MAT121

Remarks on Functions

Dr. S.O. Edeki

 Mappings and Functions: notations & definitions

. Let  and  be two numbers, then the notation:

 
is read " is mapped to  ".
Here,  represents the INPUT value WHILE 
represents the OUTPUT value.
 Ex1: Consider the following:

Write
. out the input value(s) and output value(s)
given the following:
(a) xx , 2
0<x  5, x 
(b) x  x , 2
0<x  5, x 
(c) x x , 0<x  16, x is a perfect number
Note: p.n. has their sqrt as integers.
 Definition: MAPPING

. We will give the following definitions based

on our results from Ex1 above.
MAPPING: A mapping is a rule which converts
a NUMBER to a NUMBER OR to NUMBERS .
That means, that one INPUT yields one or
more OUTPUTS.
 Definition: FUNCTION
Let X and Y be two non-empty sets, with
. x  X , y  Y , then a function f  x   y is
a rule which assigns to EVERY element
in X a UNIQUE member in Y .
** A function maps a single number to a
single number.
 Notation: FUNCTION
Note:
. While X  Y is read "X is mapped to Y ",
we read f : X  Y as " f maps X to Y ".
OR we say that "f is a function such that X
is mapped to Y "
f : X Y can be expressed as
f  x   y, for x  X , y  Y
 Ex2 : Which of the mappings are functions?

. (a) x
1
(b) x   x
x
(c) x p where p  x  0
2

(d) x p where p  x  0
2

1
(e) x x (f) x
x 1
 Domain of a function

. Let f : X  Y be a function, then the

domain of f is a set of x  value( s )
that are well-defined. The domain is a set
input values that are problem-free.
The domain of f : X  Y is denoted as:
dom  f    x : x  X , a problem-free input
 Ex3: Domain of a function

. Find the domain of the following functions:

1
(a) f :x (b) f : x  4  x
x
1
(c) f :x (d) f : x  x  2 x  1
2

4 x
(e) f  x  3  y if f ( x)  x
 Examples of functions

. Examples of functions include the following:

* Polynomial function * Constant function

* Logarithmic function * Exponential function
* Trigonometric function * Hyperbolic function
 Range of a function
Let f : X  Y be a function, with a domain
.
dom  f  , then the range of f is a set of
y  values that correspond to dom  f  , thus,
we denote the range of f as:
Ran( f )   y : y  f ( x), x  dom  f .
The range is a set of OUTPUT values.
 Ex4: Range of a function
Find the range of the following functions:
. (i) f : x  x +3
2

(ii) g : x   x +3 for x  0
2

(iii) h : x  x +3
2
for x  1, 2,3, 4,5.
Note: The relationship btw domain and range
of functions and their inverses will be treated.
(i) f ( x)  3, (ii) f ( x)  3 (iii) 4, 7,12,19, 28
 Solution to Ex4 (i): Range of a function

Write f : x  x +3 as f  x   x +3
2 2
(*)
.
But for any value of x, we have that:
x 02

 x 3 03
2
(**)
The LHS of (**) equals f  x  from (*), so the
domain is: y  f  x   3 i.e. y  3,  
 Class Quiz on Range of a function

.
Find the range of the following functions:
(i) f : x  2  sin x
(ii) g : x  3  cos x
 Composition of functions

. Let f ( x) & g ( x) be two functions. Then, the

composition of f ( x) & g ( x) is a new function
obtained by following a certain rule. Thus,
f g  ( x)  f g  f  g ( x)   f  g 
is obtained by taking g ( x) FIRST then f ( x).
 Ex5: Composition of functions

. (a) Let f  x   x +3 and g  x   2 x  1 , find:

2

(i) f g (ii) g f (iii) Is g f  f g ?

