Mathematics in the Modern World

Module 6
Chapter 2 – Language of Mathematics
Language of Relations and Functions

Introduction

There are many kinds of relationships in the world. For instance, we say that two people are
related by blood if they share a common ancestor and that they are related by marriage if
one shares a common ancestor with the spouse of the other. We also speak relationship
between Teacher to its students, Employer to its employees and between people who are in
common ethnic group.

Definition of Terms

Relations – is any set of ordered pair numbers

Function – defined as a rule that relates every element in one set, called the domain, to
exactly one element in another set, called the range. For example, y = x + 3 and y = x 2 – 1 are
functions because every x-value produces a different y-value.

Domain – set of all input or first values of a function. Input values are generally ‘x’ values of a
function.

Co-domain – is a possible output of an input

Range - The range of a function is a collection of all output or second values. Output values
are ‘y’ values of a function.

Relation

Let A and B be sets. A relation R from A to B is a subset of AXB. Given an ordered pair (x, y) in
AXB, x is related to y by R, written 𝑥 𝑅 𝑦, if and only if, (x, y) is in R. The set A is called the domain
of R and the set B is called its range.

The notation for a relation R may be written symbolically as follows:

𝑥𝑅𝑦 means that (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝑅.

The notation 𝑥 𝑅 𝑦 means that x is not related to y by R:

𝑥𝑅𝑦 means that (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝑅.

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EXAMPLE 1 – Relation as a Subset
Let 𝐴 = {1, 2} and 𝐵 = {1, 2, 3} and define a relation 𝑅 from to B as follows:
Given any (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐴 × 𝐵.

(𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝑅 means that is an integer.

a. State explicitly which ordered pairs are in 𝐴 × 𝐵 and which are in 𝑅.

b. Is 1 𝑅 3? Is 2 𝑅 3? Is 2 𝑅 2?
c. What are the domain and range of R?

ANSWERS:

a. 𝐴 × 𝐵 = {(1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3). To determine explicitly the composition of R,
examine each ordered pair in 𝐴 × 𝐵 to see whether its elements satisfy the defining
condition R.

(1, 1) ∈ 𝑅 because = 0, which is an integer.

(1, 2) ∈ 𝑅 because = − , which is not an integer.

(1, 3) ∈ 𝑅 because = −1, which is an integer.

(2, 1) ∈ 𝑅 because = , which is not an integer.

(2,2) ∈ 𝑅 because = 0, which is an integer.

(2, 3) ∈ 𝑅 because = − , which is not an integer.

Thus 𝑅 = {(1, 1), (1,3), (2,2)}

b. Yes, 1 𝑅 3 because (1, 3) ∈ 𝑅.

No, 2 𝑅 3 because (2, 3) ∈ 𝑅.
Yes, 2 𝑅 2 because (2, 2) ∈ 𝑅.
c. The domain of R is {1, 2} and the range is {1, 2, 3}

ACTIVITY 1

Let 𝑌 = {0, 1, 2} and 𝑍 = {0, 1} and define a relation R from A to B as follows: Given any (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈
𝑌 × 𝑍,

(𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝑅 means that is an integer.

a. State explicitly which ordered pairs are in 𝑌 × 𝑍 which are R.

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 b. Is 1 𝑅 0? Is 2 𝑅 0? Is 2 𝑅 1?
c. What are the domain and range of R?

Functions

A function F from a set A to a set B is a relation with domain A and range B that satisfies the
following two properties:

1. For every element x in A, there is an element y in B such that (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐹.

2. For all elements x in A and y and z in B, or No two distinct ordered pairs in F have the
same first element.
If (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐹 and (𝑥, 𝑧) ∈ 𝐹, then 𝑦 = 𝑧

Notation
If A and B are sets and F is a function from A to B, then given any element x in A, the unique
element in B that is related to x by F is denoted 𝐹(𝑥), which is read “F or x”.

Function can be represented by:

1. Tabulated values of x and y
2. Ordered pairs
3. Graph
4. Equations
5. Mapping Diagram

Mapping Diagram

This is a function (one to one) This is not a function (one to many)

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 This is a function (many to one)
Vertical Line Test
A graph represents a function if and only if each vertical line intersects the graph only once.

Circle 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟏 Absolute Function |𝒙| = 𝒚

In the image above the left figure is not a function because it fails in Vertical Line test where
the line supposedly intersects to the graph only once while the image at the left shows that it is
a function because the Vertical Line intersects the graph only once.

Activity 2 - Functions
Identify the following if it is a function or not a function.
1. Linear Equation - _______________
2. (2, 2) , (3, -3), (4, 4), (5, -5) - __________________
3. The Table below - _______________________

x y
3 4
4 5
5 6
4 7
6 8

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 4. This graph - ____________________ (hint use Vertical line test)

5. _______________________

6. 𝑦 + 2𝑦 + 1 = 0 - _________________

Functions defined by Formulas

A function is an entity in its own right. It can be thought of as a certain

relationship between sets or as a input/output machine that operates according to a certain
rule. This is the reason why function is generally denoted by a single symbol or string of symbols
such as F, G, of log, or sin.

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 A relation is a subset of a Cartesian product and a function is a special kind of
relation. Specially, if 𝑓 and 𝑔 are functions from a set A to a set B, then

𝑓 = {(𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐴 × 𝐵|𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)} and 𝑔 = {(𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐴 × 𝐵|𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑥)}.

It follows that

𝒇 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒈, when f=g, if, and only if, 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑔(𝑥) for all x in A.

EXAMPLE 3 – Equality of Functions

Define 𝑓 ∶ 𝑅 → 𝑅 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 ∶ 𝑅 → 𝑅 by the following formulas:

𝑓(𝑥) = |𝑥| 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅.

𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅.

Does 𝑓 = 𝑔?

Answer:

Yes, because the absolute value of any real number equals the square root of its square,
|𝑥| = √𝑥 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅, ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓 = 𝑔

Further explanation:

Let 𝑥 = 3 to prove f=g:

𝒇(𝒙) = |𝒙| = |𝟑| = ±𝟑

𝒈(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟐 = 𝟑𝟐 = ±𝟑

ACTIVITY 3

Define 𝑎 ∶ 𝑅 → 𝑅 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 ∶ 𝑅 → 𝑅 by the following formulas:

𝑎(𝑥) = 𝑥 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅

𝑏(𝑥) = (−𝑥) 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅

Does 𝑎 = 𝑏?

Prepared by: Alfeo R. Ducejo, ME

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REFERENCES
Aufmann, R. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. Rex Publishing. Manila, Philippines

Guillermo, R.(2018). Mathematics in the Modern World: A Worktext. Nieme Publishing House Co. LTD.
Quezon City, Philippines

Rodriguez, M. J.(2018). Mathematics in the Modern World: Nieme Publishing House Co. LTD. Quezon City,
Philippines

https://us.sofatutor.com/mathematics/algebra-1/functions-and-relations

https://www.chilimath.com/lessons/intermediate-algebra/relations-and-functions/