1

Supplementary notes for Chapter 1

1.1

Solving quadratic inequalities

Let
p(x) = ax2 + bx + c.
Then simple algebra shows that


b
p(x) = a x +
2a

2
+

4ac b2
.
4a

(1)

Case 1: Suppose that b2 4ac 0.

Then the equation p(x) = 0 has solutions r1 , r2 given by

b b2 4ac
b + b2 4ac
r1 =
and r2 =
.
2a
2a

(2)

It can be verified that

r1 + r2 = b/a and r1 r2 = c/a.
Thus,
a(x r1 )(x r2 ) = a(x2 + x( r1 r2 ) + r1 r2 ) = a(x2 + x(b/a) + c/a) = ax2 + bx + c.
|{z}
| {z }
b/a

c/a

Therefore,
p(x) = a(x r1 )(x r2 ).
Case 2: Suppose that b2 4ac < 0.

Then 4ac b2 > 0. If a > 0, then the first term on the RHS of (1) is always 0 and the second term is > 0. Hence, if
a > 0, then p(x) > 0 for every value of x. Similarly, and if a < 0, then the first term in (1) is always 0 and the second
term is < 0. Hence, if a < 0, then p(x) < 0 for every value of x.
Example 1 Solve
2x2 7x + 1 < x2 + 4x 3.

(3)

Solution
First, transform the given inequality into the form ax2 + bx + c < 0 or ax2 + bx + c > 0. It is always more convenient to end
up with a > 0. Doing so, we obtain
3x2 11x + 4 < 0.
Next, use the boxed formula to factor 3x2 11x + 4.
Here, b2 4ac = 121 48 = 63. Thus,

11 63
11 3 7
r1 =
=
6
6

and r2 =

11 + 63
11 + 3 7
=
.
6
6

2
Hence, 3x2 11x + 4 = 3(x r1 )(x r2 ). Thus,
3x2 11x + 4 < 0 3(x r1 )(x r2 ) < 0 x (r1 , r2 ).
Thus, the solution set to (3) can be given as
(

or more simply as

11 + 3 7
11 3 7
<x<
xR:
6
6

!
11 3 7 11 + 3 7
,
.
6
6

Example 2 Solve
11x2 + 3x 5 < 0.
Solution
Here, b2 4ac = 9 4(11)(5) < 0 and a = 11 < 0. Hence, 11x2 + 3x 5 < 0 for all values of x. Thus, the solution
set is R.
Example 3 Solve |2x 1| < 3|x 2|. Express your solution using interval notations.
Solution
Recall that
|a| < |b| a2 < b2 .
Hence,
|2x 1| < 3|x + 2| (2x 1)2 < [3(x 2)]2 4x2 4x + 1 < 9(x2 4x + 4) 5x2 32x + 35 > 0.
Here, p(x) = 5x2 32x + 35, so b2 4ac = 322 4(5)(35) = 324 = 182 . Hence,

32 324
32 + 324
= 7/5 and r2 =
= 5.
r1 =
10
10
Therefore, using the boxed formula, we get
5x2 32x + 35 = 5(x r1 )(x r2 ) = 5(x 7/5)(x 5).
So, 5x2 32x + 35 > 0 x < 7/5 or x > 5. The solution set is then (, 7/5) (5, ).
Practices 1 Try exercises 59-62 in Section 1.2 of your textbook.

1.2

Compositions of functions

If f, g are functions, then g f , the composition of g with f , is defined by

(g f )(x) = g(f (x)).

So, if f (x) = 3 2x and g(x) =

1x
2+x ,

then
(g f )(x)

= g(f (x))
1 f (x)
2 + f (x)
1 (3 2x)
2 + (3 2x)
2x 2
.
5 2x

=
=
=
Also,
(f g)(x)

= f (g(x))
3 2g(x)


1x
= 32
2+x
3(2 + x) 2(1 x)
=
2+x
4 + 5x
=
.
2+x
=

Hence,g f 6= f g.
Example 4 Let
f (x) =

x3
.
x1

Find and simplify

1. f (f (x))
2. f f

1
x

Solution

1.
f (f (x))

f (x) 3
f (x) 1


x3
x1 3


x3
x1 1

x33(x1)
x1
x31(x1)
x1

2x
2

2.
f

  
1
f
x

f x1 3


f x1 1
1 
x 3
3
1
1
 x1 
x 3
1
1
1
x

=
=
=
=

13x
1x
13x
1x

3
1

1 3x 3(1 x)
1 3x 1(1 x)
2
2x
1
x

Example 5 Let
g(x) = ln(5x +

25x2 + 1).

