PMMT100 – A Level Mathematics 1

Tutorial Sheet 2: Functions

Mr. M. Chipoka, Dr. J. Musonda, & Dr. C. Chileshe
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Lusaka
July 25, 2024

Mark allocations are shown in brackets for time management (1 mark ≈ 1.2 minutes)

1. (a) Given that

4
f (x) = , x>0
3x + 5
1
g(x) = , x>0
x
(i) State the range of f . (2)

(ii) Find f −1 (x), and state its domain and range. (4)

(iii) Sketch the graph of f −1 (x) (3)

(iv) Find f g(x) and gf (x). (4)

(v) Show that the equation f g(x) = gf (x) has no real solutions. (4)

(b) The function h is defined by

h : x 7→ 3x2 − 4x + 7, for k ≤ x ≤ 5.

(i) Sketch the graph of the function y = h(x). (4)

(ii) From the graph or otherwise, state the smallest value of k for which h has an
inverse. (2)

(iii) For this value of k, find an expression for h−1 . (3)

1
 (c) Given that

f (x) = e−x − 4, x∈R

 
1
g(x) = ln , x > −2
x+2

(i) State the range of f , (1)

(ii) Find f −1 (x), (3)

(iii) Express f g(x) as a polynomial in x. (3)

√
(d) Consider the function f (x) = x + 2, for all x ≥ −2.
(i) Find f −1 (x). (2)

(ii) Sketch f −1 (x), and determine its domain and range. (4)

(iii) Solve the equation f −1 (x) = f (x). (3)

(e) (i) The function g is defined by

g : x 7→ |8 − 2x|, x ∈ R, x ≥ 0

Sketch the graph with equation y = g(x), showing the coordinates of the points
where the graph cuts or meets the axes. (3)

(ii) The function f is defined by

f : x 7→ x2 − 3x + 1, x ∈ R, 0 ≤ x ≤ 4

Find the range of f. You must make your method and steps very clear. (4)

(f) Suppose that

x+9
f (x) = 2|3 − x| + 5, g(x) = , x≥0
2x + 3
(i) Find the value of f g(1) and state the range of g. (4)

(ii) Find g −1 (x) and state its domain. (4)

(iii) Given that the equation f (x) = k, where k is a constant, has exactly two roots,
state the range of possible values of k. (3)

2. (a) Consider the function f (x) = x2 − 8x + 19

(i) Express f (x) in the form (x + a)2 + b, where a and b are constants. (2)

Page 2
 (ii) The curve C with equation y = f (x) crosses the y-axis at the point P and has
a minimum point at the point Q.

Sketch the graph of C showing the coordinates of the points P and Q. (3)

(b) (i) On separate axes sketch the graphs of

α) y = −3x + c, where c is a positive constant,
1
β) y = +5
x
On each sketch show the coordinates of any point at which the graph crosses
the y-axis and the equation of any horizontal asymptote. (4)

(ii) Given that y = −3x+c, where c is a positive constant, meets the curve y = x1 +5
at two distinct points, show that (5 − c)2 > 12 . (3)

(iii) Hence find the range of possible values for c. (4)

(c) Consider the function below, for x ∈ R,




 x2 + 1, if x≥0





f (x) = 6, if x>3






2x + 1, if
 −5≤x<0

Sketch the piecewise-defined function f (5)

(d) (i) On separate axes sketch the graphs of

α) y = c2 − x2

β) y = x2 (x − 3c)
where c is a positive constant. Show clearly the coordinates of the points where
each graph crosses or meets the x-axis and the y-axis. (5)

(ii) Prove that the x-coordinate of any point of intersection of

y = c2 − x 2 and y = x2 (x − 3c)

where c is a positive constant, is given by a solution of the equation (2)

x3 + (1 − 3c)x2 − c2 = 0

(iii) Given that the graphs meet when x = 2, find the exact value of c, writing your
answer as a fully simplified surd. (4)

Page 3
3. (a) Consider the function
f (x) = (2x − 5)2 (x + 3)
(i) Sketch the graph of the curve y = f (x). (3)

(ii) Given that the curve with equation y = f (x) − k, passes through the origin,
find the value of the constant k. (1)

(b) Consider the curve C given by the equation

y = 9x − 4x3
(i) Sketch the graph of C. (5)

(ii) On separate diagrams, sketch transformation curves of C defined below

α) y = 3f (x)

β) y = f (x) − 4
Sketches must clearly show points at which C meets the coordinate axes. (6)

(c) The curve with equation y = f (x) crosses the x-axis at the origin and at the point
(6, 0). It has maximum points at (1, 6) and (5, 6) and has a minimum point at (3, 2).

On separate diagrams, sketch the curves defined by the following equations

(i) y = −f (x), (3)

(ii) y = f 21 x − 4


(3)

(iii) y = f (x + 4) (3)
On each diagram show clearly the coordinates of the maximum and minimum points,
and the coordinates of the points where the curve crosses the x-axis.

4. (a) Healthy average systolic blood pressure is estimated by the equation

P = 2a2 − 4a + 5, a ∈ R, a ≥ 0,
where a is the age of a person in years, and P the pressure in millimeters of mercury
(mm Hg).
(i) If a person has a systolic blood pressure of 11 mm Hg, what is their age? (2)

(ii) Determine the age at which the systolic blood pressure is minimum. (3)

(b) The amount of cough syrup, measured in Milliliters (mL), in a patient’s blood is
given by
M (t) = −t2 + 6t − 2.5, t ∈ R, t ≥ 0,
where t is the number of hours after taking the medication.

Page 4
 (i) After how many hours of taking it, is the syrup in the patient’s blood at its
highest concentration? (2)

(ii) Determine this amount of syrup at t found in (i). (2)

(c) The number of patients, N , admitted at a hospital during a Cholera outbreak is

being studied. It is discovered that this number is modelled by the equation
300
N= t ∈ R, t ≥ 0,
3 + 17e−0.2t
where t is the time, in weeks, from the start of the study. Using this model,

(i) Find the number of patients admitted at the start of the study, (1)

(ii) Approximate the number of patients admitted when t = 10, and when t = 20. (4)

(iii) Find the time from the start of the study for which there would be 124 admis-
sions. (3)

End of Tutorial Sheet

Page 5