Functions

Objective
• Define and use the terms function, domain, codomain, range, image,
inverse image (preimage), and composition.
• State the definitions of one-to-one functions (injections), onto
functions (surjections), and one-to-one correspondences (bijections).
Determine which of these characteristics is associated with a given
function.
• State the definition of recurrence relation and use of recurrence
relation.
OUTCOME
• To prove that a given function is one-to-one, or give a counterexample
to show that it is not.
• To prove that a given function is onto, or give a counterexample to
show that it is not.
• To describe the connection between bijective functions and inverses.
• To find the inverse of an invertible function
• Use of recurrence relations in real time example
Functions
Definition: Let A and B be two sets. A function from A to B,
denoted f : A →B , is an assignment of exactly one element of
B to each element of A.
We write f(a) = b to denote the
assignment of b to an element a of A
by the function f.
Functions
1.
Definition: Let A and B be two
sets. A function from A to B,
denoted f : A →B , is an
assignment of exactly one
element of B to each element of
A. 2.

We write f(a) = b to denote the

assignment of b to an element a
of A by the function f.
Functions
• A function f from a set A to a set B assigns each element of A to
exactly one element of B.
• A is called domain of f , and B is called codomain of f .
• If f maps element a ∈ A to element b 2∈ B, we write f (a) = b
• If f (a) = b, b is called image of a; a is in preimage of b.
• Range of f is the set of all images of elements in A.
Definition of a function
• A function takes an element from a set and maps it to a UNIQUE
element in another set f maps R to Z
Domain R Z Co-domain
f

f(4.3)
4.3 4

Pre-image of 4 Image of 4.3

More functions
A pre-image The image
Domain Co-domain of 1 of “a”

Ayush A “a” 1
Samir B “bb“ 2
kanan C “cccc” 3
Dev D “dd” 4
mayur F “e” 5

A class grade function A string length function

Even more functions

Range

a 1 “a” 1
e 2 “bb“ 2
i 3 “cccc” 3
o 4 “dd” 4
u 5 “e” 5

Some function… Not a valid function!

Also not a valid function!
 Function Examples and Non
Examples
1
2

3
4
Function arithmetic
• Let f1(x) = 2x
• Let f2(x) = x2

• f1+f2 = (f1+f2)(x) = f1(x)+f2(x) = 2x+x2

• f1*f2 = (f1*f2)(x) = f1(x)*f2(x) = 2x*x2 = 2x3

One-to-one functions
• A function f is called one-to-one if and only if f (x ) = f (y)
implies x = y for every x , y in the domain of f :
x , y. (f (x ) = f (y) → x = y)
• One-to-one functions never assign different elements in the
domain to the same element in the codomain:
• x , y. (x ≠ y → f (x ) ≠ f (y))
• A one-to-one function also called injection or injective function
One-to-one functions
• A function is one-to-one if each element in the co-domain has a
unique pre-image
• Formal definition: A function f is one-to-one if f(x) = f(y) implies x = y.
a 1 a 1
e 2 e 2
i 3 i 3
o 4 o 4
5 5

A one-to-one function A function that is

not one-to-one
One-to-one

1.Consider the function f (x ) = x 2 from set of integers to set of

integers. Is this injective?
2. What about if the domain of f is the set of non-negative integers?

Sol: 1. The function f (x) = x2 is not one-to-one because, for instance, f (1) = f
(−1) = 1,but 1 ≠ −1.
2. f (x) = x2 with its domain restricted to Z+ is one-to-one.
Example
• Suppose that each worker in a group of employees is assigned a job
from a set of possible jobs, each to be done by a single worker. In this
situation, the function f that assigns a job to each worker is one-to-
one. To see this, note that if x and y are two different workers, then
• f (x) ≠ f (y) because the two workers x and y must be assigned
different jobs.
Exercise
• Determine whether each of these functions from Z to Z is one-to-one.
a) f (n) = n − 1
b) f (n) = n2 + 1
c) f (n) = n3
Onto Functions
• A function f from A to B is called onto iff for every element
• y ∈ B, there is an element x ∈ A such that f (x ) = y:
• y ∈ B. x ∈ A. f (x ) = y
• Onto functions also called surjective functions or surjections
• For onto functions, range and codomain are the same
1 2
Onto functions
• A function is onto if each element in the co-domain is an image of
some pre-image
• Formal definition: A function f is onto if for all y  C, there exists x  D
such that f(x)=y.
a 1 a 1
e 2 e 2
i 3 i 3
o 4 o 4
u 5

An onto function A function that

is not onto
Example
• Let f be the function from {a, b, c, d} to {1, 2, 3}
defined by f (a) = 3, f (b) = 2, f (c) = 1,and f (d) = 3. Is
f an onto function?

