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LESSON 2.3: The Language of Relations and Functions

LEARNING OUTCOME(S):
1. Distinguish a relation from a function
2. Evaluate function
3. Specify the domain and range of a given function

TIME FRAME: 2 hours CODE:

The shared property of association of terms or objects is very important in the study of the
relationships between different quantities. This shared property is known as “relation”. While relation
serves as the guiding bond between quantities, a special type of relation serves as the real world model
in solving problems. This is known as a function. Functions will be used in modeling real world
occurrences not only in this section of the text but also to the next two lessons. Thus, the importance,
the special classifications and the operations of these functions are discussed in this lesson.

2.3.1 Definition of Relations and Functions

In many common relationships between two variables, the value of one of the variables
depends on the value of the other. One example of these relationships of two variables is a person’s
salary. The salary of an employee depends on the time he works and on the rate of the salary.
Symbolically, we can represent the salary as S, the time as t , and the rate of salary as r . Since the
salary depends on the time and rate, mathematically we have the equation S=rt . This equation
portrays that S is a function of r and t .
Definition:
A relation is a mapping that assigns each of the elements of the first set to one or more
elements of the second set. This means that all the elements in the first set must have a
corresponding image in the second set, regardless of the number of its images.

Definition:
A function is a rule that produces a correspondence from a set X of real numbers x to a
set Y of real numbers y , where the number y is unique for a specific value of x . Thus, a
function is a mapping that assigns to each element of the first set a unique element in the second
set.
As an ordered pair, a function is a set of ordered pairs of real numbers ( x , y ) in which no
two ordered pairs have the same first number.
The illustrations below differentiate a function from a relation.

1 1 a
1 a 2
1 a
2 a b 3 b
2 b 2 c 4
3 b d c
3 c
Figure 3.1a Figure 3.1b Figure 3.1c Figure
5 3.1d

Figures 3.1a and 3.1b shows both a function and a relation, while Figure 3.1c shows only a
relation. Figure 3.1d does not show a function, not even a relation. Why?
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Notice that a function could also be a relation but a relation is not at all times a function. The
mapping of the elements in Figure 3.1a is said to be a one-to-one mapping. This kind of mapping maps
only one element in the first set to one and only one element in the second set. The mapping shown in
Figure 3.1b is a many-to-one mapping. This mapping provides two or more elements in the first set that
map to only one element in the second set. Figure 3.1c illustrates a one-to-many mapping. Notice that
one element in the first set has at least one corresponding value in the second set. These mappings can
also define a function and a relation. A function is a one-t-one and many-to-one mapping, while a
relation is a one-to-one, many-to-one and one-to-many mapping. This further implies that all functions
are relations while not all relations are functions.

The set of elements in the first group of every mapping are known as admissible values of x and
is called the domain of the function/relation while the set of elements in the second group are the
resulting values of y and is called the range of the function/relation.

Since relation or function has been referred to as ordered pairs, we can rewrite the mappings of
Figure 3.1 as follows:

A={ ( 1 , a ) , ( 2 , b ) , ( 3 ,c ) }, where the domains are { 1,2,3 } and the range are {a ,b , c }
B= { (1 , a ) , ( 2 ,a ) , ( 3 , a ) } , where the domains are { 1,2,3 } and the range is { a } alone
C={ ( 1 , a ) , (1 , b ) , ( 2 ,b ) , ( 2 , c ) , ( 2 , d ) }, where the domains are { 1,2 } and the range are
{a , b , c , d }
D= { ( 1, a ) , ( 2 , a ) , ( 2 , b ) , ( 3 , b ) , ( 4 , c ) }, where the domains are { 1,2,3,4 } and the range are
{a , b , c }

Example 1 Determine whether the set S= { ( 1,4 ) , ( 2,3 ) , ( 3,2 ) , ( 4,3 ) , ( 5,4 ) } defines a function.
Solution We only need to take note about this: “there should be no two first elements can be seen
in the set”. Since the first elements in the set are different from each other, set S defines
a function.

Example 2 Determine whether the set T ={ ( 1,4 ) , ( 2,3 ) , ( 1,2 ) , ( 4,3 ) , ( 4,4 ) } defines a function.
Solution The set T does not define a function since there are ordered pairs with the same first
components. These are the ordered pairs ( 1,4 ) , ( 1,2 ) , ( 4,3 ) , and ( 4,4 ).

2.3.2 Function Notation

Functions are usually given in terms of equations rather than ordered pairs. These equations are
expressed in special notation. To indicate that y depends on x , we write y=f ( x ) read as “ y equals f of
x ”. Here, y is the image of x under the function f . Thus, f (x) is the number associated with x .

