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Q.Show that the function f:R→Rf:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R} defined by f(x)=xx2+1 ∀x∈Rf(x)=\frac{x}{x^2+1}\ \forall x\in\mathbb{R} is not onto.

Odisha ChseOdisha CHSE +2 Science Board Exam 2026Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
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The range of f(x)=xx2+1f(x)=\dfrac{x}{x^2+1} is [−12,12]⊊R\left[-\tfrac12,\tfrac12\right]\subsetneq\mathbb R, so ff is not onto.

f:R→Rf:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R is onto if every y∈Ry\in\mathbb R has a pre-image x∈Rx\in\mathbb R with f(x)=yf(x)=y.

Let y=f(x)=xx2+1y=f(x)=\dfrac{x}{x^2+1}. For a given yy, solve for xx:

y(x2+1)=x⇒yx2−x+y=0y(x^2+1)=x \quad\Rightarrow\quad yx^2-x+y=0

Case y≠0y\neq0: this is a quadratic in xx. For real xx to exist, the discriminant must be non-negative:

D=(−1)2−4(y)(y)≥0⇒1−4y2≥0⇒y2≤14D=(-1)^2-4(y)(y)\ge0 \quad\Rightarrow\quad 1-4y^2\ge0 \quad\Rightarrow\quad y^2\le\frac14

⇒−12≤y≤12\Rightarrow\quad -\frac12\le y\le\frac12

Case y=0y=0: x=0x=0 works (in range).

So the range of ff is exactly [−12,12]\left[-\tfrac12,\tfrac12\right].

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