PAST YEAR QUESTION :CHAPTER 1 : FUNCTIONS

1. Functions f, g and h are defined by

x x2 2
f :x ,g:x  ,h : x  3 .
x 1 x x
a) state the domains of f and g. [2 marks]
b) find the composite function gof and state its domain and range. [5 marks]
c) state the domain and range of h. [2 marks]
d) state whether h = g o f. Give a reason for your answer. [ 2006, 2 marks]
Ans : a) Df ={ x : xЄR, x ≠-1}, Dg ={ x : xЄR, x ≠0},
b) 3+2/x Dgof ={ x : xЄR, x ≠-1, x ≠0}, Rgof ={ y : yЄR, y ≠3 },
c) Dh ={ x : xЄR, x ≠0}, Rh ={ y : yЄR, y ≠3},
d)Both f(x) and gof(x) have the same rule but different domains and ranges,
therefore h ≠gof

2. The functions f and g are defined by

1
f : x  , x  R \ {0};
x
g : x  2 x  1, x  R.
Find f  g and its domain. [ 2008, 4 marks]
1 1
Ans : 2𝑥−1 , 𝐷𝑓𝑜𝑔 = { 𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅, 𝑥 ≠ 2}

3. Functions f and g are defined by

x 1
f :x for x  ;
2x  1 2
g : x  ax  bx  c, where a, b, and c are constants.
2

a) Find f  f , and hence, determine the inverse function of f. [ 4 marks]

 3x  4 x  1
2
b) Find the values of a, b and c if g  f  [ 4 marks]
(2 x  1) 2
x2  2
c) Given that p(x) = x – 2, express h(x) =
2
in terms of f and p.[2011,2 marks]
2x 2  5
𝑥 1
Ans : a) x, f -1:x → 2𝑥−1 , 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅, 𝑥 ≠ 2 b) a=1. B=0, c=-1 c) h=fp

4. The graph of a function f is follows :

a) state the domain and range of f. [ 2 marks]

b) state whether f is one-to-one function or not. Give a reason for your answer.
[ 2010, 2 marks]

1
Ans : a) Domain = { x: -3 ≤x≤ -1, -1 < x ≤2, xЄR } Range ={ y : -1< y < 2, y ЄR }
b) Not one-to-one function. Because by using the horizontal line test, there are
more than one pint of intersection between the horizontal line and the graph of f.

1
5. Sketch on the same coordinate axes, the graphs of y = 2 - x and y = 2  .
x
[4 marks]
1
Hence , solve the inequality 2 – x > 2  . [2004, 4 marks]
x
Ans : x < -0.236

1
6. Find the solution set of the inequality x  2 < , where x  0. [2005, 7 marks]
x
Ans : { x : 0 < x < 1, 1 < x < 1 +√2 }

2x  1 Ax  B C
7. Express in the form  , where A, B and C are constants.
( x 2  1)( 2  x) x2 1 2  x
[2006, 3 marks]
𝑥 1
Ans : 𝑥 2 +1 + 2−𝑥

8. The polynomial p(x)= x 4 + a x 3 –7 x 2 –4ax + b has a factor x + 3 and, when divided

by x-3, has remainder 60. Find the values of a and b, and factorise p (x) completely.
[9 marks]
1
Using the substitution y = , solve the equation 12 y 4 – 8 y 3 – 7 y 2 + 2 y + 1 = 0
x
[2006, 3 marks]
Ans : a=2, b=12, (x-1)(x+3)(x-2)(x+2) , y= 1, -1/3, ½, -1/2

9. Find the constants A, B , C and D such that

3x 2  5 x A B C D
    [ 2007, 8 marks]
(1  x )(1  x)
2 2
1  x 1  x (1  x) 2
(1  x) 3
Ans : A =1, B=1, c = -1, D =-1

10. The polynomial p(x ) = 2 x 3 + 4 x 2 + ½ x – k has factor ( x + 1 ).

a) find the values of k. [ 2 marks]
b) factorise p(x) completely. [ 2008, 4 marks]
1
Ans : a) 3/2 b) (x+1)(2x+3)(x - 2 )

11. Find the solution set of the inequality

4 3
 3
x 1 x [2008, 10 marks]

Ans : { x : 0 < x < 3, x ≠1 }

2
12. Find all the values of x if y = 3  x and 4y – ( x 2 -9 ) = -24. [ 2009, 9 marks]
Ans : x = -9 or 7

13. . Determine the set of values of x satisfying the inequality

x 1
 [ 2009, 4 marks]
x 1 x 1
Ans : { x : x < -1 or x ≥ 1 }

14. The polynomial p(x) = 6x 4-a x 3-b x 2 + 28x + 12, where a and b are real constants,
has factors ( x + 2 ) and ( x – 2).
Find the values of a and b, and hence, factorise p(x) completely. [ 2009, 7 marks]
Ans : a = 7, b = 27, P(x) = (x+2)(x-2)(2x-3)(3x+1)

15. The polynomial p(x)=2x 4-7x 3 +5x2 +ax + b, where a and b are real constants, is
divisible by 2x 2 + x – 1.
a) find a and b. [ 4 marks]
b) for these values of a and b, determine the set of values of x such that p(x)  0
[ 2010, 4 marks]
1
Ans : a) a = 9, b = -5 b) { x : -1 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2 , 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅}

