Q.Let A={1,2,3}, B={4,5,6,7} and let f={(1,4),(2,5),(3,6)} be a function from A to B. Show that f is one-one.
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — One One Function
One-One (Injective) Function
Think of taking attendance by unique roll numbers: call a number and exactly one student responds — never two sharing a number. That is a one-one function: different inputs always land on different outputs.
The idea
A function is a machine turning inputs into outputs. It is one-one (or injective) if it never reuses an output — two different inputs can never produce the same result.
- f(x)=x+1 is one-one: if x1=x2 then x1+1=x2+1.
- g(x)=x2 on R is not one-one, because g(2)=g(−2)=4.
Precise definition
f:A→B is one-one if for all x1,x2∈A,
x1=x2⟹f(x1)=f(x2).
The contrapositive is usually easier in proofs:
f(x1)=f(x2)⟹x1=x2.
"If the outputs are equal, the inputs must have been equal."
How to check
- Horizontal line test (graphs): if any horizontal line meets the graph more than once, the function is not one-one, because that line marks one output shared by several inputs.
- Algebraic test: assume f(x1)=f(x2) and try to deduce x1=x2; succeed and it is one-one, find a counterexample and it is not.
A strictly increasing or strictly decreasing function is automatically one-one. So a decreasing function like f(x)=−x is one-one too — being one-one is about no repeated outputs, not about going up.
Why it matters …
Concept: A function is one-one (injective) if different elements in the domain map to different elements in the codomain — no two inputs share the same output.
Step 1: Check the images of each element of A under f:
- f(1)=4
- f(2)=5
- f(3)=6
Step 2: All three outputs 4,5,6 are distinct. No two domain elements map to the same element in B. …
A function is one-one (injective) if distinct inputs always map to distinct outputs. Here, each element of A maps to a different element of B, so f is one-one.
Why this works
The idea of a one-one function is simple: no two different inputs share the same output. If you think of the function as a matching from set A to set B, then one-one means each arrow lands on a unique target — no two arrows hit the same point.
For f={(1,4),(2,5),(3,6)}, we have three arrows:
- 1→4
- 2→5
- 3→6
All three outputs — 4,5,6 — are different. That’s the whole test.
A common mistake is to think that one-one requires the function to cover all elements of B. That’s onto (surjective), not one-one. Here, 7 is unused — that’s fine for injectivity.
Step-by-step reasoning
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Recall the definition: A function f:A→B is one-one (injective) if for any x1,x2∈A, f(x1)=f(x2) implies x1=x2. Equivalently, if x1=x2, then f(x1)=f(x2).
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List the images: From the given set of ordered pairs:
- f(1)=4
- f(2)=5
- f(3)=6 …
Method: Checking one-one for a function given as a finite set of pairs
For a function listed as ordered pairs, injectivity is a direct scan — no algebra needed.
Steps
Step 1: Read off every image
List the second coordinate (output) of each pair: here f(1)=4, f(2)=5, f(3)=6.
Step 2: Check the outputs for repeats …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Thinking f is not one-one because the element 7∈B is unused.
Why it's wrong: an unused codomain element affects ONTO, not one-one; injectivity only cares whether two inputs share an output. Correct approac …
- KCET 2021Set A-11 markMCQQ.The function f(x)=3sin2x−cos2x+4 is one-one in the interval (A) [−6π,3π] (B) (6π,−3π) (C) [−2π,2π] (D) [−6π,−3π)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Write 3sin2x−cos2x as a single sine 2sin(2x−π/6), then demand that its argument stay inside one monotonic branch [−π/2,π/2].
Step 1 — Why we compress into one sine.
A sum asinθ+bcosθ is not obviously monotonic, but Rsin(θ−α) is: a sine increases steadily on any interval where its argument sweeps from −π/2 to π/2. So the whole question becomes "where does the argument live?"
Here a=3, b=−1, so
R=a2+b2=3+1=2.
Step 2 — Find the phase.
3sin2x−cos2x=2(23sin2x−21cos2x)=2(cos6πsin2x−sin6πcos2x)
and by sin(P−Q)=sinPcosQ−cosPsinQ,
f(x)=2sin(2x−6π)+4.
The +4 is a vertical shift; it changes no injectivity.
Step 3 — Impose one-one-ness.
sint is strictly increasing (hence one-one) for t∈[−2π,2π]. Put t=2x−6π:
−2π≤2x−6π≤2π.
