Investigation Tab

IAG 1: Functions Pt. 1

Name:

Investigation #___
Functions and Function Notation
In your math courses from here on out, you will hear the term function rather
frequently. A function looks very similar to an equation. It has three main parts:
the input, the relationship, and the output.

So What is a function?!
OK, lets go a little more in depth.
Many people describe a function as a
machine that takes an input, changes it
according to the relationship, and spits
out an answer called the output.
In a function, the input is related to the
output. Anything we put in to the
machine is called the domain and
anything that the machine spits out is
called the range.
The most important thing to remember
is in a function, each x-value has
exactly one corresponding y-value.

Function Notation:
In the past, you have written equations that look like y = 2x + 3, but now we
are going to use function notation.
To show that y is a function of x, we use the notation f(x) instead of y. So, y =
f(x).

f(x)

y = 2x + 3

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For functions, the two notations mean the exact same thing, but "f(x)" gives
you more information. You used to say "y = 2x + 3; solve for y when x = 1". Now
you will be able to say "f(x) = 2x + 3; find f(1)". You do exactly the same thing
in either case:

Function notation also gives you greater flexibility than using just "y" for every
formula. Your graphing calculator will list different functions as y1, y2, etc. In
textbooks and when writing things out, we use names like f(x), g(x), h(x), s(t), etc.
With this notation, you can now use more than one function at a time without
confusing yourself or mixing up the formulas

Evaluating a Function:
So, how do we go about evaluating functions? First, remember this: While parentheses
have, up until now, always indicated multiplication, the parentheses do not indicate
multiplication in function notation. The expression "f(x)" means "plug a value
for x into an equation f "; the expression does not mean "multiply f and x"! Don't make
the mistake of pronouncing (or thinking of) "f(x)" as being "f times x".

Example:

Given

, find f(2).
f(2) = (2)2 +2(2) 1
=4+41
=7

Gravity has the same effect on all objects, whether it is an athlete on an ice-covered
luge course or a ball dropped from a tall building. However, gravity brings luge
athletes down to stay, while it has to bring the bouncing balls down again and again.
The graph on the next page shows how the height of one type of bouncing ball
changes over time after it is dropped onto a hard surface. For each time, there is
exactly corresponding height. In such cases we say that the relationship between
height y and time x is a function.

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1. Use notation h(t) for this problem to represent the height of the ball in feet t
seconds after it is dropped. Complete the following by estimating from the graph.
a.

What information is expressed by h(0) = 10?

b. What is the value of h(4) ?

h(4) _____, and means that after _____ seconds the ball is about _____ feet
above the ground.
c.

What values of t satisfy the equation h(t) = 8?

If h(t) = 8, t ____ and t _____. This means that the ball is 8 feet above the
ground after ____ seconds and again after about ______ seconds from being
dropped.

d. What is the value of h(1)?

h(1) ____ means the ball is about ____ feet above the ground 1 second after
it is dropped.
e.

What values of t satisfy the equation h(t) = 0?

If h(t) = 0, t ____, t _____, t _____, and t _____. This means that the
ball hits the ground about ____ seconds, ____ seconds , ____ seconds , and
again about ______ seconds after it is dropped.

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2. The rule I (d )

8
d2

gives intensity of sound from a stereo speaker (in watts per

square meter) as a function of distance (in meters) from the speaker.

a. Evaluate and explain the meaning of each of the following. Show work for
each.
i) I(1) = _____ The sound intensity _____ m from the source is _____ watts per
square meter.

ii) I(2) = _____ The sound intensity _____ m from the source is _____ watts per
square meter.

iii) I(0.5) = _____ The sound intensity _____ m from the source is _____ watts per
square meter.

iv) I(10) = _____ The sound intensity _____ m from the source is _____ watts per
square meter.

b. i) If I(d) = 0.5, d = _____ and _____ Show work.

ii) What do those values tell you about the sound?

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Non functions: At this point, it may seem that all relations between variables are
functions. That is not the case. You can recognize nonfunctions by studying
patterns in tables and graphs of (x,y) values and rules relating variables.
3. Explain why the following are not functions so that y is not a function of x.
a. The relationship between height (in cm) y and age
(in years) x for a group of 20 young people that
is shown in the scatterplot to the right.
This is not a function because there is more
than _____ height y corresponding to a given
age x.
b. The relation between fuel efficiency y (in mpg) and weight x of a car or truck (in
lbs).
This is not a function because

c. This table does not represent a function because

d. This graph does not represent a function because

e.

Explain why time is not a function of height in the bouncing ball graph from
question #1.
Time is not a function of height because.