Functions

CITS2211 Discrete Structures

Functions

September 1, 2017
Functions

Highlights

What functions are (from a set-theoretical perspective)

Types of functions
Functions

Reading

Section 4.3
of
Mathematics for Computer Scientists
Functions

Why

Functions are particularly important to computer science,

since calculating functions is what algorithms do.
The proofs we will look at later (covering things such what
its possible for a computer program to do) rely on a good
understanding of functions.
Functions, like sets, are ubiquitous!
Functions

What is a function?

Weve all heard the word function, but what does it actually
mean?
Functions

What is a function?

Weve all heard the word function, but what does it actually
mean?
Is a function just something given by a formula like f (x) = x 2
or f (x) = sin x?
Is a function like a machine that transforms an input to an
output?

x The f -machine f (x)

Or is it something else entirely?

Functions

Function

Formally, a function is just a special kind of relation, as follows:

Definition
A function with domain A and codomain B is a relation f A B
with the property that every element of A lies in exactly one tuple
of f .
In other words, in the bipartite graph of the relation, there is
exactly one arrow leading from every element of A.
Functions

Reconciliation

Given a relation satisfying the function condition, such as

5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1

we can declare that

f (1) = 5, f (2) = 5, f (3) = 2, f (4) = 2, f (5) = 3

and recover the notation that we usually use for functions.

Functions

Functions
Let A, B be two sets. A function f : A B with domain A and
codomain B can be viewed in two different ways
A special kind of relation with the property that every element
of A appears in exactly one pair, or
A rule or mapping that associates exactly one element of
B with every element of A.

A B
Functions

Functions
Let A, B be two sets. A function f : A B with domain A and
codomain B can be viewed in two different ways
A special kind of relation with the property that every element
of A appears in exactly one pair, or
A rule or mapping that associates exactly one element of
B with every element of A.

f (a)
a

A B
Functions

Functions
Let A, B be two sets. A function f : A B with domain A and
codomain B can be viewed in two different ways
A special kind of relation with the property that every element
of A appears in exactly one pair, or
A rule or mapping that associates exactly one element of
B with every element of A.

f (a)
a

A B
Functions

Injection
Definition
A function is called injective (or an injection) or simply one-to-one
if no two elements of A map to the same element of B.

A B A B Is
Not injective injective
Functions

Injection
Definition
A function is called injective (or an injection) or simply one-to-one
if no two elements of A map to the same element of B.

A B A B Is
Not injective injective
Formal proposition that expresses f : A B being an injection:
x, y A. f (x) = f (y ) x = y
Functions

Surjection
Definition
A function is called surjective (or a surjection) or simply onto if
every element of B is the image of some element of A.

A B A B Is
Not surjective surjective
Functions

Surjection
Definition
A function is called surjective (or a surjection) or simply onto if
every element of B is the image of some element of A.

A B A B Is
Not surjective surjective
Formal proposition that expresses f : A B being a surjection:
b B. a A. f (a) = b
Functions

Bijections

Definition
A function is called bijective (or a bijection) or simply one-to-one
and onto if it is both injective and surjective.

A B