Step 4 — Solve for x.
Add 6π: …
- KCET 2025Set A-11 markMCQQ.Let the functions “f” and “g” be f:[0,2π]→R given by f(x)=sinx and g:[0,2π]→R given by g(x)=cosx, where R is the set of real numbers Consider the following statements: Statement (I): f and g are one-one Statement (II): f + g is one-one Which of the following is correct? (A) Statement (I) is true, statement (II) is false (B) Statement (I) is false, statement (II) is true (C) Both statements (I) and (II) are true (D) Both statements (I) and (II) are false
›Reveal solutionSolution
Both sin and cos are strictly monotonic on [0,π/2] (hence one-one), but their sum is not — a single counterexample kills Statement II.
Step 1 — Statement (I): is f(x)=sinx one-one on [0,π/2]?
f′(x)=cosx>0for x∈(0,2π),
so f is strictly increasing on [0,π/2], and a strictly monotonic function is injective. ✓
Is g(x)=cosx one-one on [0,π/2]?
g′(x)=−sinx<0for x∈(0,2π),
so g is strictly decreasing, hence also injective. ✓
Statement (I) is TRUE.
Step 2 — Statement (II): is f+g one-one? Write
(f+g)(x)=sinx+cosx=2sin(x+4π).
As x runs over [0,π/2], the argument x+π/4 runs over [4π,43π] — an interval that straddles π/2, where sin peaks. So f+g rises to 2 at x=π/4 and then falls: it is not monotonic.
Step 3 — Explicit counterexample. …
- COMEDK 2024Set 2024-A1 markMCQQ.
[!FORMULA] Which of the following function is injective?
(A) f(x)=x2+2,x∈(−∞,∞) (B) f(x)=∣x+2∣,x∈[−2,∞) (C) f(x)=4+3x−5x24x2+3x−5,x∈(−∞,∞) (D) f(x)=(x−4)(x−5),x∈(−∞,∞)›Reveal solutionSolution
A function is injective (one-to-one) if every horizontal line hits its graph at most once.
After checking each option, only option (B) passes the test.
Concept & Intuition
Injectivity means: if f(a)=f(b) then a=b. Equivalently, no two different inputs give the same output. For polynomials and rational functions, a quick way is to check whether the function is strictly monotonic (always increasing or always decreasing) on its domain — if it is, it’s injective. If it has a turning point (a local max or min), it fails because the horizontal line through that extremum will hit twice. Absolute value functions often have a V-shape, so they can be injective if we restrict to one side of the vertex.
Step-by-step reasoning
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Option (A): f(x)=x2+2 on R.
This is a parabola opening upward, with vertex at x=0. It decreases on (−∞,0] and increases on [0,∞).
For example, f(−1)=3 and f(1)=3 — two different inputs give the same output.
Hence not injective.
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Option (B): f(x)=∣x+2∣ on [−2,∞).
The absolute value function ∣x+2∣ has its vertex at x=−2. On the given domain [−2,∞), we are on the right half of the V-shape, where x+2≥0, so f(x)=x+2.
That’s a straight line with slope 1 — strictly increasing.
Therefore, if f(a)=f(b) then a+2=b+2 so a=b.
This is injective.
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Option (C): f(x)=4+3x−5x24x2+3x−5 on R.
A rational function like this can be messy, but we can test simple values.
At x=0: f(0)=4−5=−1.25.
At x=1: numerator 4+3−5=2, denominator 4+3−5=2, so f(1)=1.
At x=−1: numerator 4−3−5=−4, denominator 4−3−5=−4, so f(−1)=1. …
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- KCET 2025Set A-11 markMCQQ.Match the following: In the following, [x] denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to x. Column – I(a) x∣x∣(b) ∣x∣(c) x+[x](d) ∣x−1∣+∣x+1∣ Column – II(i) continuous in (−1,1)(ii) differentiable in (−1,1)(iii) strictly increasing in (−1,1)(iv) not differentiable at, at least one point in (−1,1) (A)(1) a – i, b – ii, c – iv, d – iii (B)(2) a – iv, b – iii, c – i, d – ii (C)(3) a – ii, b – iv, c – iii, d – i (D)(4) a – iii, b – ii, c – iv, d – i
›Reveal solutionSolution
Check each of the four functions on the open interval (−1,1) for differentiability, cusps, monotonicity and continuity, then assign the one property from Column-II that singles it out.
