Using Graph
Demonstrate
a Function
Which is
Invertible
What is a Function?
What is a function? A function is defined as a relation between
a set of inputs having one output each. In simple words, a
function is a relationship between inputs where each input is
related to exactly one output. Every function has a domain and
codomain or range. A function is generally denoted by f(x)
where x is the input. The general representation of a function
is y = f(x).
What is an Invertible Function?
As the name suggests Invertible means “inverse“, and
Invertible function means the inverse of the function.
Invertible functions, in the most general sense, are functions
that “reverse” each other. For example, if f takes a to b, then
the inverse, f-1, must take b to a.
What is the Inverse of a Function?
An inverse function or an anti function is defined as a
function, which can reverse into another function. In simple
words, if any function “f” takes x to y then, the inverse of “f”
will take y to x. If the function is denoted by ‘f’ or ‘F’, then the
inverse function is denoted by f-1 or F-1. One should not
confuse (-1) with exponent or reciprocal here.
If f and g are inverse functions, then f(x) = y if and only if g(y) =
x
Graph of Invertible
We can check for whether the function is invertible or not by
plotting on the graph. We can plot the graph by using the given
function and check for the invertibility of that function,
whether the function is invertible or not.
Example: Find and plot the inverse of the function f(x) = 3x + 6.
Solution:
f(x) = 3x + 6
y = 3x + 6
Interchange x with y
x = 3y + 6
x – 6 = 3y
y = (x – 6) / 3
y = x/3 – 2
Thus, f -1(x) = x/3 – 2
Now let’s plot the graph for f-1(x). The inverse of a function
having intercept and slope 3 and 1 / 3 respectively.
A function and its inverse will be symmetric around the line y
= x. Then the function is said to be invertible. So let’s draw the
line between both the function and the inverse of the function
and check whether it separated symmetrically or not.
After drawing the straight line y = x, we observe that the
straight line intersects the line of both of the functions
symmetrically. So, the function f(x) is an invertible function
and in this way, we can plot the graph for an inverse function
and check the invertibility.
Conditions for the Function to Be Invertible:
Condition: To prove the function to be invertible, we need to
prove that the function is both One to One and Onto, i.e,
Bijective.
Example 1: Let A: R – {3} and B: R – {1}. Consider the function f :
A -> B defined by f(x) = (x – 2) / (x – 3). Show that function f(x) is
invertible and hence find f-1.
Solution:
To show the function is invertible, we have to verify the
condition of the function to be invertible as we discuss above.
To show that the function is invertible we have to check first
that the function is One to One or not so let’s check.
Let x, y ∈ A such that f(x) = f(y)
⇒ (x – 2) / (x – 3) = (y – 2) / (y – 3)
⇒ (x – 2) (y – 3) = (x – 3) (y – 2)
⇒ xy – 3y – 2y + 6 = xy – 2x – 3y + 6
⇒ -3x + 2y + 6 = xy – 2x – 3y + 6
⇒ -3x + 2x = -3 + 2y
⇒ -x = -y
⇒x=y
Since f(x) = f(y) ⇒ x = y, ∀x, y ∈ A, so function is One to One.
We have proved the function to be One to One. Now let’s check
for Onto. To show that f(x) is onto, we show that range of f(x) =
its codomain.
Let y = (x – 2) / (x – 3)
Put f(x) = y.
⇒ xy – 3y = x – 2
⇒ xy – x = 3y – 2
⇒ x(y – 1) = 3y – 2
⇒ x = (3y – 2) / (y -1) —-(1)
Since x ∈ R – {3}, ∀y R – {1}, so range of f is given as = R – {1}.
Also codomain of f = R – {1}.
Therefore, Range = Codomain ⇒ f is Onto function
As both conditions are satisfied function is both One to One
and Onto, Hence function f(x) is Invertible. Now as the
question asked after proving function Invertible we have to
find f -1
from eq(1) we get,
f -1(y) = (3y – 2) / (y – 1)
=> f-1(x) = (3x – 2) / (y – 1)
