Essential

Questions:
• What is a function?

• What are the characteristics of a function?

• How do you determine if a relation is a

function?

• How is a function different from a relation?

• Why is it important to know which variable

is the independent variable?

Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 1

 Some Definitions-
 A relation between two variables x and
y is a set of ordered pairs

 An ordered pair consists of an x and y-

coordinate

A relation may be viewed as ordered pairs,
mapping design, table, equation, or written
in sentences

 x-values are input, independent

variable, domain.

 y-values are output, dependent

variable, range
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 2
 Example 1:
What makes this a
relation?

{(0,  5), (1,  4), (2,  3), ( 3,  2), (4,  1), (5, 0)}

What is the domain?

•

{0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
What is the range?
{-5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0}
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 3
Example 2 –
Is this a relation?

Input 4 –5 0 9 –1

Output –2 7

•What is the domain?

{4, -5, 0, 9, -1}
•What is the range?

{-2, 7}
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 4
Is a relation a function?

What is a function?
According to a textbook, “a
function is…a relation in
which every input has
exactly one output”

Unit 4 - Relations and Functions

5
 Is a relation a function?
• Focus on the x-coordinates, when given a relation

If the set of ordered pairs has different x-

coordinates,

it IS A function
If the set of ordered pairs has same x-coordinates,
it is NOT a function

•
Y-coordinates have no bearing in
determining functions
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 6
 Example 3
{(0,  5), (1,  4), (2,  3), ( 3,  2), (4,  1), (5, 0)}

• Is this a relation?
YES
• Is this a function?
•Hint: Look only at the x-

coordinates
YES
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 7
 Example 4
{(–1,  7), (1, 0), (2,  3), (0,  8), (0, 5), (–2,  1)}
• Is this a function?
•Hint: Look only at the x-coordinates

NO
• Is this still a relation?

YES
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 8
Example 5
Which relation mapping represents a
function?
Choice One Choice Two
3 –1 2 2
1 2 –1 3
0 3 3 –2
0

Choice 1
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions
9
 Example 6
Which relation mapping represents a function

A. B.

B
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 10
 Vertical Line Test
• Vertical Line Test: a relation is a function
if a vertical line drawn through its graph,
passes through only one point.

AKA: “The Pencil Test”

Take a pencil and move it from left to right
(–x to x); if it crosses more than one point,
it is not a function

Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 11

Vertical Line Test

Would
this graph
be a
function?
YES
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 12
Vertical Line Test

Would
this graph
be a
function?
NO
Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 13
Is the following function
discrete or continuous? What
is the Domain? What is the
Range?
Discrete



-7, 1, 5, 7, 8, 10



1, 0, -7, 5, 2, 8

Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 14

Is the following function
discrete or continuous?
What is the Domain? What
is the Range?

continuous

  8,8
 


  6,6
 

Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 15

Is the following function
discrete or continuous? What
is the Domain? What is the
Range?

continuous

 0,45
 


 10,70
 

Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 16

Is the following function
discrete or continuous? What
is the Domain? What is the
Range?
discrete

 -7, -5, -3, -1, 1, 3, 5, 7
 

 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Unit 4 - Relations and Functions 17

18
06/12/25 09:42 19
20
Verify the Rule for x=4

06/12/25 09:42 1-6 Relations and Functions 21

06/12/25 09:42 1-6 Relations and Functions 22
Inverse Functions
A = {1, 2, 3, 4} to the set B = {5, 6, 7, 8} can be written as follows.

{(1, 5), (2, 6), (3, 7), (4, 8)}

We have a function f (x) = x + 4

In this case, by interchanging the first and second coordinates of each of these ordered pairs, you can form the
inverse function of which is denoted by f –1 It is a function from the set B to the set A and can be written as follows.

f –1(x) = x – 4: {(5, 1), (6, 2), (7, 3), (8, 4)}

.

 Example
 If f(x) = x – 4, you may want to rewrite it
y = x – 4.
 Then interchange x and y to get x = y – 4.

 Solve for y by adding 4 to both sides

gives you y = x + 4 which is the
inverse function: f –1 (x) = x + 4

06/12/25 09:42 1-6 Relations and Functions 25

 Also note that the functions f and f –1 have
the effect of “undoing” each other. In
other words, when you form the
composition of f with f –1 or the
composition of with you obtain the
identity function.
 f (f –1(x)) = f (x – 4) = (x – 4) + 4 = x

 f –1(f (x)) = f –1(x + 4) = (x + 4) – 4 = x

Finding an Inverse Function Algebraically

 Find the inverse function of

 Solution:
Write original function.

Replace f (x) by y.

Interchange x and y.

Multiply each side by 2.

 cont’d
Isolate the y-term.

Solve for y.

Replace y by f –1(x)

Verify that f (f –1(x)) = x and f –1 (f (x)) = x.