Q.Give an example of a map
You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.
Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →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 — 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 is one-one (injective) if implies — no two different inputs map to the same output. It is onto (surjective) if every element of is the image of at least one element of — 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 defined by .
- One-one: If , then , so . Distinct inputs give distinct outputs.
- Not onto: The output is never reached, because for all . So the range is , which is a proper subset of .
A classic variant: with 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 defined by .
- Not one-one: and , so two different inputs map to the same output.
- Onto: For any , we can pick (or ) and get . Every non-negative real number is hit. …
Unlock everything free for 14 days
- Full step-by-step solutions
- Concept-first explanations
- Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.