Given f(x) = sqrt(42-x) f(x)=42x and g(x) = x^2 - xg(x)=x2x how do you find f(g(x)) and what is it's domain?

1 Answer
Sep 19, 2016

f(g(x)) = sqrt(x-x^2 + 42)f(g(x))=xx2+42 with domain -6 ≤ x ≤ 76x7.

Explanation:

First, find the composition by inputting g(x)g(x) inside f(x)f(x).

f(g(x)) = sqrt(42 - (x^2 - x))f(g(x))=42(x2x)

f(g(x)) = sqrt(-x^2 +x+ 42)f(g(x))=x2+x+42

To determine the domain, we need to factor inside the square root, because we cannot have the value inside the square root be any less than 00.

f(g(x)) = sqrt(-x^2-6x+7x+42 )f(g(x))=x26x+7x+42

f(g(x)) = sqrt(-x(x + 6)+ 7(x + 6))f(g(x))=x(x+6)+7(x+6)

f(g(x)) = sqrt((7- x)(x + 6))f(g(x))=(7x)(x+6)

Set up a quadratic inequality, forgetting about the square root for the time being.

(7 - x)(x + 6) ≥ 0(7x)(x+6)0

Select test points. Let Test Point 1 be 9, test point 2 be 5 and test point 3 be -8.

Checking, you will find test point 1 does not work, test point 2 works and test point 3 does not work.

Hence, the domain is -6 ≤ x ≤ 76x7.

Another way to work it out is to solve the inequality one bracket at a time.

7-x>=07x0
x<=7x7

x+6>=0x+60
x>=-6x6

Combining these two, we get -6 ≤ x ≤ 76x7.

Hopefully, this helps!

Here's your graph: graph{sqrt(-x^2+x+42) [-9.59, 10.41, -0.36, 9.64]}