GCSE Maths – Algebra
Functions
Worksheet
This worksheet will show you how to work out different types of function
questions. Each section contains a worked example, a question with hints
and then questions for you to work through on your own.
This work by PMT Education is licensed under https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu-cc CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
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Section A
Worked Example
Find the value of 𝒈𝒈(𝒙𝒙) = 𝒙𝒙𝟑𝟑 + 𝟐𝟐𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 − 𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗 + 𝟏𝟏 when 𝒙𝒙 = 𝟑𝟑.
Step 1: Substitute 𝑥𝑥 = 3 into the function 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥). Replace every 𝑥𝑥 in the function with the numerical
value 3.
𝑔𝑔(3) = (3)3 + 2(3)2 − 9(3) + 1
Step 2: Simplify where possible by multiplying out the brackets and applying powers.
27 + 2(9) − 27 + 1 = 27 + 18 − 27 + 1
Step 3: Complete the final sum.
27 + 18 − 27 + 1 = 18 + 1 = 19
Answer: 𝒈𝒈(𝟑𝟑) = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
Guided Example
If 𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = (𝒙𝒙 + 𝟕𝟕)(𝟔𝟔 − 𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 )(𝟒𝟒 + 𝒙𝒙) what is the value of 𝒇𝒇(𝟒𝟒)?
Step 1: Substitute 𝑥𝑥 = 4 into the function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥).
Step 2: Simplify each term where possible.
Step 3: Compute the final sum.
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Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.
1. Complete the following:
a) Find the value of 𝑓𝑓(5) when 𝑓𝑓 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 3𝑥𝑥 − 2.
b) Find the value of 𝑔𝑔(7) when 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 4𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 2 .
c) Find the value of ℎ(9) when ℎ(𝑎𝑎) = √𝑎𝑎 − 2𝑎𝑎3 + 1.
3
d) Find the value of 𝑓𝑓(−8) when 𝑓𝑓 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 5𝑥𝑥 + 3( √𝑥𝑥 ) − 2𝑥𝑥 2 .
2. Solve the following for x:
a) ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 5𝑥𝑥 + 2, ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) = −4.
b) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 18𝑥𝑥 − 2, 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 6.
4
3. If 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 3 − 2� √𝑥𝑥 � + 1 what is an expression for 𝑔𝑔(16𝑥𝑥)?
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Section B – Higher Only
Worked Example
Find the inverse function of 𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 + 𝟏𝟏.
Step 1: Replace 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) with 𝑦𝑦.
𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 + 1
Step 2: Rearrange the terms to make 𝑥𝑥 the subject of the equation.
𝑦𝑦 − 1 = 2𝑥𝑥
𝑦𝑦 − 1
= 𝑥𝑥
2
Step 3: Replace 𝑥𝑥 with 𝑦𝑦 and 𝑦𝑦 with 𝑓𝑓 −1 (𝑥𝑥).
𝑥𝑥 − 1
= 𝑓𝑓 −1 (𝑥𝑥)
2
𝒙𝒙−𝟏𝟏
Answer: 𝒇𝒇−𝟏𝟏 (𝒙𝒙) =
𝟐𝟐
Guided Example
𝟐𝟐−𝒙𝒙
Find the inverse function of 𝒉𝒉(𝒙𝒙) = .
𝒙𝒙
Step 1: Replace ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) with 𝑦𝑦.
Step 2: Make 𝑥𝑥 the subject of the equation.
Step 3: Replace 𝑥𝑥 with 𝑦𝑦 and 𝑦𝑦 with ℎ−1 (𝑥𝑥).
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Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.
4. Find the inverse of the following functions:
a) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 4𝑥𝑥 + 7
b) 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 15𝑥𝑥 2 + 3
2𝑥𝑥
c) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) =
3+𝑥𝑥
4−3𝑥𝑥
d) ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) =
𝑥𝑥+3
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5. Find the value of 𝑓𝑓 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 3 if 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑓𝑓 −1 (6).
