Composition of functions Mathematics resources（组成功能数学资源）.pdfVIP

Composition of functions mc-TY-composite-2009-1 We can build up complicated functions from simple functions by using the process of composition, where the output of one function becomes the input of another . It is also sometimes necessary to carry out the reverse process, decomposing a complicated function into two or more simple functions. In order to master the techniques explained here it is vital that you undertake plenty of practice exercises so that they become second nature. After reading this text, and/or viewing the video tutorial on this topic, you should be able to: • write down both the composite functions gf and fg given two suitable functions f and g , • write a complicated function as a composition gf , • determine whether two given functions f and g are suitable for composition, • find the domain and range of a composite function gf given the functions f and g . Contents 1. Introduction 2 2. Order of composition 3 3. Decomposition of a function 3 4. Domains and ranges of composed functions 4 c www.mathcentre.ac.uk 1 mathcentre 2009 1. Introduction The composition of two functions g and f is the new function we get by performing f first, and then performing g . For example, if we let f be the function given by f (x) = x2 and let g be the function given by g (x) = x + 3, then the composition of g with f is called gf and is worked out as gf (x) = g (f (x))