Division of Functions

Review!

Example 1: Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 4𝑥 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 5.

Find 𝑓 ∙ 𝑔 𝑥 .

Example 2: Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 1 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 3.

Find 𝑓 ∙ 𝑔 𝑥 .
1 Division
the quotient of two functions 𝑓 𝑥 and 𝑔 𝑥 is denoted
𝑓
by 𝑥 ; this quotient is defined as
𝑔
𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥

Example:

Find the quotient of the functions 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 − 1 and

𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1.
1 Division
the quotient of two functions 𝑓 𝑥 and 𝑔 𝑥 is denoted by
𝑓
𝑥 ; this quotient is defined as
𝑔
𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥

Example:
𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥
𝑓 3𝑥 − 1
𝑥 = 2
𝑔 𝑥 − 2𝑥 + 1
Example 1: Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 1 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 3𝑥
2

+ 2.
𝑓
Find 𝑥 .
𝑔

Solution: Divide the two given expressions for

𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑔(𝑥).
𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥
Example 1: Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 1 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2.
𝑓
Find 𝑥 .
𝑔

Solution: Substitute the given functions.

𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥−1
𝑥 = 2
𝑔 𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 2
Example 1: Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 1 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2.
𝑓
Find 𝑥 .
𝑔

Solution: Factor the denominator.

𝑓 𝑥−1
𝑥 = 2
𝑔 𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 2
𝑓 𝑥−1
𝑥 =
𝑔 (𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 − 2)
Example 1: Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 1 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2.
𝑓
Find 𝑥 .
𝑔

Solution: Cancel out common factors to simplify.

𝑓 𝑥−1
𝑥 =
𝑔 (𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 − 2)
𝑓 1
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑥−2
Example 1: Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 1 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 2.
2
𝑓
Find 𝑥 .
𝑔

Solution:

Thus,
𝑓 1
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑥−2
 𝑓
Example 2: Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 4𝑥 − 12 and 𝑔 𝑥
𝑔
= 12 − 16𝑥.

Solution: Divide the two given expressions for 𝑓(𝑥)

and 𝑔(𝑥).
𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥
 𝑓
Example 2: Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 4𝑥 − 12 and 𝑔 𝑥
𝑔
= 12 − 16𝑥.

Solution: Substitute the given functions.

𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥
𝑓 4𝑥 − 12
𝑥 =
𝑔 12 − 16𝑥
 𝑓
Example 2: Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 4𝑥 − 12 and 𝑔 𝑥
𝑔
= 12 − 16𝑥.

Solution: Arrange it in decreasing order of its

degree.

𝑓 4𝑥−12
𝑥 =
𝑔 −16𝑥+12
 𝑓
Example 2: Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 4𝑥 − 12 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 12
𝑔
− 16𝑥.

Solution:
𝑓 4 (𝑥−3)
𝑥 =
𝑔 (4)(−4𝑥+3)

𝑓 𝑥−3
𝑥 =
𝑔 −4𝑥+3
 𝑓
Example 3: Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 3 + 6𝑥 2 + 11𝑥 + 6 and
𝑔
𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2.

Solution: Divide the two given expressions for 𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑔(𝑥).
𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥
 𝑓
Example 3: Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 6𝑥 + 11𝑥
3 2
𝑔
+ 6 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2.

Solution: Substitute the given functions.

𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 3 + 6𝑥 2 + 11𝑥 + 6
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑥+2
 𝑓
Example 3: Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 6𝑥 + 11𝑥 + 6
3 2
𝑔
and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2.

Solution: Since the remainder is zero, the quotient

of the two given functions is 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 3.

𝑓 𝑥 3 + 6𝑥 2 + 11𝑥 + 6
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑥+2
Solution: Divide the two expressions by using
synthetic division.
𝑓 𝑥 3 + 6𝑥 2 + 11𝑥 + 6
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑥+2

𝑓
𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 3
𝑔
Individual Practice:

𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
1. Whatis (𝑥) = ,if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 − 12 and
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 6?

𝑓
2. Find 𝑥 if 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 + 1 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 4𝑥 2 − 1.
𝑔
 Division
1 the quotient of two functions 𝑓 𝑥 and 𝑔 𝑥 is
𝑓
denoted by 𝑥 ; this quotient is defined as
𝑔
𝑓 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥 =
𝑔 𝑔 𝑥