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Function and it's inverse

Started by shout, January 04, 2006, 09:25 AM

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shout

I have this homework problem that I'm having trouble with. It is:

If f(x) = 1 - x3 and f-1 is the inverse of f, how many solutions does the equation f(x) = f-1 have?

I did the inverse as such:

x = 3√(1-x)

It looks to me as if they equal each other twice but that is not a choice. :( The choices are:
A. 0
B. 1
C. 3
D. 5
E. 6

Augural Sentinel

#1
If you graph both equations, you'll find 5 intersections.  Where there's intersections, that shows the two equations are equal with those X values.

Thus, D is the answer.

Edit:  I wrongly corrected you.  Hope it isn't too late to make the correction.  I just realized it today when I was thinking about it again.  The error was just my wrong method of finding a function's inverse. :-\

shout

#2
I graphed it on my TI87 and used ZBox around the intersection. It is D.

So how is your answer wrong?

y = 1 - x3
x = 1 - y3
1 - x = y3
3√(1 - x) = y

Augural Sentinel

Quote from: Shout on January 05, 2006, 09:47 PM
I graphed it on my TI87 and used ZBox around the intersection. It is D.

So how is your answer wrong?

y = 1 - x3
x = 1 - y3
1 - x = y3
3√(1 - x) = y

I had a correction on your answer that was wrong because I didn't use the correct method for finding an inverse.  I just deleted that bit of my post to avoid confusion.

Yoni

I don't think it can be solved easily without graphing.

Mathematica:
Plot[{1 - x^3, (1 - x)^(1/3), -(x - 1)^(1/3)}, {x, -1, 1.5}]