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Exercise 2.3 · Q1

Q.Which of the following relations are functions? Give reasons. If it is a function, determine its domain and range.

(i) {(2,1),(5,1),(8,1),(11,1),(14,1),(17,1)}\{(2, 1), (5, 1), (8, 1), (11, 1), (14, 1), (17, 1)\}
(ii) {(2,1),(4,2),(6,3),(8,4),(10,5),(12,6),(14,7)}\{(2, 1), (4, 2), (6, 3), (8, 4), (10, 5), (12, 6), (14, 7)\}
(iii) {(1,3),(1,5),(2,5)}\{(1, 3), (1, 5), (2, 5)\}.
Rajasthan RbseTextbookSubjective· 3mImportance★★★★★est
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✓ Free question

A relation is a function if every input (first element) maps to exactly one output (second element).

  1. Function — Domain: {2,5,8,11,14,17}\{2,5,8,11,14,17\}, Range: {1}\{1\}.
  2. Function — Domain: {2,4,6,8,10,12,14}\{2,4,6,8,10,12,14\}, Range: {1,2,3,4,5,6,7}\{1,2,3,4,5,6,7\}.
  3. Not a function — input 11 maps to both 33 and 55.

The core idea: the arrow diagram test

A relation is just a set of ordered pairs. To decide if it’s a function, think of each first element as an input and each second element as its output. The rule is simple: one input cannot point to two different outputs. If you draw arrows from inputs to outputs, no input should have more than one arrow leaving it.

This is the vertical line test in disguise — but for discrete points, the arrow diagram is clearer.


(i) {(2,1),(5,1),(8,1),(11,1),(14,1),(17,1)}\{(2, 1), (5, 1), (8, 1), (11, 1), (14, 1), (17, 1)\}

  1. Check the inputs: The first elements are 2,5,8,11,14,172, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17. Each appears exactly once.

    No input is repeated, so there’s no chance of one input having two different outputs.

    That alone satisfies the function condition.

  2. Domain: The set of all first elements — {2,5,8,11,14,17}\{2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17\}.

  3. Range: The set of all second elements — here every pair has 11 as the output.

    So the range is just {1}\{1\}.

Tip

Even though every input maps to the same output 11, that’s perfectly fine. A function doesn’t have to be “one-to-one” — it just has to be “one-to-one-or-many-to-one”. This is a constant function.


(ii) {(2,1),(4,2),(6,3),(8,4),(10,5),(12,6),(14,7)}\{(2, 1), (4, 2), (6, 3), (8, 4), (10, 5), (12, 6), (14, 7)\}

  1. Check the inputs: First elements are 2,4,6,8,10,12,142, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 — all distinct.

    No input repeats, so it’s a function.

  2. Domain: {2,4,6,8,10,12,14}\{2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14\}.

  3. Range: The second elements are 1,2,3,4,5,6,71, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 — all distinct as well.

    So the range is {1,2,3,4,5,6,7}\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7\}.

Note

Notice the pattern: each input is double its output (2=2×12 = 2 \times 1, 4=2×24 = 2 \times 2, etc.).

This is actually the function f(x)=x2f(x) = \frac{x}{2}, but only for these specific xx values.


(iii) {(1,3),(1,5),(2,5)}\{(1, 3), (1, 5), (2, 5)\}

  1. Check the inputs: The input 11 appears twice — once with output 33 and once with output 55.

    That means the same input 11 gives two different outputs.

    This violates the definition of a function.

  2. Conclusion: It is not a function.

Watch out

A common mistake: thinking that because 22 maps to 55 and 11 also maps to 55, it’s okay.

The problem is not that two inputs share an output — that’s allowed.

The problem is that one input has two outputs. That’s the dealbreaker.


✓Final answer

  1. Function — Domain {2,5,8,11,14,17}\{2,5,8,11,14,17\}, Range {1}\{1\}.
  2. Function — Domain {2,4,6,8,10,12,14}\{2,4,6,8,10,12,14\}, Range {1,2,3,4,5,6,7}\{1,2,3,4,5,6,7\}.
  3. Not a function because input 11 maps to both 33 and 55.

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