Richard Roderick

Smart - Lee
Pre - Calculus A
December 15, 2015
Function Inverse Example 2
In this essay, we will cover how to find the inverse of a function, and how to graph it. If we are given an
equation such as; f(x) = (x + 2) 2 +1 with x -2 as the restrained domain. In order to get to the inverse, we
will solve for (x) in terms of (y). The first step is to subtract (1) from both sides of the equation to give us
y - 1 = (x + 2) 2. Once we have moved the (1), we will then have to get rid of the squared function. In
order to determine if we will take the positive or negative of (y - 1). This will be determined by the
squared function in the original equation (x + 2) which is positive, meaning we will take the positive of
(y - 1). The new equation will be (y-1) = x+2. The constraint that we can put on (y) is seen in the part of
the equation under the sign, meaning y 1 which is now the domain of the inverse function. Now we
will subtract 2 from both sides to get the equation, (y-1) - 2 = x which can be written as; f-1(y) = (y-1) 2 , for y 1. Most of the time, we can get away with it written this way, but we will write it in the more
proper format by substituting all the (ys) for (xs) to get, f-1(x) = (x-1) - 2 , for x 1. If we graph the
equation, we will plug a number in place of (x) into the equation in order to get what (y) equals. The way
that we get (ys) value is by putting a number in for (x), subtracting (1), taking the of that answer, and
then subtracting (2). The (blue) chart below states points and the graph that is correlated to the graph. The
(red) graph represents the original equations graph. If we look at the graphs, we will notice that they have
the same points, only the (x) and (y) coordinates are swapped and are mirror images of each other across
the line y = x. The line y = x is the (green) line going through (0,0).

Y
1

-2

-1

A step-by-step chart that will show the entirety of the essay in easy to follow steps is seen below;

Formula

Explanation

f(x) = (x + 2) 2 +1 with x -2

This is the original equation with a domain

restriction in which x must be -2.

y - 1 = (x + 2) 2

We subtracted 1 from both sides of the equation

and are left with this equation. We do this in order
to find the inverse.

(y-1) = x+2

We had a squared function, and in order to get rid

of it, we took the of both sides of the equation
thus leaving us with this.

(y-1) - 2 = x

We subtracted a 2 from both sides of the

equitation in order to get x alone on one side of the
equation.

f-1(y) = (y-1) - 2 , for y 1

f-1(x) = (x-1) - 2 , for x 1

This is the proper way to write the equation above.

We substituted f-1(y) in place of x and moved the
equation with the isolated variable on the left, and
the equation on the right.
We substituted an x in place of the y in the
parentheses to make the equation correct. We
are also left with the inverse of the original
equation.

Hopefully this essay has been helpful in teaching how you are to find the inverse of a function and how to
graph it with a restricted domain.