Show that
g(x) + g(x) = 0.
Hence, g(x) = g(x), that is, g is odd.
Solution
We have
g(x) + g(x)

p
25x2 + 1) + ln(5x + 25x2 + 1)
p
p
ln[(5x + 25x2 + 1)(5x + 25x2 + 1)]

ln(25x2 + (25x2 + 1))

ln 1

0.

ln(5x +

(Remember that (a +

Practices 2 Try exercises 55-58 on Pg. 44 of your textbook.

1.3

Finding inverses of log and exponential functions

Example 6 Let
f (x) =

4(9x )
.
12 + 5(9x )

Then f is 1-1. Find a formula for f 1 (x).

Solution

b)(a +

b) = a2 + b)

f 1 (x) = t

f (t) = x

4(9t )
=x
12 + 5(9t )

4(9t ) = 12x + (5x)9t

9t (4 5x) = 12x

9t =

12x
4 5x


12x
t = log9
.
4 5x

So,
f


(x) = log9

12x
4 5x


.

Example 7 Let

f (x) = log7

2x + 1
3 + 5x


.

Then f is 1-1 on (0, ). Find a formula for f 1 (x).

Solution

f 1 (x) = t

f (t) = x


2t + 1
log7
=x
3 + 5t
2t + 1
7x =
3 + 5t

3(7x ) + (7x )(5t) = 2t + 1

t(5(7x ) 2) = 1 3(7x )

t=

1 3(7x )
.
5(7x ) 2

Hence,
f 1 (x) =

1 3(7x )
.
5(7x ) 2

Practices 3 Each of the following functions is 1-1 (on some suitable domains). Find a formula for f 1 (x).
1.
f (x) =

7x
.
4 + 5(7x )

f (x) =

5x
.
2 + 13(5x )

2.

3.

f (x) = log3

4x 13
5x + 2


.

1.4

Proving trig identities

Here are some formulas that are often useful in proving other trig identities.

sin2 x + cos2 x

(4)

1 + tan2 x

sec2 x

(5)

sin(x + y)

sin x cos y + cos x sin y

(6)

cos(x + y)

cos x cos y sin x sin y

(7)

sin(2x)

2 sin x cos x

(8)

cos(2x)

cos2 x sin2 x

(9)

2 cos2 x 1

(10)

1 2 sin2 x

(11)

Example 8 Show that

1 tan4 x = 4 cot 2x csc 2x
.
Solution

1 tan4 x =
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

(1 tan2 x)(1 + tan2 x)



sin2 x
(sec2 x)
1
cos2 x
 2

cos x sin2 x
sec2 x
sin2 x



cos 2x
1
cos2 x
sin2 x
1
(cos 2x)
(sin x cos x)2


1
(cos 2x)
(1/2 sin 2x)2


1
4(cos 2x)
sin2 2x



cos 2x
1
4
sin 2x
sin 2x
4 cot 2x csc 2x

Practices 4 Prove the following.

1.
1
1
+
= 2 sec2 x
1 sin x 1 + sin x
2.
sin x
= csc x + cot x
1 cos x

3.
cos 3x = 4cos3 x 3 cos x

1.5

Using addition formulae together with inverse trig functions

Example 9 Evaluate


sin cos1 (0.3) sin1 (0.6) .
Solution
Let x = cos1 (0.3), y = sin1 (0.6). Then


sin cos1 (0.3) sin1 (0.6) = sin(x y) = sin x cos y cos x sin y.
Now, cos x = cos(cos1 (0.3)) = 0.3 = 3/10 and sin y = sin(sin1 (0.6)) = 0.6 = 6/10 = 3/5. We need to compute sin x and
cos y. Since x = cos1 (0.3), we know that < x < 0 and cos x = 0.3 = 3/10. Hence,
sin2 x = 1 cos2 x = 1
Since < x < 0, we have sin x > 0. Hence, sin x =

91
9
=
.
100
100

91/100 =

91
10 .

Similarly, since y = sin1 (0.6), we know that

/2 < y < /2 and sin y = 0.6 = 3/5. Hence, cos2 y = 1 sin2 y = 1

cos y > 0 and thus, cos y =

2 6
5 .

9
25

sin cos

(0.3) sin

24
25 .

Because /2 < y < /2, we have

Hence,

  
3
3
2 546 9
91 2 6

.
=
10 5
10
5
50

(0.6) = sin(x y) = sin x cos y cos x sin y =

Practices 5 Evaluate each of the following:

1. sin cos1 (0.5) + sin1 (0.7)

2. sin sin1 (0.4) sin1 (0.3)

3. cos sin1 (0.8) sin1 (0.6)

4. cos cos1 (0.2) cos1 (0.4)