RELATIONS AND FUNCTIONS

Relation- is any set of ordered pairs.

Function- is a relation in which each element in the domain is mapped to exactly one element in the range.

Tell whether each relation defines a function.

L = { (2, 3), (–5, 8), (4, 10) }

M = { (–3, 0), (–1, 4), (1, 7), (3, 7) }

N = { (6, 2), (–4, 4), (6, 5) }

Answer:

Relations L and M are functions, because for each different x-value there is exactly one y-value.

In relation N, the first and third ordered pairs have the same x-value paired with two different y-values (6 is
paired with both 2 and 5), so N is a relation but not a function. In a function, no two ordered pairs can have
the same abscissa.

Tell whether each mapping diagram defines a function.

Answer:

F is a function.

G is not a function.

In a relation, the set of all values of the independent variable (x) is the domain. The set of all values of the
dependent variable (y) is the range.
Give the domain and range of each relation. Tell whether the relation defines a function.

(a) { (3, –8), (5, 9), (5, 11), (8, 15) }

Answer:

(a) The domain, the set of x-values, is {3, 5, 8}; the range, the set of y-values, is {–8, 9, 11, 15}. This
relation is not a function because the same x-value 5 is paired with two different y-values, 9 and 11.

(b) The domain of this relation is {6, 1, –9}. The range is {M, N}. This mapping defines a function –
each x-value corresponds to exactly one y-value.

(c) The domain of this relation is {6, 1, –9}. The range is {M, N}. This mapping defines a function –
each x-value corresponds to exactly one y-value. The table defines a function because each different
x-value corresponds to exactly one y-value (even though it is the same y-value).

Vertical Line Test

If every vertical line intersects the graph of a relation in no more than one point, then the relation represents
a function.
Use the vertical line test to determine whether each relation is a function.

Answer:

Function Not a Function Function Function

NOTE:
Graphs that do not represent functions are still relations. Remember that all functions are relations, but not
all relations are functions.
Function Notation

When a function f is defined with a rule or an equation using x and y for the independent and dependent
variables,
s we say “y is a function of x” to emphasize that y depends on x. We use the notation

y = f (x),

called function notation, to express this and read f (x), as “f of x”. The letter f stands for function.

Note that f (x) is just another name for the dependent variable y.

The symbol f (x) does not indicate “f times x,” but represents the y-value for the indicated x-value. As shown
below,

f (3) is the y-value that corresponds to the x-value 3.

𝑦 = 𝑓 (𝑥) = 5𝑥 – 2
𝑦 = 𝑓 (3) = 5(3) – 2 = 13

Let f (x) = x + 2x – 1. Find f (4).

Since f (4) = 23, the ordered pair (4, 23) belongs to f.

For each function, find f (7).

(a) f (x) = –x + 2 (b) f = {(–5, –9), (–1, –1), (3, 7), (7, 15), (11, 23)}
Answer:

(a)

(b) We want f (7), the y-value of the ordered pair where x = 7. As indicated by the ordered pair (7, 15),
when x = 7, y = 15, so f (7) = 15.
(c) The domain element 7 is paired with 17 in the range, so f (7) = 17.
(d) To evaluate f (7), find 7 on the x-axis. Then move up until the graph of f is reached. Moving
horizontally to the y-axis gives 3 for the corresponding y-value. Thus, f (7) = 3.
Exercises
A. Identify which of the given graph represents a function.

1) 2) 3) 4)

5) 6) 7) 8)

9) 10) 11) 12)

13) 14) 15)

B.
1. Illustrate in the coordinate plane the relation shown in the mapping diagram. Determine whether the
relation is a function or not.

2. Illustrate using a mapping diagram the relation shown in the coordinate plane. Determine whether the
relation is a function or not.

3. Rewrite the relation shown in the table as a mapping diagram. Determine whether the relation is a
function or not.

4. Rewrite the relation shown in the coordinate plane as a set of ordered pairs. Determine whether the
relation is a function or not.
5-7. Identify the domain and range, then evaluate each function for the given value of x.
5. 𝑓 = {(-4,1), (−3,5), (5,9), (12,5)}
Domain:
Range:
𝑓(12) =

6.
Domain:
Range:
𝑓(0) =

7. Domain:
Range:
𝑓(1) =

8-10. Evaluate functions graphically.

f(-2)=

f(0)=

f(-4)=
C. Determine whether the following relations is a function or a relation only.
1. A = {(5, 7), (-5, 7), (5, 8), (-5, 8)}
2. y = 3x + 2
3. y = x2 + 6x + 9
4. y = -2(x - 4)2 -5
5. x2 + y2 = 9
6. y2 = 5x + 1
7. |𝑦| = x
8. y3 = 3
9. y = x3
5
10. 𝑦 = √𝑥

C. (This is an optional activity. You can choose not to answer this part.)
Determine the domain and range of the following functions.
3𝑥−2
1. y = 5

2. y = x2 – 6x + 14
3. 2y = 44
4. 5x – 3y = 12
5. y = x2 + 1

6. 𝑦 = √5𝑥 + 3
7. 𝑦 = −√−𝑥 + 4
8. 𝑦 = √25 − 𝑥 2
1
9. 𝑦 =
√9𝑥−5

10. 𝑦 = |𝑥 + 5| + 5
11. 𝑦 = |𝑥 − 7|
0 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 1
12. 𝑦 = {𝑥 − 1 𝑖𝑓 1 ≤ 𝑥 < 2
1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≥ 2
−𝑥 − 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < −1
13. 𝑦 = {−𝑥 + 1 𝑖𝑓 − 1≤𝑥<1
−𝑥 + 2 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≥ 1
 −𝑥 − 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < −1
14. 𝑦 = {
𝑥 + 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≥ −1
(𝑥 − 1)2 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 1
15. 𝑦 = {
𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 > 1