MT1810 Exercise Sheet 6

1. For each of the functions f1 , f2 , f3 shown as a diagram below:

(a) State its domain, codomain and range.

(b) State which combination of the properties injective, surjective, bijective
it has. Give brief reasons for your answers.

1• f1 •1 1• f2 •1 π• f3 •2
2• √ •3
•2 2• •2 2•
3• •5
4• •3 3• •3 1• •7

2. Let X = {1, 2, 3}. Give an example of a mapping f : X → X that is neither

injective nor surjective. Draw a diagram for this mapping.

3. Let the mapping f : [2, ∞) → R be given by f (x) = x2 − 4x − 1 for all x ∈ [2, ∞).
(a) Prove that f is injective.
(b) Prove that f is not surjective.

4. (a) Let f : R → R be an injective mapping. Prove that the mapping g : R → R

given by g(x) = 5f (x) for all x ∈ R is injective.
(b) Give an example of surjective mappings f : R → R and g : R → R such that
the mapping h : R → R given by h(x) = f (x) + g(x) for all x ∈ R is not surjective.

5. Mappings fi : Z → Z are defined by

f1 (n) = n2
f2 (n) = n3
f3 (n) = 1 − n
f4 (n) = bn/2c ,

for all n ∈ Z. For each of the mappings, answer the following questions, giving
proofs: Is the mapping injective? Is the mapping surjective? Is the mapping
bijective?

6. Mappings g : N → Z and h : N → Z are defined by

g(n) = n2
h(n) = 1 − n

for all n ∈ N. For each of the mappings, answer the following questions, giving
proofs: Is the mapping injective? Is the mapping surjective? Is the mapping
bijective? Compare your answers with those you gave for f1 and f3 above.
Brain teaser Define a sequence a1 , a2 , . . . as follows. To determine an , put n points around
the circumference of a circle, and join every pair of them by a straight line. If more than two
lines cross at a point, move the points a little until this never happens. Then an is the number
of regions the circle is divided up into.
Calculate a1 , a2 , . . . a6 . Find and prove a general formula for the nth term an of the sequence.