RELATIONS AND FUNCTIONS

KEY POINTS:-

1. RELATIONS:

● The set of all ordered pairs (a , b) of element 𝑎 ∈ 𝐴 , 𝑏 ∈ 𝐵 is called the cartesian product of set A
and set B and is denoted by A x B.
A x B = { (a,b); a∈ A , b∈ B}
● A relation R from A to B is a subset of A x B .
● Let A and B be any two non-empty finite sets containing m and n elements respectively,
i) number of ordered pairs in A x B is mn.
ii) total number of subsets of A x B is 2 mn.
iii) total number of relations from A to B is 2 mn.
● If there is no relation between the elements of a set or sets , then the relation is called empty
relation. R =∅ .
● A relation R in a set A is called universal relation , if every element of A is related to each of the
elements of A , R = A x A.
● A relation R on a set A is said to be reflexive if every element of A is related to itself. R is reflexive if
(a,a) ∈ R for every a 𝜖 A.
● A relation R on a set A is said to be a symmetric relation, if (a,b) ∈ R⇒ (b,a) ∈ R , a, 𝑏 ∈ A.

● A relation R on a set A is said to be a transitive relation, if (a,b) ∈ R and (b,c) ∈ R ⇒ (a,c) ∈ R.

● A relation which is reflexive, symmetric and transitive , is called an equivalence relation .
● Let R be an equivalence relation on a set A. Let a ∈ A. Then the set of all those elements of A which
are related to A is called equivalence class denoted by [a] or Cl {a}.

2. FUNCTIONS:
● Let A and B be two non-empty sets. Then, a subset f of A x B is a function that associates each
element of A to a unique element of B.
● Let f : A→ B then the set A is called the domain of f and the set B is known as its co-domain. The set
of images of elements of set A is known as the range of f. Clearly Range is a subset of Co-domain.
● A function f : A→ B is a one-one function or an injection , if
f (x) = f(y) ⇒ x = y for all x,y ∈ A or

x ≠ y ⇒ f (x) ≠ f(y) for all x,y ∈ A

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● A function f : A→ B is an onto function or a surjection, if range(f) = co-domain (f). So each element in
B must have atleast one pre-image in A.
● A function f : A→ B is a many-one function if there exists at least two or more elements of A having
the same f image in B.i.e.,
f (x) = f(y) but x ≠ y.
So many-one function cannot be injective.
● If f : A→ B is such that there exists atleast one element in co-domain which is not the image of any
element in domain, then f(x) is into. So into function can not be surjective.
● If a set A has m elements and set B has n elements, then the number of functions possible from A to
B is n m.
● If a set A has m elements and set B has n elements,
𝑛!
if n≥ m, then the number of injective functions or one-one functions is given by (𝑛−𝑚)! and

if n<m then 0.
● If a set A has m elements and set B has n elements, the number of onto functions from A to B is
∑𝑛𝑟 =1(−1)𝑛−𝑟 nCr rm ,if m≥ n and 0 , if m<n
● If there is a bijection between two sets A and B then both sets will have the same number of
elements. If n(A) = n(B) i.e., m = n, then the number of bijective functions = n!, if m ≠ n then 0.
● Algebraic operations on functions:
if f and g are real valued functions of x with domain set A and B respectively then
i) (f±g) = f(x) ± g(x) (domain is A∩B)
ii) (f.g) (x) = f(x). g(x) (domain is A∩B)
𝑓 𝑓(𝑥)
iii) (𝑔 )(x) = 𝑔(𝑥) (domain is A∪B and g(x) ≠ 0 )

iv) f=g if and only if A=B and f(x)=g(x) for all x in A.

Functions Domain Range

Algebraic functions:

i) x n (n 𝜖 N) R R, if n is odd

R+ U {0}, if n is even

ii) 1/ x n (n 𝜖 N) R – {0} R – {0}, if n is odd

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 R+ , if n is even

iii) x 1/n (n 𝜖 N) R, if n is odd R, if n is odd

R+ U {0}, if n is even R+ U {0}, if n is even

iv) 1/ x 1/n (n 𝜖 N) R – {0}, if n is odd R – {0}, if n is odd

R+ , if n is even R+ , if n is even

Trigonometric functions:

i) sin x R [ - 1 , + 1]

ii) cos x R [ - 1 , + 1]

