Math 1261: Calculus I Brown

Precalculus Review Solutions

Functions
1. Write the denition of function.
Solution. See page 11.
2. Suppose f(x) = 2x
2

x
3
+ 1. Evaluate the following.
(a) f(3) = 18
(b) f(5) f(2) = 41
(c) f(5 2) = 18
(d) f(u+v) = 2u
2
+4uv+2v
2
u/3v/3+1
(e) f(x+h) = 2x
2
+4xh+2h
2
x/3h/3+1
(f)
f(x + h) f(x)
h
= 4x + 2h 1/3, h = 0
3. State, in order, the transformations you would apply to the graph of y = sin x in order to obtain the
graph of f(x) =
1
2
sin

x

4

. Sketch the graph of y = f(x).

Solution. 1) Compress vertically by a factor of 2. 2) Shift to the right /4 units.
4. Suppose f(x) =
x
2
+ x 3
x + 2
and g(x) =
x + 3
x
2
4
.
(a) State the domains of f and g.
Solution. Domain of f = {x|x = 2}; Domain of g = {x|x = 2}
(b) Find
f
g
(x) and state its domain.
Solution.
f
g
(x) =
(x
2
+ x 3)(x 2)
x + 3
; Domain of
f
g
= {x|x = 2, x = 2, x = 3}
(c) Find (f g)(x) and state its domain.
Solution. (f g)(x) =
(x + 3)
2
+ (x + 3)(x
2
4) 3(x
2
4)
2
(x + 3)
2
(x
2
4) + 2(x
2
4)
2
;
Domain of f g =

x|x = 2,
1

41
4

1
Linear and Exponential Change
5. What characterizes a linear function? Explain how you would determine whether or not a table of
values exhibits linear change. Explain how you would determine whether a linear function is increasing
or decreasing.
Solution. A linear function has a constant rate of change, or slope, m. Each time the input x is
increased by one, we add the exact same amount, m, to f(x). f(x + 1) = f(x) + m for all x. A linear
function is increasing if m > 0 and decreasing if m < 0.
6. What characterizes an exponential function? Explain how you would determine whether or not a
table of values exhibits exponential change. Explain how you would determine whether an exponential
function is increasing or decreasing.
Solution. An exponential function has the property that if the input x is increased by one, we multiply
f(x) by the same amount a. f(x+1) = f(x) a for all x. An exponential function is increasing if a > 1
and decreasing if 0 < a < 1.
Note. For linear functions, the dierence between successive outputs is constant. For exponential
functions, the quotient of successive outputs is constant.
7. Suppose you purchase an item for $1000.
(a) If your items value decreases by $100 each year, nd the value, V (t), t years after it was purchased.
Solution. V (t) = 1000 100t
(b) If your items value decreases by 10% each year, nd the value, V (t), t years after it was purchased.
Solution. V (t) = 1000(0.9)
t
(c) What kind of decay is exhibited by each of the above models?
Solution. Part (a) is linear, and part (b) is exponential.
2
Inverses
8. Explain why a function must be one-to-one in order to have an inverse.
Solution. A function has the property that each input has exactly one output. A one-to-one function
has the additional property that each output corresponds to exactly one input. The inverse of a
function f eectively switches the inputs and outputs of f, so that the outputs of f become in inputs
of f
1
and vice versa. If f were not one-to-one, then there would be at least one output with at least
two dierent inputs, e.g. f(a) = f(b) = d even though a = b. But then the inverse would send the
input d to two dierent outputs a and b. Hence the inverse would not be a function, so the only way
to ensure that the inverse is itself a function is to require the original function f to be one-to-one.
9. Find the inverse of f(x) =

10 3x.
Solution. f
1
(x) =
1
3
x
2

10
3
, x 0
10. How is the logarithm function f(x) = log
a
x dened? Find its domain and range.
Solution. The function f(x) = log
a
x is dened to be the inverse of y = a
x
. The domain of f is (0, )
and the range of f is (, ).
11. Solve the inequality 2 < ln x < 9 for x.
Solution. e
2
< x < e
9
12. Find the exact value of each expression.
(a) sin

2
3

3
2
(b) sec

13
4

2
(c) cos
1

3
2

=
5
6
(d) tan
1
(1) =

4
(e) csc

csc
1
3
2

=
3
2
(f) cos(sin
1
x) =

1 x
2
3