TYPES OF FUNCTIONS

Lecture # 12
 TYPES OF FUNCTION
 One – to – One / Injective Function

 Onto / Surjective Function

 Bijective Function
 ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION / INJECTIVE
FUNCTION
 Let f: X  Y be a function. f is injective or
one-to-one if, and only if,  x1, x2  X, if x1 
x2 then f(x1)  f(x2).

 That is, f is one-to-one if it maps distinct

points of the domainfinto the distinct
points of the co-domain.
x1 f(x1)

x2 f(x2)
 FUNCTION NOT ONE-TO-ONE
 A function f: X Y is not one-to-one iff there
exist elements x1 and x2 such that x1  x2 but
f(x1) = f(x2).

 That is, if distinct elements x1 and x2 can

f
found in domain of f then they have the same
function value.
x1

f(x1)=f(x2) Y=co-domain of f
X=domain of f

x2
 EXAMPLE
 Which of the arrow diagrams define one-to-
one functions?
f g

a 1 1
a
b 2 2
b
3 3
c c
4 4

X Y X Y
f isImage of (c) =3
(a) function
(b)
one-to-one 2
1 f is NOT one-to-one function
 EXERCISE
 Find all one-to-one functions from X = { a, b } to Y =
{ u, v }
 SOLUTION:
 There are two one-to-one functions from X to Y defined
by the arrow diagrams.

We have only two one-to-one functions.

 EXERCISE
 How many one-to-one functions are there
from a set with three elements to a set with
four elements.
 SOLUTION
Let X = { x1, x2, x3} and Y = { y1, y2, y3, y4 }

x1 may be mapped to any of the 4 elements

of Y. Then x2 may be mapped to any of the
remaining 3 elements of Y & finally x3 may be
mapped to any of the remaining 2 elements of
Y.
Hence, total no. of one-to-one functions from
 EXERCISE
 How many one-to-one functions are there from a set
with three elements to a set with two elements.

 SOLUTION

 Let X = {x1, x2, x3} and Y = {y1, y2}

 Two elements in X could be mapped to the two

elements in Y separately. But there is no new element
in Y to which the third element in X could be mapped.
Accordingly there is no one-to-one function from a set
with three elements to a set with two elements.
 EXERCISE
 How many one-to-one functions are there from a set
with three elements to a set with two elements.
SOLUTION:
Let X = {x1, x2, x3} and Y = {y1, y2}

Two elements in X could be mapped to the two

elements in Y separately. But there is no new element
in Y to which the third element in X could be mapped.
Accordingly there is no one-to-one function from a set
with three elements to a set with two elements.
 GRAPH OF ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION
 A graph of a function f is one-to-one iff
every horizontal line intersects the graph in
at most one point.
 EXAMPLE
y y=x2

y x

(-2,4) (2,4)

0 x -2 0 +2 x

ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION NOT ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION

from R+ to R From R to R+
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITION OF ONE-
TO-ONE FUNCTION
 Let f: X  Y be a function. f is injective or
one-to-one if, and only if,  x1, x2  X, IF x1 
x2 THEN f(x1)  f(x2).

 The contra-positive of definition is:

If f(x1) = f(x2) then x1 = x2

If the contrapositive of the definition is also

satisfied then the function is also one-to-one.
 EXAMPLE
 Define f: R  R by the rule

f(x) = 4x-1 for all x  R

 Is f one to one?

 Prove or give a counter example.

 SOLUTION
 We have to prove the implication.

If f(x1) = f(x2) then x1 = x2

First we suppose that f(x1) = f(x2)

then we will show that x1 = x2
 Let x1, x2  R. such that

f(x1) = f(x2)
 4x1 - 1 = 4 x2 – 1 (by definition of f)
 4 x1 = 4 x2 (adding 1 to both
sides)
 x1 = x2 (dividing both sides by
4)

 Thus we have shown that if f(x1) = f(x2) then

x1= x2
EXAMPLE
 Define g : Z  Z by the rule

g(n) = n2 for all n  Z

 Is g one-to-one?
Prove or give a counter example.
SOLUTION
 Let n1, n2  Z and suppose
g(n1) = g(n2)
 n12 = n22 (by definition of g)
 either n1 = + n2 or n1 = - n2
Thus g(n1) = g(n2)
does not imply n1 = n2 always.
 COUNTER EXAMPLE:
Let n1 = 2 and n2 = -2. Then
g(n1) = g(2) = 22 = 4
g(n2) = g(-2) = (-2) 2 = 4
Hence g(2) = g(-2) where as 2 -2 and so g is not
one-to-one
 SURJECTIVE FUNCTION /ONTO
FUNCTION
 Let f: XY be a function. f is surjective or onto
if, and only if,
 y  Y,  x  X such that f(x) = y.

That is, f is onto if every element of Y is the

image of some element of X.

 
 That is, f is onto if every element of its co-
domain is the image of some element(s) of its
domain.
i.e., co-domain of f = range of f
 FUNCTION NOT ONTO
 A function f:XY is not onto iff there exists y 
Y such that  x  X, f(x) ≠ y.

 That is, there is some element in Y that is not

the image of any element in X.
f
. .
.
. .

. .

X=domain of f Y=co-do main of f

 EXAMPLE
 Which of the arrow diagrams define onto
functions?f
g

a 1
a 1
b 2 b
2
c

c .3 d 3

X Y X Y
 SOLUTION:
 f is not onto because 3  f(x) for any x in X. (3 an
element which is not image of any element of set
X)

 g is clearly onto because each element of Y

equals g(x) for some x in X. (co-domain all
elements are images of some elements of domain)
as
1 = g(c)
2 = g(d)
3 = g(a) = g(b)
 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
23
 EXAMPLE
 Define f: R  R by the rule

f(x) = 4x-1 for all x  R

 Is f onto?

