If
\[f(x)=3x+2\]
, \[x\]
is the argument and \[f\]
is the function which says ' multiply the argument by three then add two'.Looking at functions this way is especially useful when composing functions.
Suppose
\[f(x)=3x+2, \: g(x)=x^2+x\]
\[f(g(x))\]
means 'take the argument \[g(x)\]
, multiply it by three then add two'.\[f(g(x))=3g(x)+2=3(x^2+x)+2=3x^2+3x+2\]
and
\[f(g(1))=3g(1)+2=3(1^2+1)+2=8\]