What is a function? What is a Function in Algebra?

A function is defined as a relation between a set of inputs having A function is an equation for which any x that can be put into the

one output each. In simple words, a function is a relationship equation will produce exactly one output such as y out of the

between inputs where each input is related to exactly one output. equation. It is represented as;

Every function has a domain and codomain or range. A function is y = f(x)

generally denoted by f(x) where x is the input. The general

Where x is an independent variable and y is a dependent variable.
representation of a function is y = f(x).
These functions are also classified into various types, For example:

 y = 2x + 1
What is a Function in Maths?
 y = 3x – 2
A function in maths is a special relationship among the inputs (i.e.  y = 4y
the domain) and their outputs (known as the codomain) where  y = 5/x
each input has exactly one output, and the output can be traced
back to its input. What is a function on a graph?

A function f(x) can be represented on a graph by knowing the

Types of Functions in Maths
values of x. As we know, y = f(x), so if start putting the values of
An example of a simple function is f(x) = x2. In this function, the x we can get the related value for y. Hence, we can plot a graph
function f(x) takes the value of “x” and then squares it. For using x and y values in a coordinate plane. Let us see an example:
instance, if x = 3, then f(3) = 9. A few more examples of functions
Suppose, y = x + 3
are: f(x) = sin x, f(x) = x2 + 3, f(x) = 1/x, f(x) = 2x + 3, etc.

Then,
There are several types of functions in maths. Some important
types are:  when x = 0, y = 3
 when x = -2, y = -2 + 3 = 1
 Injective function or One to one function: When there is
mapping for a range for each domain between two sets.  when x = -1, y = -1 + 3 = 2
 Surjective functions or Onto function: When there is  when x = 1, y = 1 + 3 = 4
more than one element mapped from domain to range.  when x = 2, y = 2 + 3 = 5
 Polynomial function: The function which consists of
polynomials.
 Inverse Functions: The function which can invert another
function. Thus, with the help of these values, we can plot the graph for
These were a few examples of functions. It should be noted that function x + 3.
there are various other functions like into function, algebraic
functions, etc.
Function, in mathematics, an expression, rule, or law that Another common type of function that has been studied
defines a relationship between one variable (the since antiquity is the trigonometric functions, such as
independent variable) and another variable (the dependent sin x and cos x, where x is the measure of an angle
variable). Functions are ubiquitous in mathematics and are (see figure). Because of their periodic nature, trigonometric
essential for formulating physical relationships in the functions are often used to model behaviour that repeats, or
sciences. The modern definition of function was first given “cycles.”
in 1837 by the German mathematician Peter Dirichlet:
The exponential function is a relation of the form y = ax,
If a variable y is so related to a variable x that whenever a with the independent variable x ranging over the entire real
numerical value is assigned to x, there is a rule according number line as the exponent of a positive number a.
to which a unique value of y is determined, then y is said Probably the most important of the exponential functions
to be a function of the independent variable x. is y = ex, sometimes written y = exp (x), in
which e (2.7182818…) is the base of the natural system of
logarithms (ln). By definition x is a logarithm, and there is
This relationship is commonly symbolized as y = f(x)—which thus a logarithmic function that is the inverse of the
is said “f of x”—and y and x are related such that for every x, exponential function. Specifically, if y = ex, then x = ln y.
there is a unique value of y. That is, f(x) can not have more Nonalgebraic functions, such as exponential and
than one value for the same x. To use the language of set trigonometric functions, are also known as transcendental
theory, a function relates an element x to an element f(x) in functions.
another set. The set of values of x is called the domain of the
function, and the set of values of f(x) generated by the values Complex functions
in the domain is called the range of the function. In addition Practical applications of functions whose variables
to f(x), other abbreviated symbols such as g(x) and P(x) are are complex numbers are not so easy to illustrate, but they
often used to represent functions of the independent are nevertheless very extensive. They occur, for example, in
variable x, especially when the nature of the function is electrical engineering and aerodynamics. If the complex
unknown or unspecified. variable is represented in the form z = x + iy, where i is the
imaginary unit (the square root of −1) and x and y are real
Common functions variables (see figure), it is possible to split the complex
Many widely used mathematical formulas are expressions of function into real and imaginary parts: f(z) = P(x, y)
known functions. For example, the formula for the area of + iQ(x, y).
a circle, A = πr2, gives the dependent variable A (the area) as
a function of the independent variable r (the radius). Inverse Functions
Functions involving more than two variables (called By interchanging the roles of the independent and
multivariable or multivariate functions) also are common in dependent variables in a given function, one can obtain an
mathematics, as can be seen in the formula for the area of a inverse function. Inverse functions do what their name
triangle, A = bh/2, which defines A as a function of implies: they undo the action of a function to return
both b (base) and h (height). In these examples, a variable to its original state. Thus, if for a given
physical constraints force the independent variables to be function f(x) there exists a function g(y) such that g(f(x))
positive numbers. When the independent variables are also = x and f(g(y)) = y, then g is called the inverse function
allowed to take on negative values—thus, any real number— of f and given the notation f−1, where by convention the
the functions are known as real-valued functions. variables are interchanged. For example, the function f(x) =
2x has the inverse function f−1(x) = x/2.
The formula for the area of a circle is an example of
a polynomial function. The general form for such functions Other functional expressions
isP(x) = a0 + a1x + a2x2+⋯+ anxn,where the coefficients
(a0, a1, a2,…, an) are given, x can be any real number, and all A function may be defined by means of a power series. For
the powers of x are counting numbers (1, 2, 3,…). (When the example, the infinite series
powers of x can be any real number, the result is known as
an algebraic function.) Polynomial functions have been
studied since the earliest times because of their versatility—
practically any relationship involving real numbers can be
closely approximated by a polynomial function. Polynomial
functions are characterized by the highest power of the
independent variable. Special names are commonly used for
could be used to define
such powers from one to five—linear, quadratic, cubic,
these functions for all complex values of x. Other types of
quartic, and quintic for the highest powers being 1, 2, 3, 4,
series and also infinite products may be used when
and 5, respectively.
convenient. An important case is the Fourier series,
Polynomial functions may be given geometric representation
expressing a function in terms of sines and cosines:
by means of analytic geometry. The independent
variable x is plotted along the x-axis (a horizontal line), and
the dependent variable y is plotted along the y-axis (a
vertical line). When the graph of a relation Such representations are of great importance in physics,
between x and y is plotted in the x-y plane, the relation is a particularly in the study of wave motion and other
function if a vertical line always passes through only one oscillatory phenomena.
point of the graphed curve; that is, there would be only one
point f(x) corresponding to each x, which is the definition of Sometimes functions are most conveniently defined by
a function. The graph of the function then consists of the means of differential equations. For example, y = sin x is the
points with coordinates (x, y) where y = f(x). For example, solution of the differential equation d2y/dx2 + y = 0
the graph of the cubic equation f(x) = x3 − 3x + 2 is shown in having y = 0, dy/dx = 1 when x = 0; y = cos x is the solution
the figure. of the same equation having y = 1, dy/dx = 0 when x = 0.