Remesh’s Maths Coaching

CHAPTER 2
RELATIONS AND FUNCTIONS

Ordered Pair

A pair of numbers or elements grouped together in a definite order is called ordered pair. If a and b are any two
numbers, then (𝑎, 𝑏) is called ordered pair a,b. Here ‘a’ is called first element or x element or x co-ordinate or abscissa
and ‘b’ is called second element or y element or y co-ordinate or ordinate.
E.g.: (2, 3), (−1, − 2), (x, y), etc. are ordered pairs.

Note1: {𝒂, 𝒃} = {𝒃, 𝒂} 𝒃𝒖𝒕 (𝒂, 𝒃) ≠ (𝒃, 𝒂) 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂 = 𝒃

E.g.: If (𝑥, 𝑦) = (3,2), 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 2

Cartesian product of sets

Given two non-empty sets A and B. The Cartesian product A × B is the set of all ordered pairs of elements from
A and B.
i.e., 𝐴 × 𝐵 = {(𝑎 , 𝑏): 𝑎Î 𝐴, 𝑏Î 𝐵 }.
If either A or B is a null set, then 𝐴 × 𝐵 will also be a null set, i.e., A × B = 

Note:
• Two ordered pairs are equal, if and only if the corresponding first elements are equal and the second elements are
also equal.
i.e., if (𝑎, 𝑏) = (𝑐, 𝑑) ⇒ 𝑎 = 𝑐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 = 𝑑
• If there are m elements in A and n elements in B, then there will be mn elements in 𝐴 × 𝐵. i.e., if 𝑛(𝐴) = 𝑚 and
𝑛(𝐵) = 𝑛, then 𝑛(𝐴 × 𝐵) = 𝑚𝑛.

• If A and B are non-empty sets and either A or B is an infinite set, then 𝐴 × 𝐵 is also infinite.
• If 𝐴 = 𝐵, then 𝐴 × 𝐵 becomes 𝐴 × 𝐴 and is denoted by 𝐴2 .
• 𝐴 × 𝐴 = {(𝑎, 𝑏): 𝑎, 𝑏Î 𝐴}. Here (𝑎, 𝑏) is called an ordered doublet.
• 𝐴 × 𝐴 × 𝐴 = {(𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐) ∶ 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 Î 𝐴}. Here (𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐) is called an ordered triplet.
• The Cartesian product 𝑅 × 𝑅 = {(𝑥, 𝑦): 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ 𝑅} represents the coordinates of all points in two dimensional plane
and the Cartesian product 𝑅 × 𝑅 × 𝑅 = {(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧): 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 ∈ 𝑅} represents the coordinates of all points in a right
handed system or in a 3D space.

RELATIONS

Relation means an association of two objects according to some property possessed by them.
E.g.:
Trivandrum is the capital of Kerala,
Sita is the wife of Rama,
12 is greater than 10,
{a} is the subset of {𝑎, 𝑏}, etc..

• If A and B are any two non-empty sets, then the relation from A to B is a subset of 𝐴 × 𝐵.

Based on updated syllabus | www.c-fust.in 1|P a g e

 Remesh’s Maths Coaching

• If (𝑥, 𝑦) is a member of a relation R, then we write 𝑥𝑅𝑦 .

• Domain of R: The set of all first elements of the ordered pairs in a relation R from a set A to a set B is called the
domain of the relation R
• Range of R: The set of all second elements of the ordered pairs in R from A to B is called range of R.

Representation of a relation:
A relation can be expressed in:
a) Roster Method
b) Set-builder Method
c) Arrow diagram and graphical method.

E.g.: Let 𝐴 = {1,2,3,4}; 𝐵 = {2,3,4}

R is a relation from A to B such that 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2, 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 ∈ 𝐵.
𝑅 = {(1,3), (2,4)} - Roster Method
Domain = {1,2}
Range = {3,4}
Codomain = {2,3,4}
𝑅 = {(𝑥, 𝑦): 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2, 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑦 ∈ 𝐵} - Set-builder Method

Arrow diagram:

A B

1
2
2
3
3
4
4

Graphical Method

Y
5
4
3
2
1

1 2 3 4 5 X

Note: If a set A has m elements and B has n elements, then

• No. of relations from A to B = 2𝑚𝑛
• No. of relations from B to A = 2𝑛𝑚 = 2𝑚𝑛 .

Based on updated syllabus | www.c-fust.in 2|P a g e

 Remesh’s Maths Coaching

FUNCTIONS
A function from a non-empty set A to a non-empty set B is the one to one correspondence between the elements. In
other words, a relation from a non-empty set A to a non-empty set B is said to be a function, if and only if
i) if every x element has unique y element
ii) the x element cannot be repeated (or) if every x in A has unique image in B.

E.g.: Let 𝐴 = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4} ; 𝐵 = {1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9}

Let 𝑅 = {(𝑥, 𝑦): 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 1, 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴, 𝑦 ∈ 𝐵}
Note: If a set A has ‘m’ elements and set B has ‘n’ elements, then,
i. No. of functions from A to B = 𝑛(𝐵)𝑛(𝐴)
ii. No. of functions from B to A = 𝑛(𝐴)𝑛(𝐵)
Domain, Range and codomain of a function:
If f : A → B is a function from A to B, then
i) Domain of f = set A
ii) Range of f = set of all images of elements of A is known as range.
iii) Codomain of f = set B

Thus 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 ⊆ 𝑐𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛

Equal functions: If two functions f and g are said to be equal, then,

i. domain of f = domain of g
ii. codomain of f = codomain of g
Note: The terms map or mapping are also used to denote function.
𝑓
If f is a function from A to B, we denote f: A → B or 𝐴 → 𝐵. If f is a function from A to B and (a, b) Î f, then
f(a) = b, where ‘b’ is called the image of ‘a’ under f and ‘a’ is called the pre-image of ‘b’ under f.

