Theory of Computation

Problem Sheet 1
August 17, 2016
1. Find the range of the following functions. Assume that x  R.

(a) y = 3 + 4x 9; x  ( 94 , )
(b) y = x2 + 6x 1; x  (, )
(c) y = | x214 |; x  (, ) {2, 2}
(d) y = | 3x1 4
3x4 |; x  (, ) { 3 }

2. For each of the following cases find, if possible, the domain, co-domain and rule of assignment for
g f and f g:

(a) f : N R, f (n) = n + 1; g : R R, g(x) = 3 x.
(b) f : Z Z, f (x) = x; g : R R, g(x) = sin x.
(c) f : R R, f (x) = 3x; g : R R, g(x) = x3 .
3. Which of the following functions are oneone, onto, or bijective? Justify your answer.
(a) f : R R, f (x) = sin x.
(b) g : N N, g(n) = n + 1.
(c) h : N N0 , h(n) = n + 1.
(d) r : R {0}, r(x) = 0.
y : N N, y(n) = n3
 
(e)
(f) p : R2 R, p(x, y) = x2 + y 2 .
4. Suppose |A| = m and |B| = n. How many functions are there from A to B? Of these, how many are:
(a) one-one
(b) onto
(c) bijective
5. Let A = {x|x  R and x 2} and B = {x|x  R and x 1}. Let f : A B be defined by
f (x) = x2 4x + 5. Prove that f is a bijective function. Also, list all possible ways to modify A and
B such that f is not a bijection.
6. Inverse of a function: Let f : A B and g : B A be functions; g is called the inverse of f ,
denoted by f 1 , if g(f (x)) = x for all x  A. Prove that:
(a) If f, g are functions and f g is onto, then f must be onto.
(b) If f : A B has an inverse function then the inverse is unique.
(c) The composition of two bijections is a bijection.
(d) The inverse of a bijection is a bijection.
7. Prove that:
(a) If X and Y are countable then X Y is countable.
(b) If A is an uncountable set and A B, then B is also uncountable.
(c) The difference between an uncountable set and a countable set is uncountable.
(d) The set of all finite subsets of N is countable.
(e) The set of all subsets of N is uncountable.
(f) The Cartesian product N N = {(p, q)|p, q  N} is countably infinite.
(g) The set of all strings in {a, b, c} is countable.

(h) The set F = {p + q 2|p, q  Q} is countable.
(i) For every n  N , if A1 , ..., An are countable then A1 ... An is countable. [Hint: There is a
natural bijection between the sets A B C and (A B) C.]
(j) Prove that the set X of all finite non-empty strings over the English alphabet is countable.