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Consider a linear function f(x) = mx + b

(where the slope is not 0).
What is f-1(x)?
Use this formula to find the inverse of
h(x) = 2x - 9.

1 Answer

5 votes

Answers:


f^(-1)(x) = (x-b)/(m)\\\\

and


h^(-1)(x) = (x+9)/(2)\\\\

See note below

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Step-by-step explanation:

First we replace f(x) with y. Then we swap x and y. Afterward, solve for y to determine the inverse function. The m value cannot be zero to avoid dividing by zero.


f(x) = mx+b\\\\y = mx+b\\\\x = my+b\\\\x-b = my\\\\y = (x-b)/(m)\\\\f^(-1)(x) = (x-b)/(m)\\\\

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For the formula h(x) = 2x-9, we see that m = 2 and b = -9

So the inverse for h(x) would be:


h^(-1)(x) = (x-b)/(m)\\\\h^(-1)(x) = (x-(-9))/(2)\\\\h^(-1)(x) = (x+9)/(2)\\\\

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Note: The function
h^(-1)(x) = (x+9)/(2)\\\\ is the same as saying
h^(-1)(x) = (1)/(2)x+(9)/(2)\\\\ or
h^(-1)(x) = 0.5x+4.5\\\\, so it will depend on what format your teacher wants.

User Carl Smith
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