7 Inverse Functions and L’Hôpital’s Rule

7.1 Inverse Functions

We say that two functions f and g are inverses if g(f(x))=x for all x in the domain of f and f(g(x))=x for all x in the domain of g. A function can only have an inverse if it is one-to-one, i.e. if we never have f(x1)=f(x2) for different elements x1 and x2 of the domain. This is equivalent to saying that the graph of the function passes the horizontal line test. The inverse of f is denoted f-1, which should not be confused with the function 1/f(x).

Key Idea 7.1.1 Inverse Functions

For a one-to–one function f,

  • The domain of f-1 is the range of f; the range of f-1 is the domain of f.

  • f-1(f(x))=x for all x in the domain of f.

  • f(f-1(x))=x for all x in the domain of f-1.

  • The graph of y=f-1(x) is the reflection across y=x of the graph of y=f(x).

  • y=f-1(x) if and only if f(y)=x and y is in the domain of f.

To determine whether or not f and g are inverses for each other, we check to see whether or not g(f(x))=x for all x in the domain of f,and f(g(x))=x for all x in the domain of g.

margin: -112-11(-0.5,0.375)(0.375,-0.5)(1,1.5)(1.5,1)xy Figure 7.1.1: A function f along with its inverse f-1. (Note how it does not matter which function we refer to as f; the other is f-1.) Λ
Example 7.1.1 Verifying Inverses

Determine whether or not the following pairs of functions are inverses:

  1. (a)

    f(x)=3x+1; g(x)=x-13

  2. (b)

    f(x)=x3+1; g(x)=x1/3-1

Solution

  1. (a)

    To check the composition we plug f(x) in for x in the definition of g as follows:

    g(f(x))=f(x)-13=(3x+1)-13=3x3=x

    So g(f(x))=x for all x in the domain of f. Likewise, you can check that f(g(x))=x for all x in the domain of g, so f and g are inverses.

  2. (b)

    If we try to proceed as before, we find that:

    g(f(x))=(f(x))1/3-1=(x3+1)1/3-1

    This doesn’t seem to be the same as the identity function x. To verify this, we find a number a in the domain of f and show that g(f(a))a for that value. Let’s try x=1. Since f(1)=13+1=2, we find that g(f(1))=g(2)=21/3-10.26. Since g(f(1))1, these functions are not inverses.

Functions that are not one-to-one.

margin: -2224(-2,4)(2,4)xy Figure 7.1.2: The function f(x)=x2 is not one-to-one. Λ

Unfortunately, not every function we would like to find an inverse for is one-to-one. For example, the function f(x)=x2 is not one-to-one because f(-2)=f(2)=4. If f-1 is an inverse for f, then f-1(f(-2))=-2 implies that f-1(4)=-2. On the other hand, f-1(f(2))=2, so f-1(4)=2. We cannot have it both ways if f-1 is a function, so no such inverse exists. We can find a partial solution to this dilemma by restricting the domain of f. There are many possible choices, but traditionally we restrict the domain to the interval [0,). The function f-1(x)=x is now an inverse for this restricted version of f.

The inverse sine function

We consider the function f(x)=sinx, which is not one-to-one. A piece of the graph of f is in Figure 7.1.3(a). In order to find an appropriate restriction of the domain of f, we look for consecutive critical points where f takes on its minimum and maximum values. In this case, we use the interval [-π/2,π/2]. We define the inverse of f on this restricted range by y=sin-1x if and only if siny=x and -π/2yπ/2. The graph is a reflection of the graph of g across the line y=x, as seen in Figure 7.1.3(b).

-π-π2π2π-11xy -π2-11π2-π2-11π2sinxsin-1xxy (a) (b) Figure 7.1.3: (a) A portion of y=sinx. (b) A one-to-one portion of y=sinx along with y=sin-1x.

The inverse tangent function

Next we consider the function f(x)=tanx, which is also not one-to-one. A piece of the graph of f is given in Figure 7.1.4(a). In order to find an interval on which the function is one-to-one and on which the function takes on all values in the range, we use an interval between consecutive vertical asymptotes. Traditionally, the interval (-π/2,π/2) is chosen. Note that we choose the open interval in this case because the function f is not defined at the endpoints. So we define y=tan-1x if and only if tany=x and -π/2<y<π/2. The graph of y=tan-1x is shown in Figure 7.1.4(b). Also note that the vertical asymptotes of the original function are reflected to become horizontal asymptotes of the inverse function.

-3π2-π-π2π2π3π2-22xy -π2π2-π2π2tanxtan-1xxy (a) (b) Figure 7.1.4: (a) A portion of y=tanx. (b) A one-to-one portion of y=tanx along with y=tan-1.

The other inverse trigonometric functions are defined in a similar fashion. The resulting domains and ranges are summarized in Figure 7.1.5.

