Prove f is One-to-One: (a) and (b) | Help with Choosing Inverse Formula

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In summary: I suspect that they want you to write it as a function of y (why else would the problem say "one to one on E"?) so "y= -3/2+ \sqrt{x+ 33/4}".For the second problem, y= x/(x^2+ 1), I would write "x= y(x^2+ 1)", "x^2+ 1= xy" and "x^2- xy+ 1= 0". That is a quadratic equation in x. Use the quadratic formula: x= [y+/- sqrt{y^2- 4(1)(1)}]/[2(1)].Of course, the denominator is
  • #1
AutGuy98
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Hey guys, got another question for you to look at and hopefully help me out on.

For each of the following functions, prove that f is one to one on E and find a formula for the inverse function f-1.

(a) f(x)=x2+3x-6 and E=[-3/2,infinity).

(b) f(x)=((x)/(x2+1)) and E=[-1,1].

Please help me here, mainly with proving that each of the two functions are one-to-one, since that's what I'm mainly having trouble with. I did manage to calculate the formulas for the inverse functions of both, but there are plus or minuses involved (since I used the Quadratic Formula to solve for them) and that is where I've stopped with that. However, I need to choose only one of the solutions (either positive or negative) for each function and I'm not sure how to do that. Could someone please help me show that each function is one-to-one and help me choose between a positive and negative formula for each inverse function? These are what I have for them:

(a) f-1(x)=-3/2+((sqrt(4x+33))/(2)) and f-1(x)=-3/2-((sqrt(4x+33))(2)).
(b) f-1(x)=((1)/(2x))+((sqrt(1-4x2))/(2x)) and f-1(x)=((1)/(2x))-((sqrt(1-4x2))/(2x))

Again, thank you guys for your help before, I really do appreciate all of it, and I hope you can read this over quickly enough to get back to me in time. Thank you in advance for doing so.
 
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  • #2
AutGuy98 said:
For each of the following functions, prove that f is one to one on E and find a formula for the inverse function f-1.

(a) f(x)=x2+3x-6 and E=[-3/2,infinity).

(b) f(x)=((x)/(x2+1)) and E=[-1,1].

Let $a \text{ and } b$ be two elements in the domain of a function $f$. The function, $f$ , is one-one if $f(a)=f(b) \implies a = b$

For $f(x) = x^2+3x-6$ ... set $f(a)=f(b)$

$a^2 + 3a - 6 = b^2 + 3b - 6$

$a^2+3a = b^2+3b$

$a^2-b^2 = 3b-3a$

$(a-b)(a+b) = 3(b-a)$

$(a-b)(a+b) + 3(a-b) = 0$

$(a-b)[(a+b)+3] = 0 \implies a=b \text{ or } a+b=-3$

If $a=b$, we're done. If $a,b \in \left[-\dfrac{3}{2},\infty \right)$, then $a=b=-\dfrac{3}{2}$. If $a \ne b$, then $a + b \ne -3 \implies (a+g)+3 \ne 0$

Inverse, solve for $x$ ...

$y = x^2+3x-6$

$y+6 = x^2+3x+\dfrac{9}{4}$

$y+6 = \left(x+\dfrac{3}{2}\right)^2$

$\sqrt{y+6} = \left|x+\dfrac{3}{2}\right|$

case 1 ... $x+\dfrac{3}{2} \ge 0 \implies x+\dfrac{3}{2} = \sqrt{y+6} \implies x = \sqrt{y+6} - \dfrac{3}{2}$

note the domain of the inverse requires $y \ge -6 \implies x \ge -\dfrac{3}{2}$

case 2 ... $x+\dfrac{3}{2} < 0 \implies x+\dfrac{3}{2} = -\sqrt{y+6} \implies x = -\sqrt{x+6} - \dfrac{3}{2}$

note the domain of the inverse requires $y \ge -6 \implies x < -\dfrac{3}{2}$

note that case 1 follows the given domain restriction for $f \implies f^{-1}(x) = \sqrt{x+6} - \dfrac{3}{2}$------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$f(x) = \dfrac{x}{x^2+1}$

$\dfrac{a}{a^2+1} = \dfrac{b}{b^2+1}$

$a(b^2+1) = b(a^2+1)$

$ab^2+a = a^2b+b$

$ab^2-a^2b = b-a$

$ab(b-a) = b-a$

$ab(b-a)-(b-a) =0$

$(b-a)(ab-1) = 0 \implies b=a \text{ or } ab=1$

If $b=a$, we're done. $ab=1 \implies a = b= \pm 1$ for any $a,b \in [-1,1]$

Inverse, solve for $x$ ...

