Lecture # 10 FUNCTIONS A function f from a set X to a set Y is a relationship between elements of X and elements of Y such that each element of X is related to a unique element of Y, and is denoted f : X Y.
The set X is called the domain of f and Y is called the
co-domain of f.
Functions are sometimes also called mappings and
transformations. REMARK The unique element y of Y that is related to x by f is denoted f(x) and is called
the value of f at x, or the image of x under f ARROW DIAGRAM OF A FUNCTION The definition of a function implies that the arrow diagram for a function f has the following two properties:
1. Every element of X has an arrow coming out of it
2. No two elements of X has two arrows coming out of it
that point to two different elements of Y. EXAMPLE Let X = {a, b, c} and Y = {1, 2, 3, 4}. Define a function f from X to Y by the arrow diagram. f
a. . 1 b. . 2 c. . 3 . 4
X Y
f(a) = 2, f(b) = 4,and f(c) = 2 OR
image of a = 2, image of b = 4, image of c = 2 NONFUNCTIONS X = {2, 4, 5} to Y = {1, 2, 4, 6}
a. b. .1 2. .1 .2 2. 4. .2 .4 4. 5. .4 .6 5. .6
X Y X Y NOT A FUNCTION NOT A FUNCTION RANGE OF A FUNCTION Let f: XY. The range of f consists of those elements of Y that are images of elements of X.
Symbolically:
Range of f = {y Y | y = f(x), for some x X} REMARKS The range of a function f is always a subset of the co- domain of f.
The range of f: X Y is also called the image of X under f.
When y = f(x), then x is called the pre-image of y.
The set of all elements of X, that are related to some y Y
is called the inverse image of y. EXERCISE Determine the range of the functions f, g, h from X = {2, 4, 5} to Y = {1, 2, 4, 6} defined as: f
1. X Y
2 . . 1 4 . . 2 5 . . 4 . 6
2. g = { (2, 6), (4, 2), (5,1) }
3. h(2) = 4, h(4) = 4, h(5) = 1 SOLUTION 1. Range of f = {1, 6}
2. Range of g = {1, 2, 6}
3. Range of h = {1, 4} GRAPH OF A FUNCTION Let f be a real-valued function of a real variable. i.e. f: R R. The graph of f is the set of all points (x, y) in the Cartesian coordinate plane with the property that x is in the domain of f and y = f(x). EXAMPLE We have the function
O (o,o) x VERTICAL LINE TEST FOR THE GRAPH OF A FUNCTION For a graph to be the graph of a function, any given vertical line in its domain intersects the graph in at most one point. For y = x2 y
y=x2
O x
So, it’s the graph of a function.
EXERCISE Define a binary relation P from R to R as follows: for all real numbers x and y (x, y) P x = y2 Is P a function? x Y 4 9 -3 3 (4,2) 4 -2 1 -1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 -1 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x 4 2 -2 9 3 -3 (4,-2) -4
This is not a graph of a function.
EXERCISE Find all functions from X = { a, b } to Y = { u, v } SOLUTION
1. 2. a u a u Y X b v b v 3. 4. a u a u
b v b v
X Y X Y EXERCISE Find four binary relations from X = { a, b }to Y = { u, v } that are not functions. SOLUTION EXERCISE How many functions are there from a set with three elements to a set with four elements?
SOLUTION Let X = {x1, x2, x3} and Y = {y1, y2, y3, y4}
x1 may be related to any of the four elements y1, y2, y3, y4 of Y.
x1 has four possibilities. x2 has four possibilities. x3 has four possibilities. Total number of function = 4 x 4 x 4 = 64 EXERCISE Suppose A is a set with m elements and B is a set with n elements. How many functions are there from A to B?
SOLUTION: Number of functions from A to B = n.n.n. … .n (m times) = nm FUNCTIONS NOT WELL DEFINED Determine whether f is a function from Z to R if
1 a. f ( n) n b. f ( n) 2 n 4
c. f ( n) n d. f ( n) n 1 2 SOLUTION a) f is NOT well defined since each integer n has two images +n and –n.
b) f is NOT well defined since f(2) and f(-2) are not
defined.
c) f is NOT defined for n < 0 since f then results in
imaginary values (not real).
d) f is well defined because each integer has unique
(one and only one) image in R under f. EXERCISE Student B tries to define a function h : Q Q by the rule. m m 2 h n n
for all integers m and n with n 0
Students C claims that h is not well defined. Justify
Student C’s claim. SOLUTION The function h is well defined if each rational number has a unique (one and only one) image. 1 Consider Q 2 1 1 2 1 h Hence, an element of 2 2 2 ‘h’ has more than two 1 2 images so not a Now and function. 2 4 2 22 4 h 1 4 4 4 Hence an element of Q has more than one images under h. Accordingly h is not well defined. REMARK Mathematical Formulation of Function’s Properties:
A function f: X Y is well defined iff
x1, x2 X,
if x1 = x2 then f(x1) = f(x2)
Means an element can not have two images. Rephrase
the properties of function. EXERCISE Let g: RR+ be defined by g(x) = x2 +1
1. Determine g is well defined?
2. Determine the domain, co-domain and range of g.
SOLUTION:
Domain of g = R (set of real numbers)
Co-domain of g = R+ (set of positive real numbers)
Cont… The range of g consists of those elements of R+ that appear as image points.
Since x2 0 x R x2 + 1 1 x R i.e. g(x) = x2 + 1 1 x R
Hence the range of g is all real number greater than or
equal to 1. i.e [1, ) SOLUTION: (we take two elements of R, and suppose these two elements are equal, by the definition of function we will prove that their images are also equal.)
Let x1, x2 R and suppose x1 = x2
x12 = x22 (squaring both sides) x12 + 1 = x22 + 1 (adding 1 on both sides) g(x1) = g(x2) (by definition of g)
