FUNCTIONS
Identify which of the following graphs
represent a relation that is NOT a
function.
Which of the following can
be graphs of functions?
RELATION
Is a rule that relates
values from a set of
values (called the domain)
to a second set of values
(called the range)
A relation is a set of
ordered pairs. (x, y).
FUNCTION
A Function is a relation where each
element in the domain is related to
only one value in the range by some
rule.
A function is a set of ordered pairs (x,
y) such that no two ordered pairs
have the same x-value but different
y-values. Using functional notation,
we can write f(x) = y, read as “f of x
is equal to y”. In particular, if (1, 2) is
an ordered pair associated with the
function f, then we can say that F(2)
= 1.
EXAMPLE:
Which of the following relations
are functions?
F = {(1, 2), (2, 3), (3, 5), (4,
7)}
G = {(1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 5), (2,
6), (3, 7)}
H = {(1, 3), (2, 6), (3, 9), … (n,
3n), … }
Solution:
The relations f and h are
functions because no two
ordered pairs have the
same x-value but different
y-values. Meanwhile, g is
not a function because (1,3)
and (1,4) are ordered pairs
with the same x-value but
different y-values.
Relations and functions
can be represented by
mapping diagrams
where the elements of
the domain are mapped
to the elements of the
range using arrows. In
this case, the relation or
function is represented
by the set of all the
connections represented
Example: Which of the following
mapping diagrams represent
functions?
Solution:
The relations f and g are functions
because each value y in Y is
unique for a specific value of x.
the relation h is not a function
because there is at least one
element in X for which there is
more than one corresponding y-
value.
A relation between two sets of
numbers can be illustrated by a
graph in the Cartesian Plane, and
that a function passes the vertical
The Vertical Line
Test
A graph represents a
function if and only
if each vertical line
intersects the graph
at most once.
Example: Which of the
following can be graphs of
functions?
Important Concepts
Relations are the rules that
relate two values, one from the
Domain(x-values) and one from
the Range(y-values)
Function is a type of a relation,
a rule that relate only one value
from the set of outputs to a
value from the set of inputs.
The Domain of a relation is the
set of all possible values that
the variable x can take.
Example:
Identify the domain for each
relation using set builder
notation.
1. Y = 2x + 1
2. Y = x2 – 2x + 2
3. X2 + y 2 = 1
4. Y=
5. Y=
Functions as
representation
s of real-life
situations
Functions can often
be used to model
real situations.
Identifying an
appropriate
functional model
will lead to a better
understanding of
Example:
Given a function
C that can
represent the
cost of buying x
meals, if one
Piecewise
Functions
Some situations can
only be described by
more than one
formula, depending
on the value of the
independent variable.
PIECEWISE
FUNCTIONS
A piecewise function or a
compound function is a
function defined by
multiple sub functions,
where each subfunction
applies to a certain
interval of the main
function’s domain.
Example:
A user is charged P300
monthly for a particular
mobile plan, which includes
100 free text messages.
Messages in excess of 100 are
charged P1 each. Represent
the monthly cost for text
messaging using the function
t(m), where m is the number
of messages sent in a month.
Solution:
The cost of text
messaging can be
expressed by the
piecewise function:
t(m) = 300 if 0 <
m ≤ 100
t(m) = 300 + m if m >
Practice
Problems
1. Is the
relation {(0,
0), (1, 1), (2,
4), (3, 9), …(n,
n ), …} a
2
function?
Can the graph
of a circle be
considered as
a function?
