Find the domain and range of the inverse of the function.
Let's do it graphically first, and then we'll do it
algebraically.
First we'll draw the graph of
That is a parabola with vertex (0,6).
However because of the
restriction, we will have to eliminate
the left half of the graph to have the
graph of f(x), which is this:
The domain of is
The range of is
Now let's draw what is called "the identity line",
which is the 45°-line through the origin whose
equation is . I'll draw the identity line
in green dotted:
Now let's draw the graph of ,
the inverse of by reflecting it across the
green dotted identity line like this:
The domain of is
The range of is
Notice that the range of is the domain of ,
and the domain of is the range of .
That's doing it graphically. Now let's do it
algebraically:
Replace by
Interchange and :
Solve for y:
We take the square roots of both sides, and
since , we do not need "±".
Now we replace by
What is under the square root radical must not be negative,
so or or
So, because of ,
The domain of is
and because of the ,
The range of is
Edwin