Practice Symmetric Functions in Math

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

Quick Recap

A symmetric function is one that remains unchanged (or changes in a predictable way) under specific variable transformations. Even functions satisfy f(โˆ’x)=f(x)f(-x) = f(x) and are mirror-symmetric about the y-axis; odd functions satisfy f(โˆ’x)=โˆ’f(x)f(-x) = -f(x) and have 180-degree rotational symmetry about the origin.

Even functions are symmetric about the y-axis: f(โˆ’x)=f(x)f(-x) = f(x). Odd functions have 180ยฐ rotational symmetry about the origin: f(โˆ’x)=โˆ’f(x)f(-x) = -f(x).

Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.

Example 1

easy
Is the product f(x)=x2โ‹…sinโกxf(x) = x^2 \cdot \sin x even, odd, or neither?

Example 2

medium
If x+y=5x + y = 5 and xy=4xy = 4, find x2+y2x^2 + y^2.

Example 3

medium
Is f(x,y)=(xโˆ’y)2f(x, y) = (x-y)^2 a symmetric function of xx and yy?

Example 4

medium
Classify f(x)=x3โˆ’4xf(x) = x^3 - 4x.

Example 5

hard
If x+y+z=3x + y + z = 3, xy+yz+zx=1xy + yz + zx = 1, and xyz=โˆ’1xyz = -1, find x2+y2+z2x^2 + y^2 + z^2.

Example 6

medium
Classify f(x)=x5+x3f(x) = x^5 + x^3.

Example 7

hard
Determine whether the function f(x,y,z)=(xโˆ’y)(yโˆ’z)(zโˆ’x)f(x, y, z) = (x-y)(y-z)(z-x) is symmetric, anti-symmetric, or neither under swaps of variables.

Example 8

medium
Is f(x)=1xf(x) = \frac{1}{x} even, odd, or neither (for xโ‰ 0x \ne 0)?

Example 9

medium
If ff is even and f(3)=5f(3) = 5, what is f(โˆ’3)f(-3)?

Example 10

medium
The product of an even function and an odd function is even, odd, or neither?

Example 11

hard
If f(x)f(x) is odd, prove that f(x)2f(x)^2 is even.

Example 12

easy
Is f(x)=cosโกxf(x) = \cos x even or odd?

Example 13

medium
Decompose f(x)=x2+xf(x) = x^2 + x into even and odd parts.

Example 14

easy
Is f(x)=sinโกxf(x) = \sin x even, odd, or neither?

Example 15

easy
If ff is even, what symmetry does its graph have about the yy-axis?

Example 16

easy
Is the function f(x,y)=x2+y2+xyf(x, y) = x^2 + y^2 + xy symmetric in xx and yy?

Example 17

challenge
Given roots x,yx, y of t2โˆ’5t+6=0t^2 - 5t + 6 = 0, find x5+y5x^5 + y^5 using Newton's identities.

Example 18

easy
Is f(x)=โˆฃxโˆฃf(x) = |x| even or odd?

Example 19

easy
Is f(x)=x4โˆ’3x2+1f(x) = x^4 - 3x^2 + 1 even, odd, or neither?

Example 20

medium
If ff is odd and continuous at 00, what must f(0)f(0) equal?