Step by step
The question
Question: find the inverse of f(x) = √x + 1.
The inverse goes back: what comes out of f goes in, and what went in comes out.
1 Write y =
First we write y for f(x): y = √x + 1.
2 Swap x and y
Swap x and y: what comes out now goes in.
x = √y + 1.
3 Get y alone
To remove + 1, we take away 1.
We do it on both sides, so they stay equal.
+ 1 and − 1 make zero.
Cross them out.
Now we have x − 1 = √y.
To remove the square root, we square both sides.
Squaring removes the square root.
Square both sides: (x − 1)² = y.
y is alone: y = (x − 1)².
This y is the inverse: f⁻¹(x) = (x − 1)².
4 The domain of the inverse
The inverse's x's are f's answers.
f(x) is a square root plus 1, so it is 1 or more.
Careful!
Without it, the inverse would give answers f never had.
Its x's are only f's answers: 1 or more.
So the inverse only takes x ≥ 1.
5 Draw both
Draw the grid.
Plot points of f: (0, 1), (1, 2) and (4, 3).
Join them: f(x) = √x + 1, starting at (0, 1).
For the inverse, swap each point: (1, 0), (2, 1) and (3, 4).
Join them: f⁻¹, starting at (1, 0).
The two graphs are mirror images in the line y = x.
6 Check
Let's check: there and back.
f(4) = 3.
Now put 3 into the inverse.
We get back 4.
It works!
Let's look back.
First: write y =.
Then: swap x and y.
Then: get y alone.
Then: the domain of the inverse.
Then: draw both.
Last: check.