Chapter 2: Relations and Type Condition
Functions – Complete Guide Onto (Surjective)
Every element in codomain
has a pre-image in domain
Bijective Both one-one and onto
Constant
f(x) = c for all x
🔹 1. Basic Definitions to Cover Function
Identity Function f(x) = x
Concept Definition Modulus Function f(x) =
Set A well-defined collection of objects. Greatest Integer
f(x) = ⌊x⌋
Function
Cartesian If A and B are two sets, then A × B
Product = {(a, b) f(x) = { 1 if x > 0, 0 if x = 0, -1
Signum Function
if x < 0 }
A subset of a Cartesian product A ×
Relation
B.
A special type of relation where
Function every element of A has one and only 🔧 3. Methods & Steps to Solve Problems
one image in B.
Set of all first elements in ordered
Domain
pairs.
📌 A. Cartesian Product
Codomain The set B in a function from A to B.
Actual set of outputs (subset of Question Type: Find A × B or number of elements
Range
codomain). Steps:
1. Write set A and set B.
🧮 2. Important Formulas and Properties 2. Use formula: A × B = {(a, b) | a ∈ A, b ∈
B}.
✴ Cartesian Product 3. Count total pairs using |A| × |B|.
If A has m elements and B has n elements, ✅ Tip: A × B ≠ B × A unless A = B.
then
n(A × B) = m × n
✴ Number of Relations 📌 B. Relation from A to B
From A to B: Question Type: Define or find a relation
Number of relations = 2^(m × n) Steps:
✴ Number of Functions 1. Find A × B.
2. Define condition (e.g., x < y).
From A to B: 3. List ordered pairs satisfying condition.
Number of functions = n^m (where |A| = 4. That’s your relation R.
m and |B| = n)
✅ Tip: Relation is a subset of A × B.
✴ Types of Functions
📌 C. Function Checking
Type Condition
One-One Question Type: Check if a relation is a function
f(a₁) = f(a₂) ⇒ a₁ = a₂ Steps:
(Injective)
1. Look at each element of domain.
2. Ensure each input maps to exactly one
output.
3. If yes, it’s a function.
✅ Tip: No two ordered pairs should have the same
first element with different second elements.
📌 D. Type of Function
Question Type: Determine whether a function is
One-One, Onto, etc.
Steps:
One-One (Injective): Assume f(a₁) = f(a₂),
prove a₁ = a₂.
Onto (Surjective): Take arbitrary y in
codomain. Solve f(x) = y. Step-by-Step Methods for Each
Bijective: Satisfy both above.
Problem Type
✅ Example: f(x) = 2x is One-One but not Onto
from ℝ to ℕ.
🔹1. Cartesian Product of Sets
🔍 4. Things to Remember (Key Concepts Problem Type: Find A × B or total number of
& Tips) elements in A × B
Every function is a relation, but not every 📌 Steps:
relation is a function.
Domain and range must be clearly defined. 1. List elements of A and B clearly.
Graphical method: Vertical Line Test helps 2. Use the formula:
identify if a curve represents a function. A × B = {(a, b) | a ∈ A, b ∈ B}
Real-world mapping: If a function 3. Write each ordered pair by pairing every
represents height of a person vs. age, it must element of A with every element of B.
be one-to-one but not necessarily onto. 4. Count the total number of elements:
For composite functions: (f ∘ g)(x) = |A × B| = |A| × |B|
f(g(x))
🧮 Example:
If A = {1, 2}, B = {3, 4},
A × B = {(1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4)}
Number of elements = 2 × 2 = 4
🔹2. Relation from A to B
Problem Type: Find a relation or number of
relations from A to B
✅ A. One-One (Injective)
📌 Steps:
Steps:
1. Find A × B.
2. Define the relation condition (e.g., x < y, x 1. Take two inputs, say x₁ and x₂.
is even, etc.). 2. Assume f(x₁) = f(x₂)
3. Pick only those ordered pairs that satisfy the 3. Prove that x₁ = x₂
condition. 4. If this is true for all x, then function is One-
4. Relation = subset of A × B One.
5. If asked for number of relations:
2^(|A| × |B|) ✅ B. Onto (Surjective)
🧮 Example: Steps:
If A = {1, 2}, B = {1, 3}, define relation R as “x < 1. Let y be an arbitrary element of the
y”. codomain.
2. Solve f(x) = y
Then A × B = {(1,1), (1,3), (2,1), (2,3)} 3. If you get a valid x from domain, function is
R = {(1,3), (2,3)} (because 1 < 3, 2 < 3) Onto.
✅ C. Bijective
🔹3. Check Whether a Relation is a A function is Bijective if it is both One-One
Function and Onto
Problem Type: Given ordered pairs or mapping, is
it a function?
🧮 Example:
📌 Steps:
Let f: ℝ → ℝ, f(x) = 2x + 3
1. Check each input (domain element): Is it
repeated? To prove One-One:
2. If yes, check if it gives the same output f(x₁) = f(x₂) ⇒ 2x₁ + 3 = 2x₂ + 3 ⇒ x₁ = x₂ ✔
every time. To prove Onto:
3. If each input maps to exactly one output, Let y = 2x + 3 ⇒ x = (y - 3)/2 ⇒ x ∈ ℝ ✔
it's a function.
✅ So, f is Bijective
🧮 Example:
{(1,2), (2,3), (1,3)} → Not a function (1 maps to 2
and 3)
🔹5. Finding Domain, Codomain, Range of
{(1,2), (2,3), (3,4)} → Valid function a Function
📌 Steps:
🔹4. Identify Type of Function (One-One, 1. Domain = all input values (given or derived
from question)
Onto, Bijective)
2. Codomain = all possible output values ✅ B. Modulus Function: f(x) = |x|
(usually given)
3. Range = all actual outputs you get by Returns positive value always
applying f(x)
Examples:
|–3| = 3, |4| = 4
🧮 Example: ✅ C. Signum Function: f(x) = sgn(x)
f(x) = √(x – 1), x ∈ ℝ
x f(x)
Domain: x – 1 ≥ 0 ⇒ x ≥ 1 x>0 1
Codomain: Usually ℝ⁺ if not specified x=0 0
Range: √(x – 1) ⇒ values ≥ 0 (i.e. [0, ∞)) x<0 –1
🔹8. Composite Function & Inverse
🔹6. Graph-based Questions (Visual Function
Identification)
✅ A. Composite Function (f ∘ g)(x) = f(g(x))
📌 Steps:
Steps:
1. Use Vertical Line Test: Draw a vertical
line. If it cuts the graph at more than one 1. Find g(x)
point, it’s not a function. 2. Substitute g(x) into f(x)
2. Identify function types:
o Straight line: f(x) = ax + b
🧮 Example:
o Parabola: f(x) = x² (many-to-one)
o Step graph: Greatest Integer
If f(x) = x + 1, g(x) = x²
Function Then (f ∘ g)(x) = f(g(x)) = f(x²) = x² + 1
o V-shaped: Modulus function
✅ B. Inverse Function
🔹7. Special Functions (Greatest Integer,
Modulus, Signum) Steps:
✅ A. Greatest Integer Function: f(x) = ⌊x⌋ 1. Let y = f(x)
2. Swap x and y: x = f(y)
Returns greatest integer ≤ x 3. Solve for y ⇒ This y = f⁻¹(x)
Steps:
Take decimal input, write integer part before
decimal
Examples:
⌊2.3⌋ = 2, ⌊–1.7⌋ = –2
