A graphical representation of a function––here the number of hours of daylight as a function of the time of year at various latitudes–– is often the most natural and convenient way to represent the function.
Functions and Models
The fundamental objects that we deal with in calculus are functions. This chapter prepares the way for calculus by discussing the basic ideas concerning functions, their graphs, and ways of transforming and combining them. We stress that a function can be represented in different ways: by an equation, in a table, by a graph, or in words. We look at the main types of functions that occur in calculus and describe the process of using these functions as mathematical models of real-world phenomena. We also discuss the use of graphing calculators and graphing software for computers.
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Four Ways to Represent a Function
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Functions arise whenever one quantity depends on another. Consider the following four situations. A. The area A of a circle depends on the radius r of the circle. The rule that connects r and A is given by the equation A r 2. With each positive number r there is associated one value of A, and we say that A is a function of r. B. The human population of the world P depends on the time t. The table gives estimates of the world population Pt at time t, for certain years. For instance, P1950 2,560,000,000 But for each value of the time t there is a corresponding value of P, and we say that P is a function of t. C. The cost C of mailing a first-class letter depends on the weight w of the letter. Although there is no simple formula that connects w and C, the post office has a rule for determining C when w is known. D. The vertical acceleration a of the ground as measured by a seismograph during an earthquake is a function of the elapsed time t. Figure 1 shows a graph generated by seismic activity during the Northridge earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994. For a given value of t, the graph provides a corresponding value of a. a {cm/
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FIGURE 1
Vertical ground acceleration during the Northridge earthquake
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CHAPTER 1 FUNCTIONS AND MODELS
Each of these examples describes a rule whereby, given a number (r, t, w, or t), another number ( A, P, C, or a) is assigned. In each case we say that the second number is a function of the first number. A function f is a rule that assigns to each element x in a set A exactly one element, called f x, in a set B.
x (input)
f
ƒ (output)
FIGURE 2
Machine diagram for a function ƒ
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x a
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FIGURE 3
Arrow diagram for ƒ
We usually consider functions for which the sets A and B are sets of real numbers. The set A is called the domain of the function. The number f x is the value of f at x and is read “ f of x.” The range of f is the set of all possible values of f x as x varies throughout the domain. A symbol that represents an arbitrary number in the domain of a function f is called an independent variable. A symbol that represents a number in the range of f is called a dependent variable. In Example A, for instance, r is the independent variable and A is the dependent variable. It’s helpful to think of a function as a machine (see Figure 2). If x is in the domain of the function f, then when x enters the machine, it’s accepted