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Worked solution

Identity rules can have different domains

Let ff be a one-to-one function defined by f:x↦2x+1f:x\mapsto2x+1, x∈Rx\in\mathbb R, x>0x>0. Define (a) the inverse function f−1f^{-1}, (b) the function f−1ff^{-1}f, and (c) the function ff−1ff^{-1}. Is f−1f=ff−1f^{-1}f=ff^{-1}?

CJC · Functions · Example 10

(a) Define the inverse

Answer

f−1:x↦x−12f^{-1}:x\mapsto\dfrac{x-1}{2}, x>1x>1.

Let y=f(x)y=f(x), so f−1(y)=xf^{-1}(y)=x. From y=2x+1y=2x+1, rearrange to x=(y−1)/2x=(y-1)/2, hence f−1(y)=(y−1)/2f^{-1}(y)=(y-1)/2. Rename the input to xx. The original graph is an increasing line on x>0x>0 with excluded endpoint (0,1)(0,1); therefore Rf=(1,∞)=Df−1R_f=(1,\infty)=D_{f^{-1}}. The inverse definition includes this domain.

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Increasing line y=2x+1 on x>0, hollow endpoint(0,1), continuing upward; range (1, infinity) becomes the inverse domain.
Increasing line y=2x+1 on x>0, hollow endpoint(0,1), continuing upward; range (1, infinity) becomes the inverse domain.
Increasing line y=2x+1 on x>0, hollow endpoint(0,1), continuing upward; range (1, infinity) becomes the inverse domain.
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(b) Define inverse after f

Answer

f−1f:x↦xf^{-1}f:x\mapsto x, x>0x>0.

f−1(f(x))=((2x+1)−1)/2=xf^{-1}(f(x))=((2x+1)-1)/2=x. Its domain is the original Df=(0,∞)D_f=(0,\infty). Every intermediate output is in Df−1=RfD_{f^{-1}}=R_f, so the composite exists on that entire domain.

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(c) Define f after inverse

Answer

ff−1:x↦xff^{-1}:x\mapsto x, x>1x>1.

f(f−1(x))=2((x−1)/2)+1=xf(f^{-1}(x))=2((x-1)/2)+1=x. Its domain is the original inverse domain (1,∞)(1,\infty). The inverse outputs lie in DfD_f, so the composite exists on that entire domain.

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Compare the two identity functions

Answer

f−1f≠ff−1f^{-1}f\ne ff^{-1} because their domains differ.

The source comparison bubble answers the additional question explicitly: Df−1f≠Dff−1D_{f^{-1}f}\ne D_{ff^{-1}}. Both rules return their input, but one accepts every positive number while the other accepts only numbers greater than 1. For example, 1/21/2 belongs only to the first domain. A rule alone does not define a function.

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