“Domain and Range”

(lyrics copyright 1998 Lawrence Mark Lesser
may be sung to the traditional melody of "Home on the Range")

Sometimes an x 
makes no sense 
to be plugged into a function:
We must steer clear of 
dividing by 0, 
or taking even roots of negative numbers.
 
Chorus: 
Doh, Domain and Range, we need to understand-
What can go in, what can come out 
are part of a function's plan!
 
We won't deny 
there are values of y 
a function cannot put out-
Like negatives from even roots 
or from absolutes, 
or 0 from a fraction with nonzero top. (Repeat chorus)
 
And there's no doubt 
we must leave out 
values that can't happen:
So we'll ignore 
a bowling score 
beyond 0 and 300! (Repeat chorus)
 
 return to Larry's www.math.utep.edu/Faculty/lesser/Mathemusician.html  page