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## Precalculus

### Course: Precalculus>Unit 1

Lesson 3: Invertible functions

# Intro to invertible functions

Not all functions have inverses. Those who do are called "invertible." Learn how we can tell whether a function is invertible or not.
Inverse functions, in the most general sense, are functions that "reverse" each other. For example, if f takes a to b, then the inverse, f, start superscript, minus, 1, end superscript, must take b to a.

## Do all functions have an inverse function?

Consider the finite function h defined by the following table.
x1234
h, left parenthesis, x, right parenthesis2125
We can create a mapping diagram for function h.
Now let's reverse the mapping to find the inverse, h, start superscript, minus, 1, end superscript.
Notice here that h, start superscript, minus, 1, end superscript maps the input of 2 to two different outputs: 1 and 3. This means that h, start superscript, minus, 1, end superscript is not a function.
Because the inverse of h is not a function, we say that h is non-invertible.
In general, a function is invertible only if each input has a unique output. That is, each output is paired with exactly one input. That way, when the mapping is reversed, it will still be a function!
Here's an example of an invertible function g. Notice that the inverse is indeed a function.

1) f is a finite function that is defined by this table.
xminus, 2minus, 1space, space, space, 0space, space, space, 1space, space, space, 2
f, left parenthesis, x, right parenthesis21356
Is f an invertible function?

2) g is a finite function that is defined by this table.
x2581019
g, left parenthesis, x, right parenthesisminus, 2minus, 3minus, 216
Is g an invertible function?

### Challenge Problem

3*) Is f, left parenthesis, x, right parenthesis, equals, x, squared an invertible function?

## Invertible functions and their graphs

Consider the graph of the function y, equals, x, squared.
We know that a function is invertible if each input has a unique output. Or in other words, if each output is paired with exactly one input.
But this is not the case for y, equals, x, squared.
Take the output 4, for example. Notice that by drawing the line y, equals, 4, you can see that there are two inputs, 2 and minus, 2, associated with the output of 4.
In fact, if you slide the horizontal line up and down, you will see that most outputs are associated with two inputs! So the function y, equals, x, squared is a non-invertible function.
In contrast, consider the function y, equals, x, cubed.
If we take a horizontal line and slide it up and down the graph, it only ever intersects the function in one spot!
This means that each output corresponds with exactly one input. In other words, each input has a unique output. The function y, equals, x, cubed is invertible.
The reasoning above describes what is called the horizontal line test: In general, a function f is invertible if it passes the horizontal line test.


4) Is g invertible?


5) Is h invertible?

## Want to join the conversation?

• I don't quiet understand what it means for a function to be invertible. Based on the examples, doesn't it mean that if different inputs create a same output means it's not invertible?
• Yes that is exactly correct. The reason such a function would not be invertible is because its inverse would not even be a function!
• So does this mean that quadratic functions are always non-invertible?
• Exactly. Each 𝑦 value corresponds to more than one 𝑥 value (except at the vertex). Therefore, the inverse of a quadratic function is not even a function, so quadratics are noninvertible. However, there it is possible to restrict the domain of the quadratic to make it invertible.
Comment if you have questions!
• what is it if it's not a function then?
f(x)=x^2 maps to 2 values and is considered a function. I don't understand what's the deal. How is different from it's inverse?
• If the inverse of a function is not a function, it is just called a relation.
• I wonder why they didn't use the term one-to-one...
• I didnt get what it means to check the invertible function by having the graph y=x
what does this mean?
how do we check whether it is an invertible function or not through this??
• If you reflect the original function, let's say f(x), over the line y=x, you get f^-1(x), or the graph of the inverse function. Then, you can use the vertical line test to check if the inverse function is really a function.

To do the vertical line test, you draw an imaginary vertical line, and if this line hits more than one point on the graph, your graph is NOT A FUNCTION.

Hope I helped!
• so an invertible does not have to be a function?
• The inverse of a function is not necessarily a function.
𝑦 = 𝑥², for example, because as we invert it we get 𝑥 = ±√𝑦, so each positive 𝑦-value is now mapped to two different 𝑥-values. which means that 𝑥 is not a function of 𝑦 and we say that 𝑦 = 𝑥² is non-invertible.
• What is the difference between a normal function and invertible function? Because I am unable to understand the concept clearly even now...
• An invertible function is one for which we can find an inverse function. Recall that a function maps its input to a unique value. For example x^2 maps 3 to 9. And only to 9.
Unfortunately it also maps -3 to 9 as well. This means that if we are told that x^2 = 9 then we can't be sure whether x was 3 or -3. It is true that square root is the inverse of squared, but it is not a function.*
e^x is an invertible function and ln(e^x) = x for all x.
• how to know if this variable is invertible?