9−9𝑥𝑥 2
6. Find the value of 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = if 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑔𝑔−1 (7).
𝑥𝑥 2
7. Solve ℎ(𝑥𝑥 ) = 3𝑥𝑥 2 + 6 for 𝑥𝑥 given ℎ−1 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 2.
8. If 𝑓𝑓 −1 (𝑥𝑥 ) = 5𝑥𝑥 2 − 3 what is 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥)?
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Section C – Higher Only
Worked Example
Given 𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 − 𝟕𝟕 and 𝒈𝒈(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 + 𝟓𝟓 find 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙).
Step 1: Place the innermost function 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) into the outermost function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) in place of 𝑥𝑥.
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 2𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) − 7 = 2(4𝑥𝑥 + 5) − 7
Step 2: Simplify by expanding the brackets and collecting like terms.
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 2(4𝑥𝑥 + 5) − 7 = 8𝑥𝑥 + 10 − 7
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 8𝑥𝑥 + 3
Answer: 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 + 𝟑𝟑
Worked Example
Given 𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = 𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 − 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕 and 𝒈𝒈(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 − 𝟑𝟑 find 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇(𝟐𝟐).
Step 1: Place the innermost function 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) into the outermost function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) in place of 𝑥𝑥.
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = (3𝑥𝑥 − 3)2 − 7(3𝑥𝑥 − 3)
Step 2: Simplify by expanding the brackets and collecting like terms.
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = (3𝑥𝑥 − 3)(3𝑥𝑥 − 3) − 7(3𝑥𝑥 − 3)
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = (9𝑥𝑥 2 − 9𝑥𝑥 − 9𝑥𝑥 + 9) − 7(3𝑥𝑥 − 3)
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 9𝑥𝑥 2 − 18𝑥𝑥 + 9 − 21𝑥𝑥 + 21 = 9𝑥𝑥 2 − 39𝑥𝑥 + 30
Step 3: Substitute 𝑥𝑥 = 2 into 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) to find 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(2).
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(2) = 9(2)2 − 39(2) + 30
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(2) = −12
Answer: 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇(𝟐𝟐) = −𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
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Guided Example
Given 𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓 + 𝟑𝟑 and 𝒈𝒈(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟐𝟐 + 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏, find 𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈(𝒙𝒙).
Step 1: Place the innermost function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) into the outermost function 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) in place of 𝑥𝑥.
Step 2: Simplify by expanding the brackets and collecting like terms.
Guided Example
𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 −𝟑𝟑
Given 𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) = and 𝒈𝒈(𝒙𝒙) = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟐𝟐 + 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏, find 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇(𝟔𝟔).
𝒙𝒙
Step 1: Place the innermost function 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) into the outermost function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) in place of 𝑥𝑥.
Step 2: Simplify by expanding the brackets and collecting like terms.
Step 3: Substitute 𝑥𝑥 = 6 into 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) to find 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(6).
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Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.
𝑥𝑥
8. Find 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ), given 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 3(𝑥𝑥 − 4) and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = + 1.
5
1 5
9. Find 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ), given 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 3𝑥𝑥 + 5 and 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 − .
3 2
3 8𝑥𝑥 3 −1
10. Given 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 1 − 2𝑥𝑥 3 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = − 4, show that 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = .
𝑥𝑥 1−2𝑥𝑥 3
11. Given 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 4𝑥𝑥 + 6 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 9, find the value of 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(3).
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12. Given 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 4 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 4𝑥𝑥 − 1, find the value of 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 − 2).
5
13. Given 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = and 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 7𝑥𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑥 − 2, find the value of 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔(4).
4𝑥𝑥
14. If 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 1, what is 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥)?
15. If 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥 ) = 2 − 3𝑥𝑥 2 and 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥 ) = 12𝑥𝑥 − 1, which value is greater: 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓(3) or 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔(3)?
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