Relations and Functions: The Basics
Ever wonder how math helps describe connections between numbers? That's where relations and functions come in! A coordinate plane forms when two number lines horizontalx−axisandverticaly−axis intersect at the origin, creating a map for plotting points.
When we write points as (x,y) pairs, we're using ordered pairs. These ordered pairs form a relation that can be shown in different ways - as equations, graphs, tables, or mappings. For example, the relation {(2,5), (-2,3), (5,-2), (-1,-2)} can be arranged in a table, plotted on a graph, or shown as a mapping diagram.
Every relation has two important components: the domain allthex−valuesorindependentvariables and the range allthey−valuesordependentvariables. For our example relation, the domain is {2,-2,5,-1} and the range is {5,3,-2}.
Quick Check: When examining a relation, the domain includes all possible input values, while the range contains all possible output values. Think of domain as what goes in, range as what comes out!