Functions

Functions
 Some Function Terminology
Types of Function
Function Addition/Multiplication
Inverse of a Function
Function Composition
Some important functions

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 Functions
• Definition : A function is a relation in which each element of the domain
corresponds with exactly one element of the range.
• let A,B : sets
A function f : A → B is an assignment of exactly one element of B to each
element of A.
We write f(a) = b if b is the unique element of B assigned by f to a ∈ A.
• Example:
A B A B

α 1 α 1
β 2 β

γ 2
γ 3

Not a function Not a function 2

 Some Function Terminology

If f:AB, and f(a)=b (where aA & bB), then:

A is the domain of f.
B is the codomain of f.
b is the image of a under f.
a is a pre-image of b under f.
In general, b may have more than one pre-image.
The range RB of f is {b | a f(a)=b }.

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 Function Terminology (cont.)
Example:
• f(a) = Z
• the image of d is Z
• the domain of f is A = {a, b, c, d} A B
a
• the codomain is B = {X, Y, Z}
X
• f(A) = {Y, Z} b
c Y
• the preimage of Y is b
Z
• the preimages of Z are a, c and d d
• f({c,d}) = {Z}

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 Types of Function
Injections, Surjections and Bijections
Let f be a function from A to B.
Definition: f is one-to-one (denoted 1-1) or injective if
preimages are unique.
Note: this means that if a  b then f(a)  f(b).

Definition: f is onto or surjective if every y in B has a

preimage.
Note: this means that for every y in B there must be
an x in A such that f(x) = y.
Definition: f is bijective if it is surjective and injective
(one-to-one and onto).

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 Types of Function (cont.)
Examples:
• • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • • •
• • •
• • • •
Onto Not Onto
One-to-one Not one-to-one (but not 1-1) (or 1-1)
•
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
Both 1-1 1-1 but 6

and onto not onto

 Function Addition/Multiplication

We can add and multiply functions

let f,g:RR:
(f  g):RR, where (f  g)(x) = f(x)  g(x)
(f × g):RR, where (f × g)(x) = f(x) × g(x)

Example : Let f1 : R → R and f2 : R →

f1(x) = x2, f2(x) = x - x2,
What are the function f1 + f2 and f1 f2 ?
Sol :
( f1 + f2 )(x) = f1(x) + f2(x) = x2 + ( x – x2 ) = x
(f1 f2)(x) = f1(x) ． f2(x) = x2( x – x2 ) = x3 – x4

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 Inverse of a Function
Definition:
Let f be a bijection from A to B. Then the inverse of f,
denoted f-1, is the function from B to A defined as
f-1(y) = x iff f(x) = y
Example: Let f be defined by the diagram:
A f B A f-1 B
a a
V V
b b
W W
c c
X X
d d
Y Y

Note: No inverse exists unless f is a bijection 8

 Function Composition
• Definition:
Let f: B C, g: A B. The composition of f with g,
denoted f g, is the function from A to C defined by

f  g(x) = f(g(x))
Examples:
A g B f C A fg C
a a
V h h
b W b
i i
c c
X j j
d d
Y
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 Some important functions

Definition:
The floor function, denoted f ( x) = x or
f(x) = floor(x), is the largest integer less than or equal to x.
The ceiling function, denoted f ( x) = x or f(x) =
ceiling(x), is the smallest integer greater than or equal to x.
Examples: 3.5 = 3, 3.5 = 4.

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Thank You

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