Relations and Functions-II

MODULE - VII
23 Relation and
Function

RELATIONS AND FUNCTIONS-II

Notes

We have learnt about the basic concept of Relations and Functions. We know about the ordered
pair, the cartesian product of sets, relation, functions, their domain, Co-doman and range. Now
we will extend our knowledge to types of relations and functions, composition of functions,
invertible functions and binary operations.

OBJECTIVES
After studying this lesson, you will be able to :
 verify the equivalence relation in a set
 verify that the given function is one-one, many one, onto/ into or one one onto
 find the inverse of a given function
 determine whether a given operation is binary or not.
 check the commutativity and associativity of a binary operation.
 find the inverse of an element and identity element in a set with respest to a binary
operation.

EXPECTED BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

Before studying this lesson, you should know :
 Concept of set, types of sets, operations on sets
 Concept of ordered pair and cartesian product of set.
 Domain, co-domain and range of a relation and a function

23.1 RELATION
23.1.1 Relation :
Let A and B be two sets. Then a relation R from Set A into Set B is a subset of
A × B.
Thus, R is a relation from A to B R  A × B
 If (a, b) R then we write aRb which is read as ‘a’ is related to b by the relation
R, if (a, b) R, then we write a R b and we say that a is not related to b by the
relation R.
 If n(A) = m and n(B) = n, then A × B has mn ordered pairs, therefore, total number
of relations form A to B is 2mn.

MATHEMATICS 105
 Relations and Functions-II
MODULE - VII 23.1.2 Types of Relations
Relation and
Function (i) Reflexive Relation :
A relation R on a set A is said to be reflexive if every element of A is related to itself.
Thus, R is reflexive  (a, a) R for all a A
Notes
A relation R is not reflexive if there exists an element a A such that (a, a) R.
Let A = {1, 2, 3} be a set. Then
R = {(1, 1), (2, 2), (3, 3), (1, 3), (2, 1)} is a reflexive relation on A.
but R1 = {(1, 1), (3, 3) (2, 1) (3, 2)} is not a reflexive relation on A, because 2 A
but (2,2) R.

(ii) Symmetric Relation

A relation R on a set A is said to be symmetric relation if
(a, b) R (b, a) R for all (a, b) A
i.e. aRb bRa for all a, b A.
Let A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and R1 and R2 be relations on A given by
R1 = {(1, 3), (1, 4), (3, 1), (2, 2), (4, 1)
and R2 = {(1, 1), (2, 2), (3, 3), (1, 3)}
 R1 is symmetric relation on A because (a, b) R1 (b, a) R1
or aR1b bR1 a for all a,b A
but R2 is not symmetric because (1, 3) R2 but (3, 1) R2.
A reflexive relation on a set A is not necessarily symmetric. For example, the relation
R ={(1, 1), (2, 2), (3, 3), (1, 3)} is a reflexive relation on set A = {1, 2, 3} but it is not
symmetric.
(iii) Transitive Relation:

Let A be any set. A relation R on A is said to be transitive relation if

(a, b) R and (b, c) R (a, c) R for all a, b, c A
i.e. aRb and bRc aRc for all a, b, c A
For example :
On the set N of natural numbers, the relation R defined by xRy
 ‘x is less than y’, is transitive, because for any x, y, z N
x < y and y < z  x < z
i.e. xRy and yRz  xRz
Take another example
Let A be the set of all straight lines in a plane. Then the relation ‘is parallel to’ on A
is a transitive relation, because for any l1, l2, l3 A
l, ||l2 and l2|| l3 l1|| l3
106 MATHEMATICS
 Relations and Functions-II
MODULE - VII
Example 23.1 Check the relation R for reflexivity, symmetry and transitivity, where R is Relation and
defined as l1Rl2 iff l1 l2 for all l1, l2 A Function
Solution : Let A be the set of all lines in a plane. Given that l1 Rl2  l1  l2
for all l1, l2 A
Reflexivity : R is not reflexive because a line cannot be perpendicular to itself i.e. l 
Notes
l is not true.
Symmetry : Let l1, l2 A such that l1Rl2
Then l1 Rl2  l1  l2  l2  l1  l2 Rl1
So, R is symmetric on A
Transitive
R is not transitive, because l1  l2 and l2  l3 does not impty that l1 l3

23.2 EQUIVALENCE RELATION

A relation R on a set A is said to be an equivalence relation on A iff

(i) it is reflexive i.e. (a, a) R for all a A
(ii) it is symmetric i.e. (a, b) R (b, a) R for all a, b A
(iii) it is transitive i.e. (a, b) R and (b, c) R (a, c) R for all a, b, c A

For example the relation ‘is congruent to’ is an equivalence relation because
(i) it is reflexive as    (,)R for all S where S is a set of triangles.
(ii) it is symmetric as  1R 2  1   2    2  1

  2 R1
(iii) it is transitive as 1   2 and  2   3  1   3
it means (1, 2) R and (2, 3) R (1, 3)R
Example 23.2 Show that the relation R defined on the set A of all triangles in a plane as
R = {(T1,T2) : T1 is similar to T2) is an equivalence relation.
Solution : We observe the following properties of relation R;
Reflexivity we know that every triangle is similar to itself. Therefore, (T, T) R for all
T A R is reflexive.
Symmetricity Let (T1, T2) R, then
(T1, T2) R  T1 is similar to T2
 T2 is similar to T1
 (T2, T1) R, So, R is symmetric.

MATHEMATICS 107
 Relations and Functions-II
MODULE - VII Transitivity : Let T1, T2, T3 A such that (T1, T2) R and (T2, T3) R.
Relation and
Then (T1, T2) R and (T2, T3) R
Function
T1 is similar to T2 and T2 is similar to T3
T1 is similar to T3
(T1, T3) R
Notes
Hence, R is an equivalence relation.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 23.1

1. Let R be a relation on the set of all lines in a plane defined by (l1, l2) R line l1 is parallel
to l2. Show that R is an equivalence relation.
2. Show that the relation R on the set A of points in a plane, given by
R = {(P, Q) : Distance of the point P from the origin is same as the distance of the point
Q from the origin} is an equivalence relation.

3. Show that each of the relation R in the set A   x  z : 0  x  12 , given by

(i) R   a , b  : a  b is multiple of 4

(ii) R  { a, b  : a  b } is an equivalence relation

4. Prove that the relation 'is a factor of' from R to R is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric.
5. If R and S are two equivalence relations on a set Athen R  S is also an equivalence relation.
6. Prove that the relation R on set N  N defined by (a,b) R (c,d)  a+d = b + c for all
(a,b), (c,d)  N  N is an equivalence relation.

23.3 CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONS

Let f be a function from A to B. If every element of the set B is the image of at least one element of
the set A i.e. if there is no unpaired element in the set B then we say that the function f maps the
set A onto the set B. Otherwise we say that the function maps the set A into the set B.
Functions for which each element of the set A is mapped to a different element of the set B are
said to be one-to-one.
One-to-one function

Fig.23.27

108 MATHEMATICS