Function Restricted Domain Range Inverse Function Domain Range sinx [-π/2,π/2] [-1,1] sin-1x [-1,1] [-π/2,π/2] cosx [0,π] [-1,1] cos-1x [-1,1] [0,π] tanx (-π/2,π/2) (-,) tan-1x (-,) (-π/2,π/2) cscx [-π/2,0)(0,π/2] (-,-1][1,) csc-1x (-,-1][1,) [-π/2,0)(0,π/2] secx [0,π/2)(π/2,π] (-,-1][1,) sec-1x (-,-1][1,) [0,π/2)(π/2,π] cotx (0,π) (-,) cot-1x (-,) (0,π) Figure 7.1.5: Domains and ranges of the trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions.
Example 7.1.2 Evaluating Inverse Trigonometric Functions

Find exact values for the following: margin: Sometimes, arcsin is used instead of sin-1. Similar “arc” functions are used for the other inverse trigonometric functions as well. Λ
(a) tan-1(1) (b) cos(sin-1(3/2)) (c) sin-1(sin(7π/6)) (d) tan(cos-1(11/15))

Solution

  1. (a)

    tan-1(1)=π/4

  2. (b)

    cos(sin-1(3/2))=cos(π/3)=1/2

  3. (c)

    Since 7π/6 is not in the range of the inverse sine function, we should be careful with this one.

    sin-1(sin(7π/6))=sin-1(-1/2)=-π/6.
  4. (d)

    Since we don’t know the value of cos-1(11/15), we let θ stand for this value. We know that θ is an angle between 0 and π and that cos(θ)=11/15. In Figure 7.1.6, we use this information to construct a right triangle with angle θ, where the adjacent side over the hypotenuse must equal 11/15. Applying the Pythagorean Theorem we find that margin: θ11y15 Figure 7.1.6: A right triangle for the situation in Example 7.1.2 (4). Λ

    y=152-112=104=226.

    Finally, we have:

    tan(cos-1(11/15))=tan(θ)=22611.

Exercises 7.1

 

Terms and Concepts

  1. 1.

    T/F: Every function has an inverse.

  2. 2.

    In your own words explain what it means for a function to be “one to one.”

  3. 3.

    If (1,10) lies on the graph of y=f(x), what can be said about the graph of y=f-1(x)?

  4. 4.

    If a function doesn’t have an inverse, what can we do to help it have an inverse?

Problems

In Exercises 5–6., given the graph of f, sketch the graph of f-1.

  1. 5.
    -9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1123456789-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-112345678f(x)xy
  2. 6.
    -9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1123456789-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-112345678f(x)xy

In Exercises 7–10., verify that the given functions are inverses.

  1. 7.

    f(x)=2x+6 and g(x)=12x-3

  2. 8.

    f(x)=x2+6x+11, x-3 and g(x)=x-2-3, x2

  3. 9.

    f(x)=3x-5, x5 and g(x)=3+5xx, x0

  4. 10.

    f(x)=x+1x-1, x1 and g(x)=f(x)

In Exercises 11–14., find a restriction of the domain of the given function on which the function will have an inverse.

  1. 11.

    f(x)=16-x2

  2. 12.

    g(x)=x2-16

  3. 13.

    r(t)=t2-6t+9

  4. 14.

    f(x)=1-x1+x

In Exercises 15–18., find the inverse of the given function.

  1. 15.

    f(x)=x+1x-2

  2. 16.

    f(x)=x2+4

  3. 17.

    f(x)=ex+3-2

  4. 18.

    f(x)=ln(x-5)+1

In Exercises 19–28., find the exact value.

  1. 19.

    tan-1(0)

  2. 20.

    tan-1(tan(π/7))

  3. 21.

    cos(cos-1(-1/5))

  4. 22.

    sin-1(sin(8π/3))

  5. 23.

    sin(tan-1(1))

  6. 24.

    sec(sin-1(-3/5))

  7. 25.

    cos(tan-1(3/7))

  8. 26.

    sin-1(-3/2)

  9. 27.

    cos-1(-2/2)

  10. 28.

    cos-1(cos(8π/7))

In Exercises 29–32., simplify the expression.

  1. 29.

    sin(tan-1x4-x2)

  2. 30.

    tan(sin-1xx2+4)

  3. 31.

    cos(sin-15x2+25)

  4. 32.

    cot(cos-13x)

  1. 33.

    Show that for any x in the domain of sec-1 we have sec-1x=cos-11x.

  2. 34.
    Show that for |x|1 we have cos-1x=π2-sin-1x. Hint: Recall the cofunction identity cosθ=sin(π2-θ) for all θ.
  3. 35.

    Show that for any x we have cot-1x=π2-tan-1x.

  4. 36.

    Show that for |x|1 we have csc-1x=π2-sec-1x.

  5. 37.

    A mass attached to a spring oscillates vertically about the equilibrium position y=0 according to the function y(t)=e-t(cos(3t)+13sin(3t)). Find the first positive time t for which y(t)=0.

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