SOLUTION: Determine the value of k so that the function {{{f(x)=(x-6)/(2x+k)}}} will be its own inverse.

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Question 1196503: Determine the value of k so that the function f%28x%29=%28x-6%29%2F%282x%2Bk%29 will be its own inverse.
Found 3 solutions by josgarithmetic, MathLover1, ikleyn:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If find the inverse for f(x), then, according to wanted conditions,
%286%2Bkx%29%2F%281-2x%29=%28x-6%29%2F%282x%2Bk%29
and maybe this equation would help.

If try to work through this equation, you may find this equivalent:

%282x-1%29%28x-6%29=%282x%2Bk%29%28-k-6%29, and you can compare the corresponding parts, and......, ....

Answer by MathLover1(20850) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Determine the value of k so that the function f%28x%29=%28x-6%29%2F%282x%2Bk%29 will be its own inverse.

inverse function f%28x%29+=+%28x+-+6%29%2F%282+x+%2B+k%29 is :

recall that f%28x%29+=y

y=+%28x+-+6%29%2F%282+x+%2B+k%29.........swap variables
x=+%28y+-+6%29%2F%282y+%2B+k%29.........solve for y
x%282y+%2B+k%29=+%28y+-+6%29
+2xy+%2B+kx=+y+-+6
2xy+-y+=+-kx+-+6
%282x+-1%29y+=+-kx+-+6
y+=%28-kx-+6%29%2F%282x-1%29
so, inverse is
f%28x%29’ = %28-k+x+-+6%29%2F%282+x+-+1%29

now equal f%28x%29 and f%28x%29
%28x-6%29%2F%282x%2Bk%29=+%28-k+x+-+6%29%2F%282+x+-+1%29
%28x-6%29%282+x+-+1%29=%282x%2Bk%29+%28-k+x+-+6%29
%28x-6%29%282+x+-+1%29=%282x%2Bk%29+%28-k+x+-+6%29
2x%5E2+-+13x+%2B+6=+-+2kx%5E2+-+12x-k%5E2%2Ax-+6k+
2x%5E2+-+13x+%2B+6=+-+2kx%5E2+-+%2812%2Bk%5E2%29x-+6k .......quadratics will be equal if and only if corresponding coefficients are equal
highlight%282%29x%5E2+-+13x+%2B+6=+highlight%28-2k%29x%5E2+-+%2812%2Bk%5E2%29x-+6k

then
=>2=-2k+
=>highlight%28k=-1%29

and your function is:

f%28x%29=%28x-6%29%2F%282x-1%29 and will be its own inverse


Answer by ikleyn(52792) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.


            I will show you non-standard way to solve this problem,  which is much faster and much easier.


Let's calculate f(0), i.e. the value of function f at x= 0.  It is

    f(0) = %280-6%29%2F%282%2A0%2Bk%29 = -6%2Fk.


Thus we know that function f maps 0 (the zero) to  -6%2Fk.


Hence, the inverse function should map  -6%2Fk  to 0 (zero),

and we want the inverse function would be the same formula as the direct function.


In other words, we want  f(-6/k) = 0,  which means

    %28%28-6%2Fk%29-6%29%2F%282%2A%28-6%2Fk%29+%2B+k%29 = 0.


In order for this multi-store fraction would be zero, it is necessary and sufficient that its numerator be zero

    %28-6%2Fk%29-6 = 0,

which gives  

    -6 - 6k = 0,   or

    -6 = 6k

     k = %28-6%29%2F6 = -1.


ANSWER.  k = -1.

Solved.