Representing Real-Life
Situations Using
Functions
GENERAL MATHEMATICS
Objectives
define and explain represent real-
recall the functional life situations
concepts of relationship as a
using functions,
relations mathematical
model of including piece-
and wise function
situation
functions
Relation
is any set of ordered pairs. The set of all
first elements of the ordered pairs is
called the domain of the relation, and the
set of all second elements is called the
range.
Function
is a relation or rule of correspondence
between two elements (domain
and range) such that each element in
the domain corresponds to exactly one
element in the range.
Given the following ordered pairs,
which relations are functions?
A = {(1,2), (2,3), (3,4), (4,5)}
B = {(3,3), (4,4), (5,5), (6,6)}
C = {(1,0), (0, 1, (-1,0), (0,-1)}
D = {(a,b), (b, c), (c,d), (a,d)}
How about from the given table of
values, which relation shows a function?
X 1 2 3 4 5 6
A Y 2 4 6 8 10 12
X 4 -3 1 2 5
B Y -5 -2 -2 -2 0
X 0 -1 4 2 -1
C Y 3 4 0 -1 1
On the following mapping diagrams, which do
you think represent functions?
A B C
Using the vertical line test, can you identify
the graph/s of function?
Scenario 1: June and Mae are in a long-time
relationship until June realized that he
wants to marry Mae.
We’re together for the
If I said yes, what Last 7 years and I believe
could you promise you are my forever. Will
me? you marry me?
I promise to love
I love you too and you forever, to be
I will marry you. faithful and loyal
to you until
my last breath.
Scenario 2: Kim is a naturally born Filipino but
because of her eyes, many people confused if she
is a Chinese. Let’s see how she responds to her
new classmates who are asking if she’s a Chinese
Kim, I thought you
are a Chinese
Haha, many have because of your
said that. But my feature.
veins run a pure Hey classmate,
Filipino blood. are you a
Chinese?
No classmate! I was
born Filipino and my
parents were also
pure Filipino.
I love Chinese, but I’m Hey Kim, can you
sorry I can’t teach you teach me some
because I am Filipino. I Chinese language?
was born Filipino and
will die as Filipino.
Scenario 3: As part of their requirements
in Statistics class, Andrei made a survey
on the religion of his classmates and
here’s what he found out.
Andrei: Good morning classmates, as our requirement in
Statistics may I know your religion. This data will be part of
my input in the survey that I am doing.
Kevin: I am also a Catholic. Ana: I am a Catholic.
Sam: I am a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo.
Joey: I am a Born Again Christian.
Lanie: My family is a Muslim.
Jen: We are sacred a Catholic Family.
Andrei: Thank you classmates for your responses.
Questions 1. From the above conversations,
which scenario/s do you think
can be classified as function?
2. State the reason/s why or why
not the above scenarios a
function.
Functions as representations
of real-life situations
The above scenarios are all examples of relations
that show function. Monogamous marriage (e.g.
Christian countries) is an example of function
when there is faith and loyalty. Let say, June is
the domain and Mae is the range, when there is
faithfulness in their marriage, there will be one-
to-one relationship - one domain to one range.
Functions as representations
of real-life situations
Nationality could also illustrate a function. We
expect that at least a person has one
nationality. Let say Kim is the domain and her
nationality is the range, therefore there is a
one-to-one relationship. Since Kim was born
and live in the Philippines, she can never have
multiple nationalities except Filipino.
Functions as representations
of real-life situations
Religion is also an example of function because a
person can never have two religions. Inside the
classroom, three classmates said that they are
Catholic. This shows a many-to-one relationship.
Classmates being the domain and religion being
the range indicate that different values of domain
can have one value of range.
The Function Machine
Function can be illustrated as a
machine where there is the input
and the output. When you put an
object into a machine, you expect a
product as output after the process
being done by the machine.
The Function Machine
The Function Machine
Since output (y) is dependent on input (x),
we can say that y is a function of x. For
example, if a function machine always adds
three (3) to whatever you put in it.
Therefore, we can derive an equation of
x + 3 = y or f(x) = x+ 3 where f(x) = y.
Let’s try the following real-life
situation.
If height (H) is a function of age (a),
give a function H that can represent the
height of a person in a age, if every
year the height is added by 2 inches.
𝑯(𝒂) = 𝟐𝒂 + 𝑯
Let’s try the following real-life
situation.
If distance (D) is a function of time (t),
give a function D that can represent the
distance a car travels in t time, if every
hour the car travels 60 kilometers.
D(𝒕) = 𝟔𝟎𝒕
Let’s try the following real-life
situation.
Give a function B that can represent
the amount of battery charge of a
cellular phone in h hour, if 12% of
battery was loss every hour.
𝑩(𝒉) = 𝟏𝟎𝟎% − 𝟏𝟐%𝒉
Piecewise Functions
A piecewise function is a function in
which more than one formula is
used to define the output. Each
formula has its own domain, and the
domain of the function is the union of
all these smaller domains.
Piecewise Functions
We notate this idea like this:
Example
A user is charged ₱250.00 monthly for a
particular mobile plan, which includes 200
free text messages. Messages in excess of
200 are charged ₱1.00 each. Represent the
monthly cost for text messaging using the
function t(m), where m is the number of
messages sent in a month.
Example
For sending messages
of not exceeding 200
𝑡 𝑚 = { 250 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑚 ≤ 200
250 + 𝑚 𝑖𝑓 𝑚 > 200
In case the messages
sent were more than
200
Example
A certain chocolate bar costs ₱50.00 per
piece. However, if you buy more than 5
pieces they will mark down the price to
₱48.00 per piece. Use a piecewise
function to represent the cost in terms of
the number of chocolate bars bought.
Example
For buying 5 chocolate
bars or less
𝑓 𝑛 = { 50𝑛 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑛 ≤ 5
48𝑛 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 5
For buying more than 5
chocolate bars
Example
The cost of hiring a catering service to serve
food for a party is ₱250.00 per head for 50
persons or less, ₱200.00 per head for 51 to
100 persons, and ₱150.00 per head for more
than 100. Represent the total cost as a
piecewise function of the number of
attendees to the party.
Example
Cost for a service to at
least 50 persons
{
250𝑛 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 ≤ 50
𝑐 𝑛 = Cost for a service to 51
200𝑛 𝑖𝑓 51 ≤ 𝑛 ≤ 100
to 100 persons
150𝑛 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 100
Cost for a service to
more than 100 persons
Thank you
for listening!
Katrina Sanvictores Santos