 Prove or give a counter example.

 SOLUTION
 Let y R. We search for an x  R such that

f(x) = y
or 4x-1 = y (by definition of f)

Solving it for x, we find

4x=y+1
y 1
x R
4
Cont…
 Hence for every y R, there exists

y 1
such that x R
4
 y 1
f ( x)  f  
 4 

 y 1
 4.  1  ( y 1) 1  y
 4 
Hence f is
onto.
 EXAMPLE
 Define h: Z  Z by the rule

h(n) = 4n - 1 for all n  Z

Is h onto?

Prove or give a counter example.

 SOLUTION
 Let m Z. We search for an n  Z such that
h(n) = m.

or 4n - 1 = m (by definition of h)

m 1
n 
Solving it for n, we find
4
m 1
But n  is not always an integer for
all m Z. 4
Cont…
 Let m = 3 then m 1 4
integer  1
4 4
 Let m = 5 then m  1 6

not an integer 4 4

 As a counter example, let m = 0  Z, then

h(n) = 0
 4n-1 = 0
 4n = 1 1
n   
 4

Hence there is no integer n for which h(n) = 0.

Accordingly, h is not onto.
 GRAPH OF ONTO FUNCTION
 A graph of a function f is onto iff every
horizontal line intersects the graph in at
least one point within the codomain.
EXAMPLE y y=ex
y = |x|
y

O x O x

ONTO FUNCTION NOT ONTO FUNCTION FROM

from R to R+ R to R
 EXERCISE
 Let X = {1, 5, 9} and Y = {3, 4, 7}.

Define g: X Y by specifying that

g(1) = 7, g(5) = 3, g(9) = 4

Is g one-to-one? Is g onto?
 SOLUTION
X = {1, 5, 9} and Y = {3, 4, 7}.

g(1) = 7, g(5) = 3, g(9) = 4

g is one-to-one because each of the three

elements of X are mapped to a different
elements of Y by g.

 g is onto as well, because each of the three

elements of co-domain Y of g is the image of
some element of the domain of g.
3 = g(5), 4 = g(9), 7 = g(1)
 EXERCISE
 Determine if each of the functions is injective
or surjective:

a. f: Z Z+ define as f(x) = |x|

b. g: Z+  Z+  Z+ defined as g(x) = (x, x+1)
 SOLUTION
a) f is not injective, because distinct element
have same images.
f(1) = |1| = 1 and f(-1) = |-1| = 1
i.e., f(1) = f(-1) but 1  -1
(clearly not onto, because distinct elements have
same images)
f is onto, because for every a  Z+,
there exist –a and +a in Z such that

f(-a) = |-a| = a
and f(a) = |a| = a
Cont…
b) g: Z+  Z+  Z+ defined as
g(x) = (x, x+1)
Let g(x1) = g(x2) for x1, x2 Z+
 (x1, x1 +1) = (x2, x2+1) (by definition of g)

 x1 = x2 and x1 + 1 = x2 + 1
(by equality of ordered pairs)
 x1 = x2
Thus if g(x1) = g(x2) then x1 = x2
Hence g is one-to-one.
 g is not onto because (1,1) Z+Z+ is not
the image of any element of Z+.

 Counter Example:
Let x = 1 then g(x) = (1, 2)
Let x = 2 then g(x) = (2, 3)
Let x = 3 then g(x) = (3, 4) …

Clearly, (1,1), (2,2), (2,4) etc which are the

elements of co-domain Z+Z+ are not images
of any elements of Z+.
 BIJECTIVE FUNCTION
 A function f: XY that is both one-to-one
(injective) and onto (surjective) is called a
bijective function or a one-to-one
correspondence.
 EXAMPLE
 The function f: XY defined by the arrow
diagram is both one-to-one and onto; hence a
bijective function. f
a 1

b 2

c .3

X Y
 EXERCISE
 Let f: R  R be defined by the rule f(x) = x³.
Show that f is a bijective or one-to-one correspondence?
SOLUTION

f is one-to-one
Let f(x1) = f(x2) forx1, x2R
 x1³ = x2 ³ (by definition of f(x))
 x1³ - x2³ = 0
 (x1 -x2) (x1² + x1x2 + x2²) = 0
 x1 - x2 = 0 or x1² + x1x2 + x2² = 0
 x1 = x2 (the second equation gives no real solution)
Accordingly f is one-to-one.
Cont…
 f is onto
Let y  R. We search for a x R such that
f(x) = y
 x³ = y (by definition of f)
or x = (y)¹/³

Hence for y R, there exists x = (y)¹/³  R

such that
f(x) = f((y)¹/³)
= ((y)¹/³)³ = y
Accordingly f is onto. Thus, f is a bijective.
 GRAPH OF BIJECTIVE FUNCTION
 A graph of a function f is bijective iff every
horizontal line intersects the graph at exactly
one point.
y y=x 3

(0,5)

x (5,0) O(0,0)
0

BIJECTIVE FUNCTION
BIJECTIVE FUNCTION from R to R
from R to R
 IDENTITY FUNCTION ON A SET
 Given a set X, define a function ix from X to
X by
ix(x) = x from all x  X.

 The function ix is called the identity

function on X because it sends each
element of X mapped to itself.
 EXAMPLE
 Let X = {1, 2, 3, 4}. The identity function ix on
X is represented by the arrow diagram.