Q. 107 - Precalculus Enhanced with Graphing Utilities

Question

Investigate when, historically, the use of the function notation $y=f\left(x\right)$ first appeared.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The notation of $y=f\left(x\right)$ first appeared in $1707-1783$.

Step 1. Given Information

In the given question we have to investigate when, historically, the use of the function notation $y=f\left(x\right)$ first appeared.

Step 2. The term "function" was introduced by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) almost fifty years after the publication of Geometry

The idea of a function was further formalized by Leonhard Euler (pronounced "oiler" 1707-1783) who introduced the notation for a function, $y = f\left(x\right)$.