ᴨ
iii) tan x R –(2k + 1)2 , k 𝜖 Z R

iv) cot x R–kᴨ,k𝜖Z R

ᴨ
v) sec x R –(2k + 1)2 , k 𝜖 Z ( - ∞ , - 1] U [1, ∞ )

vi) cosec x R–kᴨ,k𝜖Z ( - ∞ , - 1] U [1, ∞ )

Inverse Trigonometric
functions:

𝜋 𝜋
i) sin – 1x [ - 1 , + 1] [- 2 , 2 ]

ii) cos – 1x [ - 1 , + 1] [0, ᴨ]

𝜋 𝜋
iii) tan – 1x R (- 2 , 2 )

iv) cot – 1x R (0, ᴨ)

ᴨ
v) sec – 1x ( - ∞ , - 1] U [1, ∞ ) [0, ᴨ] – { 2 }

𝜋 𝜋
vi) cosec – 1x ( - ∞ , - 1] U [1, ∞ ) [- 2 , 2 ] – { 0 }

Exponential functions:

i) e x R R+

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ii) e 1/x R–{0} R+-{1}

iii) a x , a > 0 R R+

iv) a 1/x , a > 0 R–{0} R+-{1}

Logarithmic functions:

i) log a x (a > 0, a≠1) R+ R

ii) log x a (a > 0, a≠1) R+-{1} R–{0}

Integral part or greatest

integer functions:

i) [x] R I

ii) 1/x R – [ 0,1) 1/n , n 𝜖Z– { 0 }

Fractional part functions:

i) { x } R [ 0 , 1)

ii) 1/ { x } R-Z (1, ∞ )

Modulus functions:

i) | x| R R+ U {0}

ii) 1/ | x| R - {0} R+

Signum function:

|𝑥| R { -1 , 0 , 1}
,x≠0
𝑥

0, x=0

Constant function:

f(x) = c R {c}

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MCQ:

1. If a relation R on the set {1,2,3,4] be defined by R= {(1,2)}, then R is

a) Reflexive b) Transitive c) Symmetric d) None of these

2. Which of the following functions from Z to Z are one-one and onto?

a) f(x) = x3 b) f(x) = x+2 c) f(x)= 2x + 1 d) f(x) = x 2 + 1

3. The function f: R → R given by f(x) = cos x, x ∈ R is

a) one-one but not onto b) onto but not one-one

c) one-one and onto d) neither one-one nor onto

4. Greatest integer function f(x) =[x] is

a) one-one b) many-one c) both (a) & (b) d) none of these

5. The maximum number of equivalence relations on the set A = {1, 2, 3} are

a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 5

6. If R = {(x, y) : x2 + y2 = 4 ,x,y 𝜖 Z} is a relation of Z , then the domain of R is

a) {0,1,2} b) {-2 ,0,2} c) {-2, -1,1,2} d) { 1,2}

7. Consider the non-empty set consisting of children in a family and a relation R defined as a R b if a is sister
of b. Then R is

a) symmetric but not transitive b) transitive but not symmetric

c) neither symmetric nor transitive d) both symmetric and transitive

8. Number of relations that can be defined on the set A = {a, b, c, d} is

a) 23 b) 44 c) 42 d) 216

9. Let R be the relation in the set Z of all integers defined by R = {(x, y): x – y is an integer}. Then R is

a) Reflexive b) Transitive c) Symmetric d) an equivalence relation

10.Let S be the set of all real numbers. Then the relation R = {(a, b): 1 + ab > 0} on S is

a) reflexive, symmetric but not transitive b) reflexive, transitive but not symmetric

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c) reflexive, symmetric and transitive d) both symmetric and transitive but not reflexive

Assertion –reasoning:

a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

b) Both A and R are true and R is not the correct explanation of A

c) A is true but R is false

d) A is false but R is true.

11. Assertion(A): a relation R ={ |a-b|< 2 } defined on the set A ={ 1,2,3,4,5} is reflexive.

Reason(R): A relation R on the set A is said to reflexive if for (a,b) 𝜖 R and (b,c) 𝜖 R we have (a,c) 𝜖 R

12. Assertion(A): Let A= {2,4,6} , B={3,5,7,9} and defined a function f = { (2,3),(4,5), (6,7)} from A to B ,then f
is not onto.

Reason(R): A function f: A→ B is said to be onto, if every element of B is the image of some element of A
under f.

13. Assertion(A): The smallest integer function f(x) is one-one.

Reason(R): A function is one-one if f(x) = f(y) ⇒ x = y.

14. Assertion(A): The function f: R→ R, f(x) = |x| is not one-one.

Reason(R): The function f(x) = |x| is not onto.

