Section 3-7 : Inverse Functions

1. Given h ( x )= 5 − 9 x find h −1 ( x ) .

Hint : Just follow the process outlines in the notes and you’ll be set to do this problem!

Step 1
For the first step we simply replace the function with a y.

y= 5 − 9 x

Step 2
Next, replace all the x’s with y’s and all the original y’s with x’s.

x= 5 − 9 y

Step 3
Solve the equation from Step 2 for y.

x= 5 − 9 y
9 y= 5 − x
5− x
y=
9

Step 4
Replace y with h ( x ) .
−1

5− x
h −1 ( x ) =
9

Step 5
Finally, do a quick check by computing one or both of h  h −1 ( )( x) (
and h −1  h ) ( x ) and verify that
each is x. In general, we usually just check one of these and well do that here.

( h  h ) ( x ) =h h ( x ) =P  5 −9 x  =5 − 9  5 −9 x  =5 − ( 5 − x ) =x

−1 −1

The check works out so we know we did the work correctly and have inverse.
 1
2. Given g ( =
x) x + 7 find g −1 ( x ) .
2

Hint : Just follow the process outlines in the notes and you’ll be set to do this problem!

Step 1
For the first step we simply replace the function with a y.

1
=
y x+7
2

Step 2
Next, replace all the x’s with y’s and all the original y’s with x’s.

1
=
x y+7
2

Step 3
Solve the equation from Step 2 for y.

1
=
x y+7
2
2 x= y + 14
2 x − 14 =y

Step 4
Replace y with g ( x ) .
−1

g −1 ( x=
) 2 x − 14

Step 5
Finally, do a quick check by computing one or both of g  g −1( )( x) (
and g −1  g ) ( x ) and verify that
each is x. In general, we usually just check one of these and well do that here.

( g  g ) ( x ) = g  g ( x ) = g [ 2 x − 14] = 12 ( 2 x − 14 ) + 7 = x − 7 + 7 = x
−1 −1

The check works out so we know we did the work correctly and have inverse.
3. Given f ( x ) =( x − 2 ) + 1 find f ( x ) .
3 −1

Hint : Just follow the process outlines in the notes and you’ll be set to do this problem!

Step 1
For the first step we simply replace the function with a y.

y =( x − 2 ) + 1
3

Step 2
Next, replace all the x’s with y’s and all the original y’s with x’s.

x =( y − 2 ) + 1
3

Step 3
Solve the equation from Step 2 for y.

x =( y − 2 ) + 1
3

x − 1= ( y − 2)
3

1
( x − 1) 3 =y − 2
1
( x − 1) 3 + 2 =y
Step 4
Replace y with f ( x ) .
−1

1
f −1 ( x ) =( x − 1) 3 + 2

Step 5
Finally, do a quick check by computing one or both of ( f  f )( x)
−1
and (f −1
 f ) ( x ) and verify that
each is x. In general, we usually just check one of these and well do that here.

 
( f  f ) ( x )=
1
−1
f  f −1 ( x ) = f ( x − 1) 3 + 2 
 
3 3
 1
  1

=  ( x − 1) 3 + 2 − 2  + 1=  ( x − 1) 3  + 1= x − 1 + 1= x
   

The check works out so we know we did the work correctly and have inverse.
 ( x)
4. Given A = 5
2 x + 11 find A−1 ( x ) .

Hint : Just follow the process outlines in the notes and you’ll be set to do this problem!

Step 1
For the first step we simply replace the function with a y.

=y 5
2 x + 11

Step 2
Next, replace all the x’s with y’s and all the original y’s with x’s.

=x 5 2 y + 11

Step 3
Solve the equation from Step 2 for y.

x=
5
2 y + 11
x5 − 11 =
2y
x5 − 11
=y
2

Step 4
Replace y with A ( x ) .
−1

x 5 − 11
A−1 ( x ) =
2

Step 5
Finally, do a quick check by computing one or both of A  A−1 ( )( x) (
and A−1  A ) ( x ) and verify that
each is x. In general, we usually just check one of these and well do that here.

 x5 − 11 
( A=
 A )( x)
−1
 A−1 ( x )  A 
A= 
 2 
 x5 − 11 
= 5 2  + 11 =
5
x5 − 11 + 11 = 5
x5 = x
 2 
The check works out so we know we did the work correctly and have inverse.

4x
5. Given f ( x ) = find f ( x ) .
−1

5− x

Hint : Just follow the process outlines in the notes and you’ll be set to do this problem!

Step 1
For the first step we simply replace the function with a y.

4x
y=
5− x

Step 2
Next, replace all the x’s with y’s and all the original y’s with x’s.

4y
x=
5− y

Step 3
Solve the equation from Step 2 for y.

4y
x=
5− y
x (5 − y ) =
4y
5 x − xy =
4y
5=
x 4 y + xy
5=
x (4 + x) y
5x
=y
4+ x

Step 4
Replace y with f ( x ) .
−1

5x
f −1 ( x ) =
4+ x

Step 5
Finally, do a quick check by computing one or both of ( f  f )( x)
−1
and (f −1
 f ) ( x ) and verify that
each is x. In general, we usually just check one of these and well do that here.

 5x 
( f=
 f )( x)
−1
 f −1 ( x )  f 
f=
 4 + x 
 5x 
4 
4+ x 4+ x
= 
20 x 20 x
= = = x
5 x 4 + x 5 ( 4 + x ) − 5 x 20
5−
4+ x

The check works out so we know we did the work correctly and have inverse.

1+ 2x
6. Given h ( x ) = find h −1 ( x ) .
7+ x

Hint : Just follow the process outlines in the notes and you’ll be set to do this problem!

Step 1
For the first step we simply replace the function with a y.

1+ 2x
y=
7+ x

Step 2
Next, replace all the x’s with y’s and all the original y’s with x’s.

1+ 2 y
x=
7+ y

Step 3
Solve the equation from Step 2 for y.
 1+ 2 y
x=
7+ y
x ( 7 + y ) =+
1 2y
7 x + xy =+1 2y
7 x − 1= 2 y − xy
7x −1 = (2 − x) y
7x −1
=y
2− x

Step 4
Replace y with h ( x ) .
−1

7x −1
h −1 ( x ) =
2− x

Step 5
(
Finally, do a quick check by computing one or both of h  h −1 )( x) (
and h −1  h ) ( x ) and verify that
each is x. In general, we usually just check one of these and we’ll do that here.

 7 x − 1
( h=
 h )( x)
−1
 h −1 ( x )  h 
h=
 2 − x 
 7x −1 
1+ 2 
 2 − x  2 − x 2 − x + 2 ( 7 x − 1) 13 x
= = = = x
7 x − 1 2 − x 7 ( 2 − x ) + 7 x − 1 13
7+
2− x

The check works out so we know we did the work correctly and have inverse.