Thomas 1 - Functions


"Functions are fundamental to the study of calculus, and here we review what they are, their graphs, how they are combined and transformed, and various ways they are classified. A function can be represented by an equation, by a numerical table, by a graph, or by verbal descriptions. The graph of a function is a particularly useful visualization of its features and overall behavior, and we review several ways for obtaining a graph, including the use of graphing calculators and computer graphing s/w. We look at the main types of functions that occur in calculus, with special emphasis (in this chapter) on the exponential functions and their inverses, the logarithmic functions. Trig functions are summarized in App B, along with several other basic topics, including the real number system, Cartesian coordinates in the plane, straight lines, parabolas, and circles."
(George Thomas)


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