Practice Problems 6.
Relations and Basic Functions - College
Algebra
1. Determine the domain and range of each relation. State whether the
given relation is a function.
(a) {(4, 2), (9, 3), (4, −2), (9, −3)}
(b) {(−2, −2), (0, 0), (1, 1), (2, 2)}
2. Determine whether each equation defines y as a function of x.
(a) x(y + 1) = 3
(b) x − y 2 + 1
(c) x2 + y 2 − 4x − 2y − 15 = 0
3. For each of the following equations:
(i) Plot the curve given by the equation. Verify your graph with
Geogebra or any other graphing device.
(ii) Use the graph to find the domain and range.
(iii) Use the vertical line test to determine which relation is a function.
Also, determine if the functions are even or odd.
(a) y = x2 + 1
(b) x = y 2 + 1
(c) y = −3x5 + 2x3
√
(d) y = x + 2
4. Find the domain of each function
1−x
(a) f (x) =
x2
+ 5x + 6
√
x+3
(b) f (x) =
1−x
√
2−x
(c) f (x) = 2
x + 3x + 2
√
5. Let f (x) = x2 − 3x + 1 and g(x) = 2/ x. Simplify the difference
quotient; and, then evaluate at h = 0.
f (x + h) − f (x)
(a)
h
g(x + h) − g(x)
(b)
h
1
6. Determine the domain and range of each relation. State whether the
given graph is just a relation or a function.
2
7. Determine whether the function is even, odd or neither.
3x3 − x5
(a) y =
5x
6x − 3x2 − 5
4
(b) y =
4x3 − x
(c) y = 2x5 − 4x3 + 2
8. (i) Find f (−2), f (1), and f (2). (ii) Sketch the graph of the function
(iii) Find the domain and range.
(a) Let
|x| if −2 ≤ x < 2
f (x) =
x3 if 2≤x≤3
(b) Let
x2 if
√ −3 ≤ x < 1
f (x) =
x if 1≤x≤9
2x + 5000
9. The average cost per unit of a factory is given by C̄ = dollars
x
where x is the number of units produced.
(a) Assuming that the maximum production level is 10, 000 units, find
the domain of C̄.
(b) Find the average cost per unit of producing: 100, 1000, and 10, 000
units. To reduce the average cost per unit, is it better to increase or
decrease the level of production?
10. A plane is flying describing a trajectory given by the graph of
x3
if 0 ≤ x < 2
f (x) =
−x + 10 if 2 ≤ x ≤ 5
(a) Sketch the trajectory.
(b) Find the domain and range of the trajectory.
(c) Simplify the difference quotient
f (2 + h) − f (2)
h
when h > 0 and when h < 0.
3
ANSWERS
1. (a) Dom = {4, 9}, Ran = {2, 3, −2, −3} Relation but not a function. (b)
Dom = {−2, 0, 1, 2}, Ran = {−2, 0, 1, 2} It is a function.
√ p
2. (a) y = 3/x − 1 Yes. (b) y = ± x − 1 No. (c) y = 1 ± 20 − (x − 2)2
No.
3. (a) (ii) Dom = (−∞, +∞), Ran = [1, +∞), (iii) Even function.
(b) (ii) Dom = [1, +∞), Ran = (−∞, +∞), (iii) Not a function.
(c) (ii) Dom = (−∞, +∞), Ran = (−∞, +∞), (iii) Odd function.
(d) (ii) Dom = [−2, +∞), Ran = [0, +∞), (iii) Neither even nor odd
function.
4. (a) Dom = (−∞, −3) ∪ (−3, −2) ∪ (−2, +∞)
(b) Dom = [−3, 1) ∪ (1, +∞)
(c) Dom = (−∞, −2) ∪ (−2, −1) ∪ (−1, 2]
4
5. (a) 2x − 3, (b) √
3x x
6. Function. Relation. Function.
7. (a) even (b) odd (c) neither
8. (a)(i) f (−1) = 1, f (1) = 1, f (2) = 8, (iii) Dom = [−2, 3],
Ran = [0, 2) ∪ [8, 27]
(b)(i) f (−1) = 1, f (1) = 1, f (2) = 4, (iii) Dom = [−3, 9], Ran = [0, 9]
9. (a) (0, 10000), (b) 52, 7, and 2.5 dollars. It is better to increase the
production level.
10. (b) Dom = [0, 5], Ran = [0, 8], (c) For h > 0 we get −1. For h < 0, we
get h2 − 6h + 12
