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CAT 2025 Lesson : Functions - Domain, Codomain & Range

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2.1 Domain, Co-domain and Range

Brief definitions of the three are as follows.
11) Domain is the set of all possible inputs or xx-values.
22) Co-domain is the set of possible outputs or values of f(x)f(x) that is defined by us.
33) Range is the set of outputs that are actually generated for the given inputs or domain. These are the actual values that f(x)f(x) can possible take.

The following diagram is a pictographic representation of
f(x)=xf(x) = |x|, where xx is an integer between 2-2 and 22 (both inclusive). And, the co-domain has been defined as {2,1,0,1,2 -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 }.

As
f(x)f(x) is never negative, the range does not include 2-2 and 1-1 and contains only the non-negative integers.



Two other classifications of functions are as below.
11 Onto Functions: Every element in the co-domain is related to at least one value in the domain. In this case, the co-domain is the range.
22 Into Functions: There is at least one element in the co-domain that is not related to a value in the domain. In this case, while the range is a subset of the co-domain, it has fewer values than the co-domain.

Example 1

For f(x)=x2f(x) = x^2,
(I) What is the domain?
(II) What is the range?
(III) What is the co- domain if this is an onto function?
(IV) What could be a co- domain if this is an into function?

Solution

Domain: As xx can take any real number, the domain of xx is the set of all real numbers.

Range: As
x2x^2 can never be negative, the range of xx is the set of all non-negative real numbers.

Co-domain for an Onto Function: The co-domain here has to be the range, i.e. the set of all non-negative real numbers.

Co-domain for an Into Function: The co-domain should include at least one item other than the range. Therefore, this could be the set of all real numbers.

Reminder: As discussed earlier, one-to-many and many-to-many relationships are not functions. As shown earlier,
y2=xy^2 = x or y=±xy = \pm \sqrt{x}, where x0x \ge 0 is not a function as each xx-value (other than 00) results in 2 y2 \space y-values.

3. Common Types of Functions

Some common types of functions are given below, with examples.

Linear Functions are of the form y=mx+cy = mx + c. This results in a straight line.

Adjacent is the graphical representation of
f(x)=0.5x2f(x) = 0.5x - 2
Type: One-to-One function
Domain: Set of all real numbers
Range: Set of all real numbers
Quadratic Functions have a U-shaped or an inverted-U shaped curve, as discussed in the Quadratic Equations lesson

Adjacent is the graphical representation of f(x)=x24f(x) = x^2 - 4
Type: Many-to-One function
Domain: Set of all real numbers
Range: Set of all real numbers greater than or equal to
4-4
In Cubic Functions, the highest power of the polynomial is 33.

Adjacent is the graphical representation of
f(x)=x3f(x) = x^3
Type: One-to-One function
Domain: Set of all real numbers
Range: Set of all real number
In Bi-quadratic Functions, the highest power of the polynomial is 44.

Adjacent is the graphical representation of
f(x)=x4f(x) = x^4
Type: Many-to-One function
Domain: Set of Real numbers
Range: Set of real numbers greater than or equal to
1-1.
Rational Functions are those where the numerator and denominator contain a polynomial. The function is not defined when the denominator equals zero.

Adjacent is the graphical representation of f(x)=2x1f(x) = \dfrac{2}{x - 1}
Type: One-to-One function
Domain: Set of real numbers other than
+1+1.
Range: Set of real numbers other than
00.
The Modulus Function of a number provides the non-negative value of the number. To define it as a function,
f(x)=x=x if x 0f(x) = |x| = x \space \text{if} \space x \space \ge 0
         
=x if x<0= -x \space \text{if} \space x < 0

The above function is represented as
f(x)=xf(x) = |x|
Type: Many-to-One function
Domain: Set of all real numbers
Range: Set of all non-negative real numbers

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