
24 problems graded by difficulty (★ easy, ★★ medium, ★★★ hard). Try first, without looking at the solutions!
1 Evaluating composites ★★★
Let \(f(x)=2x+5\) and \(g(x)=x^2-3\). Compute \((f\circ g)(3)\), \((g\circ f)(3)\) and \((f\circ f)(-1)\).
2 Building composite formulas ★★★
Let \(f(x)=x-7\) and \(g(x)=4x\). Find \((f\circ g)(x)\) and \((g\circ f)(x)\). Are they equal?
3 A simple domain ★★★
Let \(f(x)=\sqrt{x}\) and \(g(x)=x+6\). Find \((f\circ g)(x)\) and \((g\circ f)(x)\), and give the domain of each.
4 Horizontal line test ★★★
Decide which of these functions are one-to-one, and justify with the horizontal line test: \(f(x)=2x-9\), \(g(x)=x^2\), \(h(x)=x^3+1\), \(k(x)=|x|\), \(m(x)=\dfrac1x\).
5 A linear inverse ★★★
Find the inverse of \(f(x)=5x-8\), then check your answer with the input \(7\).
6 Even, odd or neither ★★★
Classify each function as even, odd, or neither: \(f(x)=x^6-2x^2\), \(g(x)=4x^3+x\), \(h(x)=x^2+3x\).
7 Absolute values and pieces ★★★
(a) Solve \(|x+4|=9\).
(b) Let \(q(x)=3x-1\) if \(x\le2\), and \(q(x)=x^2-1\) if \(x\gt2\). Find \(q(-2)\), \(q(2)\) and \(q(4)\).
8 Payroll at a repair shop ★★★
A phone repair shop schedules \(h(d)=6d\) work hours over \(d\) days. A technician earns \(P(h)=22h+15\) dollars for \(h\) hours (including a $15 bonus). Find \(P(h(d))\) and use it to find the pay for \(5\) days.
9 A hidden restriction ★★★
Let \(f(x)=\dfrac{1}{x-2}\) and \(g(x)=x+5\). Write \((f\circ g)(x)\) and find its domain.
10 Inverse of a rational function ★★★
Find the inverse of \(f(x)=\dfrac{4x-1}{x+3}\) (\(x\neq-3\)) and verify it with the input \(0\).
11 A cubic inverse ★★★
Show that \(f(x)=2x^3-16\) is one-to-one on the real numbers and find \(f^{-1}\).
12 Are they inverses? ★★★
Show by composition that \(f(x)=2x+3\) and \(g(x)=\dfrac{x-3}{2}\) are inverses of each other.
13 Reading a graph and its inverse ★★★
The graph of the one-to-one function \(f(x)=\dfrac{x^3}{2}\) is shown below.
(a) Use the points \(P\) and \(Q\) to find \(f^{-1}(4)\) and \(f^{-1}(-4)\). (b) Give the coordinates of the two points of the graph of \(f^{-1}\) that correspond to \(P\) and \(Q\). (c) Find a formula for \(f^{-1}\).
14 Describing a transformation ★★★
Describe how the graph of \(g(x)=-|x-3|+5\) is obtained from \(y=|x|\), then give its vertex, its y-intercept, and its x-intercepts.
15 Symmetry proofs ★★★
Prove that \(f(x)=\dfrac{x}{x^2+1}\) is odd and that \(g(x)=|x|+x^2\) is even. Then show that \(h(x)=x^3+x^2\) is neither.
16 Absolute value as pieces ★★★
(a) Rewrite \(|3-2x|\) as a piecewise function. (b) Solve \(|3-2x|=7\).
17 Converting temperatures ★★★
The Fahrenheit temperature is \(F(C)=\dfrac95C+32\), where \(C\) is in degrees Celsius. (a) Find the inverse function. (b) A thermometer reads \(98.6\,^{\circ}\text{F}\). What is that in Celsius? (c) Explain what \(F^{-1}\) represents.
18 Domain traps with a root ★★★
Let \(h(x)=\sqrt{x^2-9}\). (a) Decompose \(h=f\circ g\). (b) Find the domain of \(h\). (c) With your \(f\) and \(g\), find \((g\circ f)(x)\) and its domain, and explain why it differs from the domain of \(h\).
19 Both orders, both domains ★★★
Let \(f(x)=\sqrt{4-x}\) and \(g(x)=x^2\). Find \(f\circ g\) and \(g\circ f\) with their domains.
20 Inverse after restriction ★★★
Let \(f(x)=x^2+6x+1\) for \(x\ge-3\). (a) Complete the square and give the range of \(f\). (b) Find \(f^{-1}\) with its domain and range. (c) Verify that \((-1,-4)\) is on the graph of \(f\) and \((-4,-1)\) is on the graph of \(f^{-1}\). (d) What would \(f^{-1}\) be if the domain were \(x\le-3\)?
21 Inverse of a piecewise function ★★★
Let \(f(x)=x+4\) if \(x\le0\), and \(f(x)=2x+6\) if \(x\gt0\). (a) Find the range of each piece and explain why \(f\) is one-to-one. (b) Find \(f^{-1}\) as a piecewise function with its domain. (c) Verify with \(f(-3)\) and \(f(2)\).
22 Solving with composition ★★★
Let \(f(x)=x^2-1\) and \(g(x)=2x+3\). (a) Solve \((f\circ g)(x)=24\). (b) Solve \((g\circ f)(x)=x\).
23 Moving points under a transformation ★★★
The points \((-2,3)\), \((0,-1)\) and \((4,5)\) lie on the graph of \(y=f(x)\). Find the images of these points on the graph of (a) \(y=-2f(x-1)+3\) and (b) \(y=\tfrac12 f(-x)\).
24 Parity of composites ★★★
Let \(f\) and \(g\) be defined on all real numbers. Prove: (a) if \(f\) is odd and \(g\) is even, then \(f\circ g\) is even; (b) if \(f\) and \(g\) are both odd, then \(f\circ g\) is odd. Then illustrate (a) with \(f(x)=x^3\) and \(g(x)=x^2+1\).
Test yourself: quick challenge for Grade 12
Speed drill for Grade 12: how many in 60 seconds?
🚀 Keep exploring with Zyro
✅ Practice solutionsFunction Composition and Inverses: practice solutions, Grade 12
📘 Math lessonsFunction Composition and Inverses: math lesson, Grade 12
🎯 Math quizzesFunction Composition and Inverses: math quiz, Grade 12
✅ Practice solutionsTrigonometric Functions and the Unit Circle: practice solutions, Grade 12
✅ Practice solutionsGraphs of Trigonometric Functions: practice solutions, Grade 12
📘 Math lessonsTrigonometric Functions and the Unit Circle: math lesson, Grade 12

