Chapter 2

Relations and
Functions

Objectives
1. define relations, functions and inverse
functions;
2. state the domain, range, intercepts and
symmetry of the functions and relations;
3. differentiate relations from functions;
4. perform operations on functions; and
5. sketch the graphs of functions and their
inverses.

Chapter 2.0
Cartesian
Coordinate System

Cross Product

Let A and B be nonempty sets.

The cross product of A and B is
AB

x , y x A and y B

Cartesian Coordinate System

Consider R R

x , y x R and y R

Each ordered pair of real numbers is

associated with a point in a plane.

Ordered Pairs
Consider an ordered pair x , y which is
associated with point P.
- x gives the directed distance of P from
the y axis.
- y gives the directed distance of P from
the x axis.

Cartesian Coordinate System

x

x,y
y

y axis

x axis

Cartesian Coordinate System

If a point P x , y then x and y are
the coordinates of P.
x : abscissa
y : ordinate

Example 2.0.1
Plot the following points.
1. P 2,7
2. Q 0, 1

P 2,7

S 3,5
Q 0, 1

3. R 4, 6
R 4, 6

4. S : with abscissa 3
and ordinate 5

Quadrants

2nd Quadrant

1st quadrant

3rd Quadrant

4th Quadrant

Distance Formula

The distance between two points

P x1 , y1 and Q x2 , y2 is given by
PQ

x2 x1 y2 y1
2

Midpoint

The midpoint of a line segment

between two points P x1 , y1 and
Q x2 , y2 is
x1 x2 y1 y2
,

2
2

Slope

The slope of the line containing

P x1 , y1 and Q x2 , y2 is
y2 y1
m
x2 x1

Example 2.0.2
Given P 2,7 and Q 2, 3 ,
1. find the distance between P and Q.
PQ

2 2 7 3
2

16 100
116

4 29

2 29

Given P 2,7 and Q 2, 3 ,

2. find the midpoint of the segment
joining P and Q.
2 2 7 3
,

0,2
2
2

Given P 2,7 and Q 2, 3 ,

3. determine the slope of the lines
joining P and Q.
3 7 10 5
m

2 2 4 2

Chapter 2.1
Relations

Relation
Let A and B be nonempty sets.
A relation S from A to B is any
nonempty subset of A B.
S AB

Relation in

A relation in
subset of

is any non-empty

Example 2.1.1
S 1,1 , 2,4 , 3,9 , 4,16 , 5,25
is a relation from
1
2
3
4
5

to .
1
4
9
16
25

Relation

A relation can also be described by

equations and inequalities.

Example 2.1.2

T r , A A r

is a relation from the set

of nonegative real numbers to .

T can also be described by A r 2
r is the independent variable
A is the dependent variable

Example 2.1.3
Following are relations from

x , y y 2x 5
r x , y y x
r x , y y x 3
r x , y x 4 y 1

1. r1
2.
3.
4.

to .

Domain

The domain of a relation r : A B, denoted

by Dom r , is the set containing all the first
members of the ordered pairs.

Range

The range of r , denoted by Rng r is

the set containing all the second
members of the ordered pairs in r .

Example 2.1.4
Identify the domain and range of the
relation
S 1,1 , 2,4 , 3,9 , 4,16 , 5,25
Dom S 1,2,3,4,5
Rng S 1,4,9,16,25

Domain and Range

The domain is the set of all permisible
values of the independent variable.
The range is the set of all resulting
values of the dependent variable.

Example 2.1.5
Identify the domain and range of the
following relations.
1. S

x , y y 2x 1

Dom S
Rng S

2. T

x , y y x
2

Dom T
Rng T 0,
3. U

x , y y x

Dom U
Rng U 4,

4. V x , y y

x 1

Dom V 1
Rng V
5. W

x , y y

x 1

x 1 0

Dom W 1,

x 1

Rng W 0,

6. X

x , y x y
2

y x

Dom X 0,

x0

Rng X

7. Y

x , y y 2x 3

Dom Y
Rng Y 0,

8. Z

x , y y 5 x 4

Dom Z
Rng Z 4,
9. A

x , y y 5 x

x0
Dom A 0,
Rng A ,5

Graph of a Relation

The graph of a relation r is the set

of all points x , y in a coordinate plane
such that x is related to y through the
relation r .

Intercepts
x intercept is a point where the graph
of a relation crosses the x axis.
y intercept is a point where the graph
of a relation crosses the y axis.

Example 2.1.6
Find the x and y intercepts of
x2 y2 1
x intercept: 1,0 , 1,0
if y 0, x 1
2

x 1
y intercept: 0,1 , 0, 1
if x 0, y 1
2

y 1

Lines

x a:

vertical line passing through a,0 .

y a:

horizontal line passing through 0, a .

Example 2.1.7
Sketch the graph of
1. y 3
y 3

2. x 2

x 2

Lines

If the defining equation of a relation

is both linear in x and y , the relation
is called a linear relation and its graph
is a straight line.

