1}(x)={\frac {1}{2}}x\,$

$f(f^{-1}(x))=f({\frac {1}{2}}x)\,$
$f(f^{-1}(x))=2({\frac {1}{2}}x)\,$
$f(f^{-1}(x))=x\,$


$f^{-1}(f(x))=f^{-1}(2x)\,$
$f^{-1}(f(x))={\frac {1}{2}}(2x)\,$
$f^{-1}(f(x))=x\,$

To find the inverse of a function, remember that when we use $f^{-1}(x)$ as an input to $f$ the result is $x$. So start by writing $x=f\left(f^{-1}(x)\right)$ and solve for $f^{-1}$

Example:

Suppose:$f(x)=2x+1\,$
Then $x=f\left(f^{-1}(x)\right)$
$x=2f^{-1}(x)+1\,$
$x-1=2f^{-1}(x)\,$
$f^{-1}(x)={\frac {x-1}{2}}\,$

The Domain of an inverse function is exactly the same as the Range of the original function. If the Range of the original function is limited in some way, the inverse of a function will require a restricted domain.

Example:

$f(x)={\sqrt {x-1}}\,$         
$x=f\left(f^{-1}(x)\right)$
$x={\sqrt {f^{-1}(x)-1}}\,$         
$x^{2}={\sqrt {f^{-1}(x)-1}}^{2}\,$         
$x^{2}=f^{-1}(x)-1$            
$f^{-1}(x)=x^{2}+1\,$            
The Range of $f(x)$ is $f(x)\geq 0$. So the Domain of $f^{-1}(x)$ is $x\geq 0$.

One-to-one function

A function that for every input there exists an output unique to that input.

Equivalently, we may say that a function Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle f} is called one-to-one if for all Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x,x'\in A, f(x)=f(x')} implies that Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x=x'} where A is the domain set of f and both x and x' are members of that set.

Horizontal Line Test
If no horizontal line intersects the graph of a function in more than one place then the function is a one-to-one function.

Resources

• Inverse Functions. Written notes created by Professor Esparza, UTSA.