Step 1 — (a) f(x)=x∣x∣.
f(x)={x2,−x2,x≥0x<0
Both one-sided derivatives at 0 are 0, so f′(x)=2∣x∣ exists for every x∈(−1,1). Hence x∣x∣ is differentiable in (−1,1) → (ii).
Step 2 — (b) f(x)=∣x∣.
For x>0, f′(x)=2x1→+∞ as x→0+; for x<0 it →−∞. The one-sided derivatives at x=0 are infinite and opposite — a cusp. So it is not differentiable at at least one point in (−1,1) → (iv).
Step 3 — (c) f(x)=x+[x].
On (−1,1), [x]=−1 for −1<x<0 and [x]=0 for 0≤x<1:
f(x)={x−1,x,−1<x<00≤x<1 …
- KCET 2023Set A-21 markMCQQ.Let f:R→R be defined by f(x)=3x2−5 and g:R→R by g(x)=x2+1x then gof is (A) 9x4−6x2+263x2−5 (B) x4+2x2−43x2 (C) 9x4+30x2−23x2 (D) 9x4−30x2+263x2−5
›Reveal solutionSolution
g∘f means g(f(x)) — substitute the whole of f(x) wherever x appears in g, then expand the square.
Step 1 — Order of composition.
(g∘f)(x)=g(f(x))
So f acts first. (A common slip is computing f(g(x)) instead.)
Step 2 — Substitute.
With g(u)=u2+1u and u=f(x)=3x2−5:
(g∘f)(x)=(3x2−5)2+13x2−5
Step 3 — Expand the denominator.
(3x2−5)2=9x4−2⋅3x2⋅5+25=9x4−30x2+25
(3x2−5)2+1=9x4−30x2+26
Step 4 — Final form. …
- KCET 2020Set A-11 markMCQQ.If f(x)=x3−xx−ax−ba+xx2−xx−cb+xc+x0 then (A) f(1)=0 (B) f(2)=0 (C) f(0)=0 (D) f(−1)=0
›Reveal solutionSolution
At x=0 the determinant becomes a 3×3 skew-symmetric matrix, so f(0)=0; the answer is (C).
Solution
Substitute x=0 into the matrix:
f(0)=0−a−ba0−cbc0.
This matrix M satisfies MT=−M, i.e. it is skew-symmetric, and it is of odd order (3×3). For any skew-symmetric matrix,
det(M)=det(MT)=det(−M)=(−1)3det(M)=−det(M),
so 2det(M)=0 and hence det(M)=0. Therefore f(0)=0. …
- KCET 2022Set C-41 markMCQQ.Domain of cos−1[x] is, where [ ] denotes a greatest integer function (A) (−1,2) (B) [−1,2] (C) [−1,2) (D) (−1,2]
›Reveal solutionSolution
The domain of cos−1[x] is the set of all x for which the greatest integer [x] lies in [−1,1], which gives x∈[−1,2).
The key idea: the outer function cos−1(t) is defined only when its argument t is in [−1,1]. Here the argument is [x], the greatest integer less than or equal to x. So we need all x such that [x]∈[−1,1].
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Understand the greatest integer function [x]. It returns the largest integer not exceeding x. For example, [1.2]=1, [0.9]=0, [−0.3]=−1, [−1]=−1, [−1.2]=−2. It jumps at integer points.
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Domain condition for cos−1: The inverse cosine function cos−1(t) is defined only for t∈[−1,1]. So we require [x]∈{−1,0,1}.
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Find x such that [x]=−1: This happens when −1≤x<0. (Check: x=−1 gives [−1]=−1, included; x=−0.5 gives [−0.5]=−1; x=0 gives [0]=0, not −1.)
-
Find x such that [x]=0: This happens when 0≤x<1.
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Find x such that [x]=1: This happens when 1≤x<2. …
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- KCET 2024Set A-11 markMCQQ.The function xx ; x>0 is strictly increasing at (A) ∀x∈R (B) x<e1 (C) x>e1 (D) x<0
›Reveal solutionSolution
The function xx for x>0 is strictly increasing when its derivative is positive. Using logarithmic differentiation, we find the derivative is xx(1+logx), which is positive when 1+logx>0, i.e., x>1/e. So the correct interval is x>1/e.