16. Find the set of values of x satisfying the inequality 2x – 1  x  1 . [ 2011, 6 marks]
Ans : { x ; x ≤ 2 }

17. The polynomial p(x) = ax3 +bx2-4x+3, where a and b are constants, has a factor (x+1).
When p(x) is divided by (x-2), it leaves a reminder of -9.
a) find the values of a and b, and hence, factorise p(x) completely. [ 6 marks]
p( x)
b) find the set of values of x which satisfies 0 [ 4 marks]
x3
p ( x)
c) by completing the square, find the minimum value of , x  3, and the value
x3
of x at which it occurs. [ 2011, 4 marks]
1
Ans : a) a= 2, b=-5, b) { x : x ≤ −1, 𝑥 ≥ , 𝑥 ≠ 3} c) min value 0s -9/8 when x = -1/4
2

x
18. If log a ()  3 log a 2  log a ( x  2a), express x in terms of a. [ 2007, 6 marks]
a2
Ans : x = 4a

2 1
19. Given that log a (3x  4a)  log a 3x   log a (1  2a), where 0  a  , find x.
log 2 a 2
[ 2009, 7 marks]
Ans : x = 2/3

20. Solve the following simultaneous equations :

x2
log 3 ( xy)  5 and log 9 ( )  2 [ 2010, 4 marks]
y
Ans : x = 27, y = 9

3
21. Solve the equation lnx + ln (x+2) = 1 [ 2011, 4 marks]
Ans : x = √1 + 𝑒 − 1

22. Sketch, on the same coordinate axes, the curves y = 6- e x and y = 5 e –x, and find the
coordinates of the points of intersection. [ 2008, 7 marks]
Ans : ( ln5, 1 )

23. Given that 2 -x – x 2is a factor of P(x) = ax3-x2+bx -2. Find the values of a and b.
Hence, find the set of values of x for which P(x) is negative. [ 2012, 6 marks]
1
Ans : a = -2, b=5, { x : -2 < x < 2 , 𝑥 > 1 }

24. Functions f and gof are defined by f(x)= e x+2 and (gof)(x) = √x. For all x ≥0.
a) find the function g, and state its domain, [ 5 marks]
b) determine the value of (fog)(e3) [ 2012, 2 marks]
Ans : a) g(x) =√𝑙𝑛𝑥 − 2 Dg={ x : x ≥ 𝑒 2 } b) e 3
𝑥 3
25. Solve the simultaneous equations 𝑙𝑜𝑔9 (𝑦)= 4 and ( 𝑙𝑜𝑔3 𝑥)(𝑙𝑜𝑔3 𝑦) = 1
[2012, 8 marks]
1 1
Ans : 𝑥 = , 𝑦 = 9 , 𝑥 = 9, 𝑦 = √3
√3

1
26. The function f is defined by f : x2-x, for x ≥ .
2
a) find f -1, state its domain, [ 4 marks]
b) find the coordinates of the point of intersection of graphs f and f -1. [ 3 marks]
c) sketch, on the same coordinates axes, the graphs of f and f -1. [ 2012, 3 marks]
1 1 1
Ans : a) 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 2+√𝑥 + 4, 𝐷𝑓−1 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ≥ − 4} b) (2,2)

1
27. The function f is defined by f(x) = 2 (𝑒 𝑥 − 𝑒 −𝑥 ), 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅.
a) show that f has an inverse. [ 3 marks]
b) find the inverse function of f, and state its domain. [ 2013, 7 marks]
Ans : b) 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = ln(𝑥 + √𝑥 2 + 1 𝐷𝑓−1 = { 𝑥 ; 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅}

3
28. Determine the set of values of x satisfying the inequality 𝑥 + 4 ≤ 𝑥.
[ STPM 2014, 6 marks]
Ans : { x : x ≤-2-√7 or 0 < 𝑥 ≤ −2 + √7 }

29. Functions f and g are defined by

f(x) = x2 + 4x + 2, x ∈R,
3
g(x) =3+𝑥 , 𝑥 ≠ −3, 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅.
a) Sketch the graph of f, and find its range. [4 marks]
b) Sketch the graph of g, and show that g is a one-to-one function. [3 marks]
c) Give a reason why g -1 exists. Find g-1 and state its domain. [4 marks]
d) Give a reason why gof exists. Find g°f, and state its domain.[STPM 2014,4 marks]

Ans : a) Rf = { y : y≥ −2 }

4
 b) g is one-to-one because the line y=k, k≠ 0 cuts the graph at one point only.

3
c) g-1 exists because g is one-to-one function. g-1(x)=𝑥 − 3, 𝐷𝑔−1 = { 𝑥: 𝑥 ≠ 0}

d) 𝑅𝑓 ⊆ 𝐷𝑔 , 𝐷𝑔𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑠 𝑅

30. A continuous function f is defined by

x3-1, −1 ≤ 𝑥 < 2,
1 2
f(x) − 2(x-3) + 𝑐, 2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 8,

where c is a constant.
a) Determine the value of c. [4 marks]
b) Find the values of x such that f(x) = 0. [3 marks]
c) Sketch the graph of f. [3 marks]
d) Find the maximum and minimum values of f. [3 marks]
e) State whether f is a one-to-one function or not. Give a reason for your answer.
[ STPM 2014,2 marks]
Ans : a) 15/2 b) 3 +√15, x =1 d) max: 15/2, min: -5
e) f is one-to-one since f(1)=f(3+√15)=0

31. The polynomial p(x) = axA + x3 + bx2 – 10x - 4, where a and b are constants, has a
factor (2X + 1). When p(x) is divided by (x- 1), the remainder is -15.

a) Determine the values of a and b. [ 4 marks]

b) Factorise p(x) completely. [ 3 marks]

c) Find the set of values of x which satisfies the inequality p(x) < 0.
[ STPM 2015, 4 marks]
1
Ans : a) a=2, b=-4 b) (x-2)(2x+1)(x2+2x+2) c) { x :- 2 < x < 2}

1
32. Express 2𝑥 2 −7𝑥+6 in partial fractions. [ STPM 2015, 3 marks]

1 2
Ans : 𝑥−2 − 2𝑥−3