2.
3 The Language of Relations and Functions
Relation
Let A and B be sets. A relation R from A to B is a subset of A x B. Given an ordered pair (x, y) in A x B, x is related
to y by R, written x R y, if, and only if, (x, y) is in R. The set A is called the domain of R and the set B is called its co-
domain.
The notation for a relation R may be written symbolically as follows:
x R y means that (x, y) R
The notation x R y means that x is not related to y by R:
x R y means that (x, y) R.
Arrow Diagram of a Relation
Suppose R is a relation from a set A to a set B. The arrow diagram for R is obtained as follows:
1. Represent the elements of A as points in one region and the element of B as points in another region.
2. For each x in A and y in B, draw an arrow from x to y if, and only if, x is related to y by R. Symbolically:
Draw an arrow from x to y
if, and only if, x R y
if, and only if, (x, y) R
Examples:
1. Let A = {1, 2} and B = {1, 2, 3} and define a relation R from A to B as follows:
Given any (x, y) A x B.
𝑥−𝑦
(x, y) R means that is an integer.
2
a. State explicitly which ordered pairs are in A x B and which are in R.
Answer:
A x B = {(1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3)}
1−1
• (1,1) R since =0, 0 is an integer
2
1−2 −1 −1
• (1,2) R since 2 = 2 , 2 is not an integer
1−3
• (1,3) R since 2 = -1, -1 is an integer
2−1 1 1
• (2,1)R since 2 = 2, 2 is not an integer
2−2
• (2,2) R since 2 =0, 0 is an integer
2−3 −1 −1
• (2, 3)R since 2 = 2 , 2 is not an integer
Thus, R = {(1, 1), (1, 3), (2, 2)} R is not a function
b. Is 1 R 3? Is 2 R 3? Is 2 R 2?
Answer:
Is 1 R 3? Yes, since (1,3) R
Is 2 R 3? No, since (2, 3)R
Is 2 R 2? Yes, since (2,2) R
c. What are the domain and co-domain of R?
Answer:
Domain of R is {1, 2}
Co-domain of R is {1, 2, 3}
d. Draw an arrow diagram for R.
Answer:
A B
1 1
2 2
3
(1,1),(1,3)(2,2)
2. Let Y = {0, 1, 2} and Z = {0, 1} and define a relation R from Y to Z as follows:
Given any {x, y} Y x Z.
𝑥+𝑦
(x, y) R means that is an integer.
2
a. State explicitly which ordered pairs are in Y x Z and which are in R.
Y x Z = {(0,0),(0,1),(1,0),(1,1),(2,0),(2,1)}
0+0
• (0,0) R since =0, 0 is an integer
2
0+1
• (0,1) R since 2 =1/2, ½ is not an integer
1+0
• (1,0) R since 2 =1/2, ½ is not an integer
1+1
• (1,1) R since 2 =1, 1 is an integer
2+0
• (2,0) R since 2 =1, 1 is an integer
2+1
• (2,1) R since 2 =3/2, 3/2 is not an integer
Thus, R = {(0, 0), (1, 1), (2, 0)} R is a function
b. Is 1 R 0? Is 2 R 0? Is 2 R 1?
1 R 0? No (1,0) R
2 R 0? Yes (2,0) R
2 R 1? No (2,1) R
c. What are the domain and co-domain of R?
Domain of R = {0,1,2}
Co-Domain of R= {0,1}
d. Draw an arrow diagram for R.
Y Z
0 0
1 1
2
3. Let A = {2, 3, 4} and B = {6, 8, 10} and define a relation R from A to B as follows:
Given any {x, y} A x B.
𝑦
(x, y) R means that 𝑋 is an integer.
a. State explicitly which ordered pairs are in A x B and which are in R.
b. Is 4 R 6? Is 4 R 8? Is 3 R 8? Is 2 R 10?
c. What are the domain and co-domain of R?
d. Draw an arrow diagram for R.
Function
A function F from a set A to a set B is a relation with domain A and co-domain B that satisfies the following
properties:
1. For every element X in A, there is an element y in B such that (x, y) F.
(Every element of A is the 1st element of an ordered pair of F)
2. For all elements x in A and y and z in B
(No 2 distinct ordered pairs in F have the same 1st element)
if (x, y) F and (x, z) F, then y = z.
Notation
If A and B are sets and F is a function from A to B, then the given any element x in A, the unique element in B
that is related to x by F is denoted by F(x), which is read “F of x”.
Examples:
1. Let A = {2, 4, 6} and B= {1, 3, 5}. Which of the relations defined below are functions from A to B?
a. R = {2,5), (4,1), (4,3), (6,5)}
Answer: R is not a function since it does not satisfy property 2.
b. T is defined by the arrow diagram.
A B
2 1 R = {2,5), (4,1),(6,1)}
4 3
6 5
Answer: T is a function. Each element is {2, 4, 6} is related to some element in {1, 3, 5} and no element in
{2, 4, 6} is related to more than one element in {1, 3, 5}.
2. Let X = {a, b, c} and B= {1, 2, 3, 4}. Which of the relations defined below are functions from X to B?
a. A = {a, 1), (b, 2), (c, 3)} Answer: A is a function.
b. C is defined by the arrow diagram Answer: C is not a function.
X Y
a 1
b 2
c 3
4
Assessment:
1. Let A = {-2,-1,0,1,2,3} and B= {-4,-3,-2,-1} and define a relation R from A to B as follows:
Given any {x, y} A x B.
3𝑥
(x, y) R means that 2𝑦 is a whole number.
a. State explicitly which ordered pairs are in A x B and which are in R.
b. Is -2 R -2? Is 0 R -3? Is 3 R -4?
c. What are the domain and co-domain of R?
d. Draw an arrow diagram for R.
2. Use the no. 1 given and the R obtained.
a. Is R obtained in no. 1, function or not? Why or why not?