$y=\dfrac{x}{x^2+1}$ note $y = f(0) = 0$

$y(x^2+1) = x$

$yx^2 - x + y = 0$

$x = \dfrac{1 \pm \sqrt{1 - 4y^2}}{2y}$ for $y \in \left[-\dfrac{1}{2} , 0\right) \cup \left(0, \dfrac{1}{2}\right]$

note $f\left(\dfrac{1}{2}\right) = \dfrac{\frac{1}{2}}{\frac{1}{4}+1} = \dfrac{2}{5} \implies f^{-1}\left(\dfrac{2}{5}\right)=\dfrac{1}{2} \implies \dfrac{1}{2} = \dfrac{1 - \sqrt{1-\frac{16}{25}}}{\frac{4}{5}} $, and ...

$f\left(-\dfrac{1}{2}\right) = \dfrac{-\frac{1}{2}}{\frac{1}{4}+1} = -\dfrac{2}{5} \implies f^{-1}\left(-\dfrac{2}{5}\right)=-\dfrac{1}{2} \implies -\dfrac{1}{2} = \dfrac{1 - \sqrt{1-\frac{16}{25}}}{-\frac{4}{5}} $

therefore, $x$ as a function of $y$ is

$x = \left\{\begin{matrix}
0 & y=0\\
\dfrac{1-\sqrt{1-4y^2}}{2y} & y \in \left[-\dfrac{1}{2} , 0\right) \cup \left(0, \dfrac{1}{2}\right]
\end{matrix}\right.$
 
  • #3
For (a) the first thing I would do is "complete the square".
[tex]y= x^2+ 3x- 6= x^2+ 3x+ 9/4- 9/4- 24/4= (x+ 3/2)^2- 33/4[/tex].

The graph of that is a parabola, opening upward, with vertex at (-3/2, -33/4).
For x> -3/2 we have the single branch of the parabola so this function is "one to one".

Since [tex]y= (x+ 3/2)^2- 33/4[/tex], [tex](x+ 3/2)^2= (y+ 33/4)[/tex], [tex]x+ 3/2= \sqrt{y+ 33/4}[/tex] (since x> -3/2, x+ 3/2 is positive and we must take the positive root) so [tex]x= -3/2+ \sqrt{y+ 33/4}[/tex]. Switch "x" and "y" to get the inverse function.
 
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Related to Prove f is One-to-One: (a) and (b) | Help with Choosing Inverse Formula

1. What does it mean for a function to be one-to-one?

A function is one-to-one if each element in the domain corresponds to exactly one element in the range. In other words, no two elements in the domain can map to the same element in the range.

2. How can I prove that a function is one-to-one?

To prove that a function is one-to-one, you can use the horizontal line test. If a horizontal line intersects the graph of the function at more than one point, then the function is not one-to-one. Another method is to show that if f(a) = f(b), then a = b for all values in the domain.

3. What is the inverse of a one-to-one function?

The inverse of a one-to-one function is a function that "undoes" the original function. It switches the roles of the domain and range, so that the input values of the original function become the output values of the inverse function, and vice versa.

4. How do I find the inverse of a one-to-one function?

To find the inverse of a one-to-one function, you can use the following steps:

  1. Write the original function in the form y = f(x).
  2. Switch the x and y variables, so that the new equation is x = f(y).
  3. Solve for y to get the inverse function, y = f-1(x).

5. Can you provide an example of proving a function is one-to-one and finding its inverse?

Yes, for example, let's consider the function f(x) = 2x + 3. To prove that this function is one-to-one, we can use the horizontal line test. The graph of this function is a straight line, and no horizontal line intersects it at more than one point, so it is one-to-one.

To find the inverse of this function, we can follow the steps outlined in the previous answer:

  1. y = 2x + 3
  2. x = 2y + 3
  3. y = (x - 3)/2

Therefore, the inverse function is f-1(x) = (x - 3)/2.

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