• Solution: Because all three elements of the

codomain are images of elements in the domain,
we see that f is onto.
• This is illustrated in Fig. Note that if the codomain
were {1, 2, 3, 4}, then f would not be onto. Fig. Onto functions
Onto vs. one-to-one
• Are the following functions onto, one-to-one, both, or
neither?

a 1 a 1
a 1
b 2 b 2
b 2
c 3 c 3
c 3
4 d 4
4
1-to-1, not onto Both 1-to-1 and onto Not a valid function

a 1 a 1
b 2 b 2
c 3 c 3
d d 4
Onto, not 1-to-1 Neither 1-to-1 nor onto
Exercise
• Determine whether the function f : Z × Z → Z is onto
• If a) f (m, n) = m + n.
b) f (m, n) = m2 + n2.
c) f (m, n) = m.
d) f (m, n) = |n|.
e) f (m, n) = m − n.
Bijections
a 1
• Consider a function that is b 2
both one-to-one and onto: c 3
d 4

• Such a function is a one-to-one correspondence, or a bijection

Let f be the function from {a, b, c, d} to {1, 2, 3, 4} with f (a) =

4, f (b) = 2, f (c) = 1, and f (d) = 3. Is f a bijection?

Consider the function f in above Example that assigns jobs to

workers. The function f is onto if for every job there is a worker
assigned this job. The function f is not onto when there is at
least one job that has no worker assigned it.
Exercise
• Determine whether each of these functions is a bijection
• from R to R.
• a) f (x) = 2x + 1
• b) f (x) = x2 + 1
• c) f (x) = x3
• d) f (x) = (x2 + 1)/(x2 + 2)
Composition of function
• Let g be a function from the set A to the set B and let f be a function
from the set B to the set C. The composition of the functions f and g,
denoted for all a ∈ A by f ◦ g, is defined by
• (f ◦ g)(a) = f (g(a)).
Compositions of functions:
(f ○ g)(x) = f(g(x))
f○g

A B C
g f

g(a) f(b)

a f(g(a))
b = g(a)

(f ○ g)(a)
Compositions of functions
Let f(x) = 2x+3 f○g
Let g(x) = 3x+2
R R R
g f

g(1) f(5)
f(g(1))=13
1
g(1)=5

(f ○ g)(1)

f(g(x)) = 2(3x+2)+3 = 6x+7

Compositions of functions
Does f(g(x)) = g(f(x))?

Let f(x) = 2x+3 Let g(x) = 3x+2

f(g(x)) = 2(3x+2)+3 = 6x+7

g(f(x)) = 3(2x+3)+2 = 6x+11 Not equal!

Function composition is not commutative!

Exercise
• Prove that Composition of function is associative.
• Consider three functions f:AB,g:BC and h:CD
• Then h◦(g◦f) and (h◦g)◦f are functions from AD
Example
• Let f:ZZ where f(x)=3x and g:ZZ where g(x)=x2
• What are g ◦ f (2) and f◦g(2)
• Are there any value for which g ◦ f(x) = f ◦g(x)?
• g ◦ f(2)=g(f(2))=g(3*2)=g(6)=6^2=36.
• f ◦g(2)=f(g(2) )=f(4)=3*4=12
• g ◦ f(x)=g(f(x))=g(3x)=(3x)2
• f ◦g(x)=f(g(x))=f(x2)=3x2
• g ◦ f(x) = f ◦g(x) when x=0
Exercise:
• Consider the function f(x)=2x-3 and g(x)=x2+3x+5. Find the formula for
the composition function (i) g ◦ f ii) f ◦g.