(b) Let f  x   2 x, m  x   x  1, and g  x   e ,

x

then find: (i) g f (ii) g f m

 0ne-to-0ne (1-1) functions {Injectivity}

. A function f  x   y for f : X  Y is said

to be 1-1 if elements in the domain are NOT
assigned to the SAME element in the range.
Mathematically, f  x  is 1-1 if:
f  x1   f  x2   x1  x2
Ex6: 0ne-to-0ne (1-1) functions {Injectivity}

. Determine if the following functions are 1-1:

(a)
(i) g  x   2 x  1 (ii) f  x   x  4
2

(iii) h  x   3 x  4 (iv) m  x   k , (a constant)

Note: *** Horizontal line test of injectivity
****: Domain restriction for injectivity
A graph of One-One (1-1) function
.
 A graph of NOT One-One (1-1) function
.
 0ne-to-0ne & onto functions {}
A function on the two sets X & Y as:
.
f : X  Y is said to be onto if x  X
 y Y s.t. f  x   y.

Note: for ONTO functions, ALL members

of set Y are used.
A graph of a One-One (1-1) BUT not an ONTO function

.
A graph of a NOT One-One (1-1) BUT an ONTO function

.
A graph of BOTH One-One (1-1) & ONTO function
{Bijective Functions}

.
 Inverse of a function
The inverse of a function f ( x)  y is
. 1
denoted as f ( x).
1
The steps to compute f ( x) are:
(a) Replace the function f ( x) by y,
(b) Make x the subject of the formula,
1
(c) Attach f (in the LHS) and y  x (RHS).
 Ex: Pre-test//ASSIGNMENT (Inverse of a function)

(i) Find the inverse of the following functions:

.

(a) f ( x)  x  1 (b) g( x)  2 x  2
x
(c) h( x)  1  (d) p( x)  x  4
2

3
1 1
(ii) Find the fllg: (a) g g ( x) (b) gg ( x)
 Domain and Range ( A function & its inverse)

Let f ( x) be a given function with an

. 1
inverse f ( x) then, the following holds:

1
(a) domf ( x)  ranf ( x)
1
(b) ranf ( x)  domf ( x)
 Assignment: (Inverse of RATIONAL functions)

. Find the inverses of the following functions,

if they exist, then state their domains & ranges:
2 2x  7
(a) f ( x)  (b) g( x) 
x5 x
x 5 7 x 1
(c) h( x)  (d) p ( x) 
x5 x  9
 Dependent and Independent variables: Vertical-Line Test of a Function
y  f  x (*) 
. 
y  x 1 (**) 

A dependent variable is determined by another variable. They are

dependent on the “input” value. See y.
Dependent variables (sometimes called the “value” of the function)
represent the “output” value of a function, and are commonly denoted
as y. They are.
Independent variables represent the “input” value of a function. See x.
 Odd & Even functions
A function f ( x) is said to be:
. (a) Odd if : f ( x)   f ( x)

(b) Even if : f ( x)  f ( x)

(c) Neither Odd nor Even if : not (a) or (b)

Note: See properties of ODD & EVEN functions.
 Ex: Odd & Even functions

. Determine if the fllg functions are Odd

or Even or Neither:
(ii) (a) f ( x)  3 x  1 (b) f ( x)  3 x  2 x
2 3

(c) f ( x)  3 x  x  2 x  1
3 2

(ii)
(a) f ( x)  sin x (b) f ( x)  cos x (b) f ( x)  tan x
 Increasing & Decreasing functions
Let X  , x1 ,x2  X , then a function
. f : X  Y is said be:
(a) monotone INCREASING
iff for x1  x2 , we have f  x1   f  x2 

(b) strictly monotone INCREASING

iff for x1  x2 , we have f  x1   f  x2 
 Decreasing functions

. (c) monotone DECREASING

iff for x1  x2 , we have f  x1   f  x2 

(b) strictly monotone DECREASING

iff for x1  x2 , we have f  x1   f  x2 
 Ex: Increasing & Decreasing functions
(*) Ex1 of s.m.I. include the following:
. (a) f  x   x (b) g  x  x
(c) h  x   px  k , p  0
(*) Ex2 of s.m.D. include the following:
(a) f  x    x , x  0 (b) g  x    x
2

(c) h  x   px  k , p  0
 Non-Monotonic functions
Some functions are neither monotonically
. increasing nor monotonically decreasing.
Such functions are said to be non-monotonic.
Examples : * Constant Function,
*Absolute Value Functions,
*Trigonometric Functions,
*Functions with discontinuities.