Types of functions:

Real function: A function f : R → R is said to be a real function, if its domain is a real constant.
Constant function: A function f : R → R is said to be a constant function if f (x ) = c , where ‘c’ is a constant.
Domain : R
Range : c (a constant)

Based on updated syllabus | www.c-fust.in 3|P a g e

 Remesh’s Maths Coaching

Identity function: A function f : R → R is said to be an identity function if f (x ) = x .

Domain : R
Range : R

𝑥, 𝑖𝑓𝑥 ≥ 0
Modulus function: A function f : R → R is said to be a modulus function if 𝑓(𝑥) = |𝑥|, where |𝑥| = {
−𝑥, 𝑖𝑓𝑥 < 0

Domain : R

Range : R+ {0}

Polynomial function: A function f : R → R is said to be a polynomial function if

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎0 𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑎1 𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑎2 𝑥 𝑛−2 +. . . 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 + 𝑎𝑛 , where 𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , . .. are constants, is known as a
polynomial function of degree ‘n’.
E.g.: f ( x ) = x − 2 x + 5 ; g ( x ) = 2 x + 3x − 1 , etc.
3 2

Domain : R
Range : R
i. f ( x ) = x
2

Based on updated syllabus | www.c-fust.in 4|P a g e

 Remesh’s Maths Coaching

ii. f ( x ) = x
3

ii. f ( x ) = x + 2  y = x + 2

x 0 -2
y 2 0

Signum Function: A function f : R → R is said to be a signum function,

−1, if x  0

if f ( x ) =  0, if x = 0
 1, if x  0

| x|
or f ( x ) = , x  0 and 0 for x = 0 is known as signum function.
x
Domain : R
Range: {−1,0,1} , if x  0, x = 0 and x  0

Based on updated syllabus | www.c-fust.in 5|P a g e

 Remesh’s Maths Coaching

Greatest Integer Function: A function f : R → R is said to be a greatest integer function, if f ( x ) = [ x] , x Î R .

Domain :R
Range : Integer.

Note: The above graph is also known as step graph.

Note:

[0] 0  x 1= 0
[1] 1 x  2 =1
[-1] −1  x  0 = − 1
[1.3] 1  x  1.3 = 1
[2.999] 2  x  2.999 = 2
[-2.3] −3  x  −2.3 = −3

Rational Function: A function f : R → R is said to be a greatest integer function,

ax + b d
if f ( x ) = ,x  − .
cx + d c
2x +1 x −5
E.g.: f ( x ) = , x  2 ; g ( x) = , x  −1 , etc..
x−2 x +1
1
Graph: f ( x ) = , x  0
x
2x − 3
1. Find the domain of the rational function f ( x ) = :
1− x
f ( x ) is defined, if 1 − x = 0  x = 1 .
x 2 − 3x + 5
2. Find the domain of the rational function f ( x ) = :
x2 − 5x + 6
f ( x ) is defined, if x2 − 5x + 6 = 0  ( x − 3)( x − 2 ) = 0  x = 3 or x = 2
∴ 𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 = 𝑅 − {2,3}
3. Find the domain and range of the function: 𝑓(𝑥) = √4 − 𝑥 2
Let 𝑓(𝑥) = √4 − 𝑥 2
i.e, 𝑦 = √4 − 𝑥 2 …………….. (1)

In order to find the domain, let 4 − 𝑥 2 ≥ 0

4 ≥ 𝑥 2 ⇒ 𝑥 2 ≤ 4 ⇒ 𝑥 ≤ ±2
⇒ 𝑥 ≥ −2𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑥 ≤ 2
 domain of f is [−2,2]𝑜𝑟 − 2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2
From (1), 𝑦 ≥ 0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2)

To find the range:

Let 𝑦 = √4 − 𝑥 2

𝑦2 = 4 − 𝑥2 ⇒ 𝑥2 = 4 − 𝑦2

Based on updated syllabus | www.c-fust.in 6|P a g e

 Remesh’s Maths Coaching

𝑥 = √4 − 𝑦 2
In order to define x, let 4 − 𝑦 2 ≥ 0
4 ≥ 𝑦 2 ⇒ 𝑦 2 ≤ 4 ⇒ 𝑦 ≤ ±2
⇒ 𝑦 ≥ −2𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑦 ≤ 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3)
From (2) and (3), we have
Range of f is [0,2]𝑜𝑟0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2

Algebra of functions:

Let 𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑔(𝑥) be any two functions of x , then

1. 𝑓 + 𝑔 = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)
2. 𝑓 − 𝑔 = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)
3. 𝑓. 𝑔 = 𝑓(𝑥) × 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
4. = , 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑔(𝑥) ≠0
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥)

E.g.: If 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 1, then

𝑓 + 𝑔 = 𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 1 = (𝑥 + 1)2
𝑓 − 𝑔 = 𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − (2𝑥 + 1) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 1
𝑓. 𝑔 = 𝑓(𝑥) × 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 (2𝑥 + 1) = 2𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑥2 1
= = ,𝑥 ≠−
𝑔 𝑔(𝑥) 2𝑥+1 2

Based on updated syllabus | www.c-fust.in 7|P a g e