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Encyclopedia > Composition (functions)

In mathematics, a composite function, formed by the composition of one function on another, represents the application of the former to the result of the application of the latter to the argument of the composite. The functions fX → Y and gY → Z can be composed by first applying f to an argument x and then applying g to the result. Thus one obtains a function g o f: X → Z defined by (g o f)(x) = g(f(x)) for all x in X. The notation g o f is read as "g circle f" or "g composed with f". Euclid, detail from The School of Athens by Raphael. ... Partial plot of a function f. ...

g o f, the composition of f and g
g o f, the composition of f and g

The composition of functions is always associative. That is, if f, g, and h are three functions with suitably chosen domains and codomains, then f o (g o h) = (f o go h. Since there is no distinction between the choices of placement of parentheses, they may be safely left off. Image File history File links The figure of a composite function -from the creater, wshun 02:20, 24 Dec 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links The figure of a composite function -from the creater, wshun 02:20, 24 Dec 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In mathematics, associativity is a property that a binary operation can have. ...


As a result the set of bijective functions fX → X form a group with respect to the composition operator. In mathematics, a bijection, bijective function, or one-to-one correspondence is a function that is both injective (one-to-one) and surjective (onto), and therefore bijections are also called one_to_one and onto. ... In mathematics, a group is a set, together with a binary operation, such as multiplication or addition, satisfying certain axioms, detailed below. ...


The functions g and f commute with each other if g o f = f o g. In general, composition of functions will not be commutative. Commutativity is a special property, attained only by particular functions, and often in special circumstances. For example, (sqrt x)^2 = sqrt{x^2} only when x ge 0; for all negative x, the first expression is undefined. (But inverse functions always commute to produce the identity mapping.) In mathematics, especially abstract algebra, a binary operation * on a set S is commutative if x * y = y * x for all x and y in S. Otherwise * is noncommutative. ... In mathematics, an inverse function is in simple terms a function which does the reverse of a given function. ... An identity function f is a function which doesnt have any effect: it always returns the same value that was used as its argument. ...


Derivatives of compositions involving differentiable functions can be found using the chain rule. "Higher" derivatives of such functions are given by Faà di Bruno's formula. In mathematics, the derivative is defined to be the instantaneous rate of change of a function. ... In calculus, the chain rule is a formula for the derivative of the composition of two functions. ... // The formula Faà di Brunos formula is an identity in mathematics generalizing the chain rule to higher derivatives, named in honor of Francesco Faà di Bruno (1825–1888), who was (in chronological order) a military officer, a mathematician, and a priest, and was beatified by the Pope a century...

Contents


Example

As an example, suppose that an airplane's height at time t is given by the function h(t) and that the oxygen concentration at height x is given by the function c(x). Then (c o h)(t) describes the oxygen concentration around the plane at time t.


Functional powers

If YX then f may compose with itself; this is sometimes denoted f 2. Thus:

(f o f)(x) = f(f(x)) = f 2(x)
(f o f o f)(x) = f(f(f(x))) = f 3(x)

Repeated composition of a function with itself is sometimes called function iteration. Iteration is the repetition of a process, typically within a computer program. ...


The functional powers f o f nf n o ff n+1 for natural n follow immediately. In mathematics, exponentiation is a process generalized from repeated (or iterated) multiplication, in much the same way that multiplication is a process generalized from repeated addition. ... A natural number is either a positive integer (1, 2, 3, 4, ...) or a non-negative integer (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, ...). The former definition is generally used in number theory, while the latter is preferred in set theory and computer science. ...

  • By convention, f 0 = idD(f) (the identity map on the domain of f).
  • If f:XX admits an inverse function, negative functional powers f -k (k > 0) are defined as the opposite power of the inverse function, (f −1)k.

Note: If f takes its values in a ring (in particular for real or complex-valued f ), there is a risk of confusion, as n could also stand for the n-fold product of f, e.g. f 2(x) = f(x) · f(x). In mathematics, an inverse function is in simple terms a function which does the reverse of a given function. ... In mathematics, the word opposite in some contexts means additive inverse; it can also mean an opposite category. ... In mathematics, a ring is an algebraic structure in which addition and multiplication are defined and have similar (but not identical) properties to those familiar from the integers. ...


(For usual numerical functions, usually the latter is meant, at least for positive exponents. For example, in trigonometry, this superscript notation represents standard exponentiation when used with trigonometric functions: sin2(x) = sin(x) · sin(x). However, for negative exponents (especially −1), it nevertheless usually refers to the inverse function, e.g., tan−1 = arctan (≠ 1/tan). In mathematics, trigonometric identities are equations involving trigonometric functions that are true for all values of the occurring variables. ... In mathematics, exponentiation is a process generalized from repeated (or iterated) multiplication, in much the same way that multiplication is a process generalized from repeated addition. ... In mathematics, the trigonometric functions are functions of an angle, important when studying triangles and modeling periodic phenomena. ...


In some cases, an expression for f in g(x) = f r(x) can be derived from the rule for g given non-integer values of r. This is called fractional iteration.


Iterated functions occur naturally in the study of fractals and dynamical systems. In mathematics, iterated functions are the objects of study in fractals and dynamical systems. ... A fractal is a geometric object which can be divided into parts, each of which is similar to the original object. ... In engineering and mathematics, a dynamical system is a deterministic process in which a functions value changes over time according to a rule that is defined in terms of the functions current value. ...


Composition operator

Main article: composition operator

Given a function g, the composition operator Cg is defined as that operator which maps functions to functions as In mathematics, the composition operator of a given function g is defined as that operator which maps functions to functions as where denotes function composition. ... In mathematics, an operator is a function that performs some sort of operation on a number, variable, or function. ...

C_g f = f circ g

Composition operators are studied in the field of operator theory. In mathematics, operator theory is the branch of functional analysis which deals with bounded linear operators and their properties. ...


Alternative notation

In the mid-20th century, some mathematicians decided that writing "g o f" to mean "first apply f, then apply g" was too confusing and decided to change notations. They wrote "xf" for "f(x)" and "xfg" for "g(f(x))". However, this movement never caught on, and nowadays this notation is found only in old books. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...


See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Composition of Functions in Math. How to evaulate and express a composition of two functions (609 words)
The composition of function notation on the left is the composition.
Pictured on the right is a diagram of the role of the domain and range of each function in the composition of f(g(x)).
Compositions of Functions are a well known example of a process that is not commutative.
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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