Long questions:

15. If f : N → N be the function defined by f(x) = 4x3 +7, check whether f is a one-one and onto function or
not.

𝑥
16. show that the function f: R → { x𝜖 R : -1 < x <1 } defined by f(x) = , x𝜖 R is one-one and onto
1 + |𝑥|

function.

17. A function f: [ -4,4] → [0,4] , given by f(x)= √16 − 𝑥 2 . Show that f is an onto function but not one-one.
Further find all possible values of a, f(a) = √7

4 4 4𝑥 +3
18. Consider f : R – { - 3 } → R – { } given by f(x) = . show that f is one-one and onto .
3 3𝑥+4

19. Let A = {1,2,3,........,9} and the relation R on the set A x A defined by (a,b) R (c,d) ↔ a +d = b +c for all
(a,b),(c,d) ∈ A xA. Prove that R is an equivalence relation. Also find [(2,5)].
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20. Show that the relation R on the set A ={ x ∈ Z ; 0 ≤ x ≤ 12} , given by R = { (a,b) : |a - b| is a multiple of
4} is an equivalence relation. Find the set of all elements related to 1.
Hint or Answer keys of Selected Questions

1–b 4-b 7-b 10 – a 13 - d

2–b 5-d 8-d 11 – c 14 - b

3–d 6-b 9-d 12 – d

17. 𝑎 = 3, −3

19. [(2,5)] = {(1,4), (2,5), (3,6),(4,7),(5,8), (6,9)}.

20. Transitive: (a,b) ∈ R ⇒ |a-b|=4k (multiple of 4)⇒(a – b) = ± 4k ...............(1)

(b,c) ∈ R ⇒ |b-c|=4m (multiple of 4) ⇒(b – c) = ± 4m ...............(2)

Adding (1) and (2) we get, a – c = ± 4(k + m), multiple of 4.

so, (a,c) ∈ R. Relation is transitive . The set of all elements related to 1= { 1, 5, 9}

Practice questions:
𝑥 −2
1. Let A = R – {3} and B = R- {1}. Find the value of a such that the function f: A→ B defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 −3

is onto. Also , check whether the given function is one-one or not.

2. Let N denote the set of all natural numbers and R be the relation on N x N defined by

(a , b) R (c,d) imply that ad(b+c) = bc(a+d).

Check whether R is an equivalence relation or not on N x N.

3. Show that the relation R on the set A of points in a plane, given by

R = { (P,Q) :Distance of the point P from the origin is same as the distance of the point Q from the origin},

is an equivalence relation. Further show that the set of all points related to a point P ≠ (0,0) is the circle
passing through P with origin as centre.

4. Show that f : N → N defined by

𝑛+1
2
, if n is odd and
f(n) ={ 𝑛 is many-one and onto function.
, if n is even
2

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5. Test whether the relation R on Z defined by R = {(a,b): |a –b|≤ 5} is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive.
6. Show that the relation R in the set A={1,2,3,4,5}, given by R = {(a,b) : |a –b| is divisible by 2}, is an
equivalence relation . Show that all the elements of {1,3,5} are related to each other and all the elements
of {2,4} are related to each other , but no elements of {1,3,5} is related to any element of {2,4}.
7. Let R be the equivalence relation in the set A = {0,1,2,3,4,5} given by R ={ (a,b): 2 divides (a – b)}. Write
the equivalence class [0].
8. Let R = {(a, a3 ): a is a prime number less than 5} be a relation. Find the range of R.
9. Check whether the function f : N → N given by f(x) = 9x2 + 6x -5 is one-one and onto or not.
10. If R = {(x, y) : x + 2y =8 } is a relation on N, then write the range of R.
1 1 𝑥
11. Check whether a function f : R → [− , ] defined as f(x) = is one-one and onto or not.
2 2 1 +𝑥 2

12. Let L be the set of all lines in XY plane and R be the relation on L defined as

R = { (L1,L2): L1 is parallel to L2} .

Show that R is an equivalence relation. Find the set of all lines related to the line y = 2x + 4.

13. Prove that a function f: [0,∞) → [-5, ∞) defined as f(x) = 4x2 + 4x – 5 is both one-one and onto.
4 4𝑥
14. Let f : R – { - 3 } → R given by f(x) = 3𝑥+4 . show that f is one-one and onto .

1 , if x > 0
15. Show that the signum function f: R→ R , given by , f(x) = { 0, if x = 0
−1 , if x < 0
is neither one-one nor onto.

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