Interactive Real Analysis - part of MathCS.org

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Examples 1.2.7(a):

If the graph of a function is known, how can you decide whether a function is one-to-one (injective) or onto (surjective) ?

Injection

If a horizontal line intersects the graph of a function in more than one place, then there are two different points a and b for which f(a) = f(b), but a # b. Then the function is not one-to-one.

Surjection

If you place a light on the left and on the right hand side of the coordinate system, then the shadow of the graph on the y axis is the image of the domain of the function. If that shadow covers the range of the function, then the function is onto. Note that every function can be modified to be onto by setting its range to be the image of its domain.

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