MAPPINGS AND FUNCTIONS

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, I should be able to:

i. define a mapping and function;
ii. distinguish between different types of mappings or functions;
iii. solve problems involving mappings or functions and their inverses.

CONTENT: MAPPINGS AND FUNCTIONS

This is an arrow diagram.

A is a set with elements {𝑤, 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧}, and B is a set with elements {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑒, 𝑓, 𝑔}

𝒇 is the process of giving an element in set A an image in set B. It is called mapping.

To show this in Math, we write 𝑓(𝑤) = 𝑏, 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑔, 𝑓(𝑦) = 𝑎, 𝑓(𝑧) = 𝑓. What this means is that the
mapping 𝒇 gives 𝑤 in A an image 𝑏 in B.

NB: Range is the collection of all the images of the elements of the domain.

Function: A function shows the relationship between the domain and the co-domain. For example,
𝑓(𝑤) = 𝑏 means 𝑏 is a function of 𝑤.

For a function to be a mapping, two conditions must be met, that is:

i. all the elements in the domain can have only one image in the co-domain,
ii. the image of in the co-domain must be unique.

Types of mapping

One-to-One Mapping: This is a mapping where different elements in the domain have different
images in the co-domain. For example,

Unto Mapping: This is a mapping where all the elements in the co-domain have at least one
element in the domain. For example,

There are three (3) different ways we can represent mapping:

i. Arrow diagrams
 ii. Parallel axis

iii. Cartesian graph

Examples

1. Let 𝑋 be the set of real numbers and 𝑓: 𝑋 → 𝑋, a mapping defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 3. What
type of mapping is 𝒇?
a. When 𝑥 = −2, 𝑓(𝑥) = 2(−2) + 3 = −1
b. When 𝑥 = 1, 𝑓(𝑥) = 2(1) + 3 = 5
c. When 𝑥 = 3, 𝑓(𝑥) = 2(3) + 3 = 9

2. Draw the graph of the mapping 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 1 in the interval −3 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3

3. Given that 𝑓: 𝑥 → 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 is a mapping on the set of real numbers. Given that 𝑓(1) =
5 and 𝑓(−1) = −1, determine the values of 𝑎 and 𝑏.

QUESTIONS:
𝑥+1
1. If 𝑔: 𝑥 → 𝑥+2 is a mapping defined on the set of real numbers excluding −2, find:
a. 𝑔(1)
1
b. 𝑔(2)
2. Let 𝑋 = {−3,0,3} and 𝑌 = {1,10}. The diagram below shows a mapping from 𝑋 into 𝑌.

What is the function of this mapping? Is it onto mapping? Is it one-to-one mapping?

SPECIAL MAPPINGS

We will be talking about four special mappings, they are:

i. Identity Mapping
ii. Constant Mapping
iii. Composite Mapping
iv. Inverse Mapping

Identity Mapping

If the image in the co-domain looks exactly like the element in the domain, the mapping is called an
identity mapping.

Constant Mapping

If all the elements in the domain have the same image in the co-domain, this is constant mapping.

Composite Mapping

In composite mapping, we have two different functions, where the co-domain of one is the domain
of another.

The composite mapping above can be written as 𝑔 ∘ 𝑓 or 𝑔𝑓

Examples

1. Let 𝑓: 𝑋 → 𝑌 and 𝑔: 𝑌 → 𝑍 be mappings on the set of real numbers defined by: 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 1
and 𝑔(𝑦) = (𝑦 + 1)2 . Find 𝑔 ∘ 𝑓.
𝑔 ∘ 𝑓 = 𝑔𝑓(𝑥)
= 𝑔(𝑥 + 1)
= [(𝑥 + 1) + 1]2
= (𝑥 + 2)2
= 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 4
2. Let the mappings 𝑓 and 𝑔 on the set of real numbers be defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 − 3 and
𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 1. Find:
a. 𝑔𝑓
b. 𝑓𝑔
Inverse Mapping

Consider the function 𝑓: 𝑥 → 2𝑥 + 3 on the set 𝐴 = {−2, 1, 3} into the set 𝐵 = {−1, 5, 9} as shown
below

Supposing we want to reverse the process, that is we would be having

The function 𝑔 is called the inverse of 𝑓, we can also write it as 𝑓 −1 .

Examples
1
1. The function 𝑓 over the set of real numbers is defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 − 3. Find 𝑓 −1 (𝑥).
2
1
Let 𝑦 = 2 𝑥 − 3
1
𝑦 + 3 = 2𝑥
2(𝑦 + 3) = 𝑥
𝑥 = 𝑓 −1 (𝑦) = 2(𝑦 + 3)
replacing 𝑦 by 𝑥
𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 2(𝑥 + 3)
2. Let 𝑔: 𝑥 → 𝑥 3 + 3 be a function on the set of real numbers onto the set of real numbers. Find
the inverse function.

QUESTIONS:
𝑥+1
1. Let 𝑓: 𝑥 → 𝑥−2 be a function defined on the set of real numbers excluding 2. Find 𝑓 −1.
2. If 𝑓 is a function defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 3. Show that 𝑓𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑓 −1 𝑓(𝑥).

ASSIGNMENT:
1. Let 𝑋 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑}, 𝑌 = {𝑝, 𝑞, 𝑟, 𝑠} and 𝑓: 𝑋 → 𝑌 a mapping defined by the diagram below

Find the range of 𝒇.

2. Determine the domain, D of the mapping 𝑓: 𝑥 → 2𝑥 − 3, if 𝐶 = {−3, −1,5} is the range and 𝒇
is defined on D.
3. New Further Mathematics Project 1, Exercise 7B, Number 4.