The key idea is that to decide where xx increases, we need its derivative. But xx is not a simple power or exponential — it’s both. The trick is to take the natural logarithm first, differentiate implicitly, and then analyse the sign.
Why logarithmic differentiation?
For a function like f(x)=xx, the variable appears in both the base and the exponent. The standard differentiation rules (power rule, exponential rule) don’t apply directly. By writing logf(x)=xlogx, we turn it into a product, which we can differentiate easily. Then we multiply by f(x) to get f′(x).
Now let’s work through it step by step.
- Set up the function and take logs Let f(x)=xx, with x>0. Take natural logarithm of both sides:
logf(x)=log(xx)=xlogx.
- Differentiate implicitly Differentiate both sides with respect to x:
f(x)f′(x)=dxd(xlogx).
Using the product rule on the right:
dxd(xlogx)=1⋅logx+x⋅x1=logx+1.
So we have:
f(x)f′(x)=1+logx.
- Solve for f′(x) Multiply both sides by f(x)=xx:
f′(x)=xx(1+logx).
dxd(xx)=xx(1+logx),x>0.
- Analyse the sign of f′(x) For x>0, xx is always positive. So the sign of f′(x) is entirely determined by the factor (1+logx). …
- KCET 2018Set A-11 markMCQQ.If (1+i1−i)96=a+ib then (a,b) is (A) (1, 1) (B) (1, 0) (C) (0, 1) (D) (0, -1)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rationalise 1+i1−i to get −i, then exploit the fact that powers of i (and of −i) repeat with period 4.
Step 1 — Simplify the base.
Multiply numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator:
1+i1−i=(1+i)(1−i)(1−i)(1−i)=1−i21−2i+i2
Using i2=−1:
=1+11−2i−1=2−2i=−i
Step 2 — Raise to the 96th power using periodicity.
Powers of −i cycle with period 4:
(−i)1=−i,(−i)2=i2=−1,(−i)3=i,(−i)4=1
Since 96=4×24 is an exact multiple of 4:
(−i)96=[(−i)4]24=124=1
Step 3 — Read off a and b. …
- KCET 2023Set A-21 markMCQQ.If a curve passes through the point (1,1) and at any point (x,y) on the curve, the product of the slope of its tangent and x co-ordinate of the point is equal to the y co-ordinate of the point, then the curve also passes through the point (A) (3,0) (B) (−1,2) (C) (3,0) (D) (2,2)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Translate the word condition into xdxdy=y, separate the variables to get the family y=cx, fix c with the given point, then test the options.
Step 1 — Turn the sentence into an equation.
"The product of the slope of the tangent and the x-coordinate equals the y-coordinate":
slopedxdy⋅x=y⟹xdxdy=y
Step 2 — Separate the variables.
The equation is variables-separable (all y's on one side, all x's on the other):
ydy=xdx
Step 3 — Integrate.
∫ydy=∫xdx⟹log∣y∣=log∣x∣+log∣c∣⟹y=cx
So the general solution is the family of straight lines through the origin.
Step 4 — Use the initial condition (1,1).
1=c(1)⇒c=1⟹y=x …
- KCET 2021Set A-11 markMCQQ.Consider the following statements: Statement 1: limx→1cx2+bx+aax2+bx+c is 1 (where a+b+c=0) Statement 2: limx→−2x1+x+22 is 41 (A) Only statement 2 is true (B) Only statement 1 is true (C) Both statements 1 and 2 are true (D) Both statements 1 and 2 are false
›Reveal solutionSolution
Statement 1 follows from direct substitution; Statement 2 involves a term that blows up at x=−2, so the limit does not exist.
Step 1 — Statement 1.
limx→1cx2+bx+aax2+bx+c
Both numerator and denominator are polynomials, hence continuous, so the limit is obtained by direct substitution provided the denominator does not vanish. At x=1:
numerator=a(1)+b(1)+c=a+b+c,
denominator=c(1)+b(1)+a=a+b+c.
The condition a+b+c=0 is exactly what guarantees the denominator is non-zero, so
limx→1cx2+bx+aax2+bx+c=a+b+ca+b+c=1.
Statement 1 is TRUE.
Step 2 — Statement 2.
limx→−2(x1+x+22)
As x→−2, the first term tends to the finite value −21=−21. But the second term has denominator x+2→0 while its numerator stays at 2, so …
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