Designating Functions

The notation you employ to designate functions allows you to substitute a short statement for the full expression of an equation. The substitution typically involves using a letter, such as f or g, to designate the equation. You then employ opening and closing parentheses to identify the value to use with the equation. You read the expression f (x) as “f of x.” To indicate that you are expressing a given equation as a function, you can use the equal sign to associate the function notation with the equation. Here’s an example:

f (x) = 3x + 2

In this case, f (x) becomes a way of saying 3(x) + 2. You then employ the function notation to designate that you are generating a y (or range) value using the function. A table of values proves convenient as a way to organize your operations. Given a table of generated values, you can then create a graphical representation of the line, as Figure 4.14 illustrates.