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NCERT Exemplar · Q13

Q.Give an example of a map

(i) which is one-one but not onto;
(ii) which is not one-one but onto;
(iii) which is neither one-one nor onto.
Karnataka PUCLong· 3mImportance★★★★★
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The key idea is to construct functions that deliberately break or preserve the two defining properties of a bijection: injectivity (one-one) and surjectivity (onto). For each case, we pick a simple domain and codomain — usually finite sets or R\mathbb{R} — and define a rule that either fails to be distinct on distinct inputs, fails to cover the whole codomain, or both.

Why this approach works

A function f:A→Bf: A \to B is one-one (injective) if f(x1)=f(x2)f(x_1) = f(x_2) implies x1=x2x_1 = x_2 — no two different inputs map to the same output. It is onto (surjective) if every element of BB is the image of at least one element of AA — the range equals the codomain.

To produce examples for each combination, we can use small finite sets where the behaviour is crystal clear, or use familiar real functions whose graphs make the properties obvious. The trick is to choose the domain and codomain deliberately: a function can fail to be onto simply by having a codomain larger than its range, and can fail to be one-one by sending two inputs to the same output.


1. A function that is one-one but not onto

Take f:N→Nf: \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N} defined by f(n)=n+1f(n) = n + 1.

  • One-one: If f(m)=f(n)f(m) = f(n), then m+1=n+1m+1 = n+1, so m=nm = n. Distinct inputs give distinct outputs.
  • Not onto: The output 11 is never reached, because n+1≥2n+1 \ge 2 for all n∈Nn \in \mathbb{N}. So the range is {2,3,4,… }\{2,3,4,\dots\}, which is a proper subset of N\mathbb{N}.
Tip

A classic variant: f:Z→Zf: \mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z} with f(x)=2xf(x) = 2x is one-one but not onto (odd integers are missed). The "shift by 1" trick works for any infinite set with a smallest element.


2. A function that is not one-one but onto

Take f:R→[0,∞)f: \mathbb{R} \to [0, \infty) defined by f(x)=x2f(x) = x^2.

  • Not one-one: f(2)=4f(2) = 4 and f(−2)=4f(-2) = 4, so two different inputs map to the same output.
  • Onto: For any y≥0y \ge 0, we can pick x=yx = \sqrt{y} (or x=−yx = -\sqrt{y}) and get f(x)=yf(x) = y. Every non-negative real number is hit. …

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