Barrons AP Calculus

interchange x   and y,

then    solve   for y.

Example 6 __

Find the inverse of the one-to-one function f(x) = x^3 − 1.

SOLUTION: Interchange x and y: x = y^3 − 1

Solve   for y:

Figure  N1–2

Note that the graphs of f and f −1 in Figure N1–2 are mirror images, with the line
y = x as the mirror.

Zeros

A7. The zeros of a function f are the values of x for which f (x) = 0; they are
the x-intercepts of the graph of y = f (x).

Example 7 __

Find zeros of f(x) = x^4 − 2x^2.

SOLUTION: The zeros are the x’s for which x^4 − 2x^2 = 0. The function has