Find the domain of f ( x ) = 4 − x 2 .
Solve the inequality 4 − x 2 ≥ 0 .
Rewrite the inequality as x 2 ≤ 4 .
The solution to the inequality is − 2 ≤ x ≤ 2 , so the domain is [ − 2 , 2 ] .
Explanation
Problem Analysis We need to find the domain of the function f ( x ) = 4 − x 2 . The domain consists of all real numbers x for which the expression inside the square root is non-negative. Therefore, we need to solve the inequality 4 − x 2 ≥ 0 .
Solving the Inequality To solve the inequality 4 − x 2 ≥ 0 , we can rewrite it as x 2 ≤ 4 . Taking the square root of both sides, we get ∣ x ∣ ≤ 2 , which means − 2 ≤ x ≤ 2 .
Determining the Domain Therefore, the domain of the function f ( x ) = 4 − x 2 is the interval [ − 2 , 2 ] .
Final Answer The domain of f ( x ) = 4 − x 2 is [ − 2 , 2 ] .
Examples
Understanding the domain of a function is crucial in many real-world applications. For example, if f ( x ) represents the height of an arch at a distance x from its center, the domain [ − 2 , 2 ] tells us the physical boundaries of the arch. Similarly, if f ( x ) represents the population of a species x years from now, a restricted domain might indicate a limited time frame for the model's validity. In physics, the domain can represent the possible values of a physical quantity, such as time or distance, within a given context. These constraints ensure that the function's output remains meaningful and realistic.