When a function is defined by an equation in x and y , it is given implicitly. If it is possible to

solve for y in terms of x , and write y=f ( x ), the said function is given explicitly. The statement, for
4−3 x
example, 3 x+ 2 y =4 is the implicit form of the function, while the statement f ( x )= is the
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equivalent explicit form of it.
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Given the concept above, function notation provides a way of indicating the image of a
particular number. If y=f ( x )=x−4 defines a function f , then the symbol f (3) indicates the image of
3 under the function f .

Example 3 If f ( x )=2 x−5, find f ( 1 ) , f ( 2 ) , f ( e ) , and f ( a−2 ) .

Solution What we need is only to substitute the domains into the function and simplify the result.
(a) f ( x )=2 x−5
f ( 1 ) =2 ( 1 )−5=2−5=−3 (-3 is the image of the domain 1)

(b) f ( x )=2 x−5

f ( 2 ) =2 ( 2 ) −5=4−5=−1 (-1 is the image of the domain 2)

(c) f ( x )=2 x−5

f ( e )=2 ( e )−5=2e-5 (2e-5 is the image of the domaine )

(d) f ( x )=2 x−5

f ( a−2 ) =2 ( a−2 )−5=2 a−4−5=2 a−9 (2 a−9 is the range of the domain a−2)

Example 4 Let h ( x )=2 x 2+3 x−2. Find h(a−1).

Solution
h ( x )=2 x 2+3 x−2
h ( a−1 )=2 ( a−1 )2+3 ( a−1 )−2
¿ 2(a 2−2 a+1)+3 a−3−2
¿ 2 a2−4 a+2+3 a−5
¿ 2 a2−a−3.

2.3.3 Finding the Domain and Range of a Function

Agreement on Domains and Ranges:
If a function is defined by an equation and the domain is not indicated, then we assume
that the domain is the set of all real number replacements of the independent variable that
produce real values for the dependent variable. The range is the set of all values of the
dependent variable corresponding to these domain values. Thus, domains are set of values for
which the function is always defined.

Example 5 Find the domain and the range of the function defined by f ( x )=2 x−3.
Solution In this function, whatever value that will be assigned to x , the result will always be
obtained and defined. Thus, the domain and the range consists all real numbers.
Domain={ x|x ∈ R }
Range= { y| y ∈ R }.
Example 6 Find the domain and the range of the function defined by g ( x )=√ x−2.
Solution Square root of negative numbers would result to imaginary numbers. For g ( x ) to be real,
x−2 must greater than or equal to zero. Notice also that the result will always be a 0 or a
positive integer. That is,
x−2 ≥ 0 or x ≥ 2.
Thus, the domain and the range will be
Domain={ x|x ∈ [ 2 , ∞ )∨x ≥2 }
Range= { y| y ∈ [ 0 , ∞ )∨ y ≥ 0 }.
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2x
Example 7 Find the domain and the range of the function defined by h ( x )= .
x+3
Solution The given function is a fractional function. When the denominator becomes zero, the
function becomes undefined. If we let x=−3 , the function will become meaningless. The
domain will be all real numbers except−3. Notice that if we substitute any value to the
function except 1, the result will always be in the set of real numbers. Thus,
Domain={ x|x ∈ R / x ≠−3 }
Range= { y| y ∈ R / y ≠ 2} .

Activity 2.3

Name:___________________ Class Schedule:______________ Date:_________ Score:_____

A. Determine whether the following sets define a function or not. Write F if it is a function and F ' if it
is not.
1. A={ ( a , d ) , ( c , d ) , ( e , f ) , ( b , f ) } ______
2. B= { (1,3 ) , ( 2,4 ) , ( 5,6 ) , ( 3,4 ) } ______
3. C={ ( 1 , a ) , (2 , b ) , ( 3 , c ) , ( 2 , a ) , ( 4 , d ) , ( 5 , c ) } ______
4. D= { ( a , 1 ) , ( b , 3 ) , ( b ,3 ) , ( c , 4 ) } ______
5. E={ ( a , 2 ) , ( b , 4 ) , ( c , 6 ) , ( b , 8 ) , ( c ,10 ) } ______

B. Evaluate the following functions.

x
1. Let f ( x )=4 x 2−3 x+ 6. Find 2. Let g ( x )= . Find
x −3
a. f ( 3 ) a. g ( 3 )

b. f (x+ h) b. g ( x−3 )

C. Find the domain and the range of the following functions. Write answers in set builder form.

1. f ( x )=3 x 2−2 x+ 1

2. g ( x )=2 x −1, where x ≠−2

3. h ( x )=2 x−√ x+1

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4. k ( x )=√ 3 x−2

3x
5. p(x) ¿
x+2