How do you find domain and range for f(x) =sqrt (x^2 - 2x + 5)?

1 Answer
Oct 4, 2015

Complete the square to find that the domain of f(x) is the whole of RR and its range is [2, oo)

Explanation:

f(x) = sqrt(x^2-2x+5) = sqrt((x-1)^2+4)

(x-1)^2+4 >= 4 > 0 for all x in RR

So f(x) = sqrt((x-1)^2+4) is defined for all x in RR

So the (implicit) domain of f(x) is RR.

f(x) has minimum value when (x-1) = 0, that is when x = 1.

f(1) = sqrt(0^2+4) = sqrt(4) = 2

So the range of f(x) is [2, oo)