Example 2.1.8
Identify the x and y intercepts and
sketch the graph of y 2 x 5.
5
x intercept: ,0
2
if y 0 : 0 2 x 5
5
x
2
y intercept: 0,5
if x 0 : y 2 0 5
y5

y 2 x 5

Symmetries

The graph of an equation is symmetric

with respect to the y axis SWRTY if an
equivalent equation is obtained when x , y
is replaced by x , y .

Example 2.1.9
Show that the graph of x y 4
2

is SWRTY.
x y 4
2

replacing x , y by x , y we get

y 4
2

x y 4
2

Therefore, the graph of x y 4

2

is SWRTY.

x,y
-4

-3

x,y

-2

-1

-1

-2

-3

-4

Symmetries

The graph of an equation is symmetric

with respect to the x axis SWRTX if an
equivalent equation is obtained when x , y
is replaced by x , y .

Example 2.1.10
Show that the graph of x y 4
2

is SWRTX.
x y 4
2

replacing x , y by x , y we get
x y 4
2

x y 4
2

Therefore, the graph of x y 4

2

is SWRTX.

5
4
3

x,y

2
1

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

-1
-2
-3
-4
-5

x , y

Symmetries

The graph of an equation is symmetric

with respect to the origin SWRTO if an
equivalent equation is obtained when x , y
is replaced by x , y .

Example 2.1.11
Show that the graph of x y 4
2

is SWRTO.
x y 4
2

replacing x , y by x , y we get

x y
2

x y 4
2

Therefore, the graph of x y 4

2

is SWRTO.

x,y

4
3
2
1

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

1
-1
-2

x , y

-3
-4
-5

Example 2.1.11
Given r

x , y y 2x

1 ,

1. Find the domain and range.

Dom r
x 0
2

2x 0
2

2 x 1 1
2

Rng r 1,

Given r

2
x
,
y
y

2
x
1 ,

2. Find the intercepts.

2 2
x intercept:
,0 ,
,0
2 2

2
if y 0, 0 2 x 1
2x 1
2

1
x
2
2

1
2
x

2
2

Given r

x , y y 2x

y intercept:

0, 1

if x 0 : y 1

1 ,

Given r

x , y y 2x

1 ,

3. Identify the symmetries.

SWRTY
y 2x 1
2

replacing x , y by x , y
y 2 x 1
2

y 2x 1
2

The graph is SWRTY.

Given r

x , y y 2x

1 ,

SWRTX
y 2x 1
2

replacing x , y by x , y
y 2 x 1
2

The graph is not SWRTX.

Given r

x , y y 2x

1 ,

SWRTO
y 2x 1
2

replacing x , y by x , y
y 2 x 1
2

y 2 x 1
2

The graph is not SWRTO.

Given r

x , y y 2x

1 ,

Dom r
Rng r 1,

Symmetry: SWRTY

3
2

Intercepts:
2 2
x :
,0 ,
,0
2 2

y : 0, 1

x
y

1
1

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

1
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5

Special Graphs
Parabola
y ax k :
2

parabola opening
upward if a 0
downward if a 0

x ay k :
2

parabola opening to the

left if a 0
right if a 0

Example 2.1.12
Given x y 1, find the domain and range
2

then sketch the graph.

5
4
3

Domain: 1,
Range:

2
1

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

1
-1

x
y

2
-1

1
0

2
1

-2
-3
-4
-5

Example 2.1.13
Given y x 2, find the domain and range
2

then sketch the graph.

5
4
3

Domain:
Range:

2,

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

1
-1

X
y

-1
-1

0
-2

1
-1

-2
-3
-4
-5

Special Graphs
Circles
x y a ,a 0
2

Circle centered at 0,0 with radius a.

a
Domain: a, a
Range:

a, a

a
a

Example 2.1.14
Given x y 16, find the domain and range
2

then sketch the graph.

5
4

Domain: 4,4

4,4

Range:

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

1
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5

Special Graphs
Ellipse
2

x y
2 1
2
a b
x intercepts: a,0 , a,0
y intercepts: 0, b , 0, b
Domain: a, a
Range:

b, b

a
b

Example 2.1.15
Given 4x 2 9 y 2 36, find the domain and range
then sketch the graph.
4 x 9y 36
2

x
y
1
9 4
x intercepts: 3,0 , 3,0
y intercepts: 0,2 , 0, 2
Domain: 3,3
Range:

2,2

-4

-2

-2

-4

Special Graphs
Hyperbola
2

x y
2 1
x intercepts: a,0 , a,0
2
a b
Asymptotes:
x y
2 0
2
a b
2
2
y
x
2
2
b a

2 2

bx
y 2
a
b
y x
a
2

Special Graphs
b
y x
a

Hyperbola
x intercepts: a ,0 , a,0
b
Asymptotes: y x
a
Domain: , a a,
Range:

b
a

b
b
y
x
a

Example 2.1.16
2

x
y
Given
1, find the domain and range
9 25
then sketch the graph.
x intercept:

3,0 , 3,0

x
if y 0,
1
9
x2 9
x 3

x
y
1
9 25
x intercept:

3,0 , 3,0

y intercept: none
y
if x 0,
1
25
y 2 25
2

5
Asymptotes: y x
3

5
y x
3

-4

-2

-2

-4

5
y x
3

Domain: , 3 3,
Range: