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PLP: An introduction to mathematical proof

Exercises 10.8 Exercises

1.

Is the set
\begin{equation*} \theta = \{((x, y), (5y, 4x, x + y)) : x, y \in\mathbb{R}\} \end{equation*}
a function? If so, what is its domain and its range?

2.

For which values of \(a,b\in\mathbb N\) does the set \(\phi=\set{(x,y)\in\mathbb Z\times \mathbb Z: ax+by= 6 }\) define a function?

3.

Let \(f :\mathbb R\rightarrow \mathbb R\) be a function which is defined by \(f(x)=\dfrac{2x}{1+x^2}\text{.}\) Show that \(f(\mathbb R)=[-1,1]\text{.}\)

4.

Consider the following functions and their images and preimages.
  1. Consider the function \(f :\{1,2,3,4,5,6,7\}\rightarrow \{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9\}\) given as
    \begin{equation*} f =\{(1,3),(2,8),(3,3),(4,1),(5,2),(6,4),(7,6)\}. \end{equation*}
    Find: \(f\big(\{1,2,3\}\big)\text{,}\) \(f\big(\{4,5,6,7\}\big)\text{,}\) \(f(\emptyset)\text{,}\) \(f^{-1}\big(\{0,5,9\}\big)\) and \(f^{-1}\big(\{0,3,5,9\}\big)\text{.}\)
  2. Let \(g:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) be defined by \(g(x) = 4x^2-x-3\text{.}\)
    Find: \(g\left(\set{\frac{1}{8}}\right), g^{-1}(\set{0}), \, g((-1, 0)\cup [3, 4]),\, \text{ and, } g^{-1}([-10, -5))\text{.}\)
  3. Define \(h:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) by \(h(t) = \sin(2\pi t)\text{.}\)
    Find: \(h\left(\mathbb{Z}\right), \, h\left(\set{\frac{1}{4}, \frac{7}{2}, \frac{19}{4}, 22} \right),\, h^{-1}(\set{1}),\, \text{and } h^{-1}([0,1))\text{.}\)

5.

Let \(A, B\) be sets and \(f:A\to B\) be a function from \(A\)to \(B\text{.}\) Then prove that if \(E\) and \(F\) are subsets of \(B\text{,}\) then
\begin{equation*} f^{-1}(E-F) = f^{-1}(E)-f^{-1}(F). \end{equation*}
Remember that since we do not know whether or not \(f\) is a bijection, \(f^{-1}\) denotes the preimage of \(f\) not its inverse.

6.

Let \(f:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R\) be the function defined by \(f(x) = x^2+ax+b\text{,}\) where \(a,b\in\mathbb R\text{.}\) Determine whether \(f\) is injective and/or surjective.

7.

Determine all functions \(f:\mathbb N \rightarrow \mathbb N\) that are injective and such that for all \(n\in \mathbb N\) we have \(f(n)\leq n\text{.}\)

8.

Prove that \(f:[3,\infty)\rightarrow [5,\infty)\text{,}\) defined by \(f(x)=x^2-6x+14\) is a bijective function.

9.

For \(n\in\mathbb{N}\text{,}\) let \(A=\{ a_1, a_2, a_3,\cdots, a_n \}\) be a fixed set where \(a_j\neq a_i\) for any \(i\neq j\text{,}\) and let \(F\) be the set of all functions \(f: A\rightarrow \{ 0,1 \}\text{.}\)
What is \(|F|\text{,}\) the cardinality of \(F\text{?}\)
Now, for \(\mathcal{P}(A)\text{,}\) the power set of \(A\text{,}\) consider the function \(g:F \rightarrow \mathcal{P}(A)\text{,}\) defined as
\begin{equation*} g(f)=\{ a\in A: f(a)=1 \}. \end{equation*}
Is \(g\) injective? Is \(g\) surjective?

10.

Let \(f : \mathbb{Z} \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}\times\mathbb{Z}\) be defined by \(f(n) = (2n+1, n + 2)\text{.}\) Check whether this function is injective and whether it is surjective. Prove your answer.

11.

Let \(f:E\rightarrow F\) be a function. We recall that for any \(A\subseteq E\) the image of \(A\) by \(f\text{,}\) namely \(f(A)\text{,}\) is defined as
\begin{gather*} f(A)=\{f(x): x\in A\}. \end{gather*}
Show that \(f\) is surjective if and only if
\begin{gather*} \forall A\in \mathcal P(E),\ F-f(A)\subseteq f(E-A). \end{gather*}

12.

Let \(f:C\to D\) be a function. Let \(A, B \subset C\) be nonempty sets. Prove that if \(f\) is injective, then \(f(A-B)=f(A)-f(B)\text{.}\)

13.

Consider the function
\begin{equation*} f: \mathbb N\times\mathbb N\rightarrow \mathbb N \qquad \text{where} \qquad f(x,y) = 2^{x-1}(2y-1). \end{equation*}
Prove that \(f\) is bijective.

14.

Let \(A, B\) be nonempty sets. Prove that if there is a bijection \(f:A\rightarrow B\text{,}\) then there is a bijection from \(\mathcal{P}(A)\text{,}\) the power set of \(A\text{,}\) to \(\mathcal{P}(B)\text{,}\) the power set of \(B\text{.}\)

15.

Let \(\rel\) be the relation on \(\mathbb R^2\) defined by
\begin{equation*} (x,y)\rel (s,t) \text{ iff } x^2+y^2=s^2+t^2 \end{equation*}
where \((x,y), (s,t) \in \mathbb{R}^2\text{.}\)
  1. Show that \(\rel\) is an equivalence relation
  2. Let \(\mathcal S\) be the set of equivalence classes of the relation \(\rel\) defined in part (a). Let \(f\) be defined by
    \begin{equation*} f:\mathcal S\to [0,\infty) \qquad \text{ with } \qquad f([(x,y)])=\sqrt{x^2+y^2}. \end{equation*}
    Prove that
    • \(f\) is a function, and, further
    • \(f\) is bijective.

16.

Let \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) with \(n\gt 1\) and let \(\mathbb{Z}_n\) be the set of equivalence classes modulo \(n\text{.}\) For any \(x\in\mathbb{Z}\text{,}\) let \([x]_n \in \mathbb{Z}_n\) denote its equivalence class modulo \(n\text{.}\)
Define the function \(f:\mathbb{Z}_n\to \set{0,1,\dots,n-1}\) by \(f([x]_n)=r\text{,}\) where \(r\) is the remainder of \(x\) upon division by \(n\text{.}\)
  1. Show that \(f\) is well-defined, meaning that \(f\) is defined on its whole domain and that \(f\) does not depend on the choice of representative for each equivalence class; i.e. \([x]_n=[y]_n \implies f([x]_n)=f([y]_n)\text{.}\)
  2. Show that \(f\) is a bijection.
This question explains why when dealing with equivalence classes of integers modulo \(n\text{,}\) we often consider the set of representatives \(\set{0,1,\dots,n-1}\) instead.

17.

Consider \(f : A\rightarrow B\text{.}\) Prove that f is injective if and only if \(X = f^{-1}( f (X))\) for all \(X \subseteq A\text{.}\)

18.

Consider \(f : A\rightarrow B\text{.}\) Prove that f is surjective if and only if \(f ( f^{-1}(Y)) = Y\) for all \(Y \subseteq B\text{.}\)

19.

We say that a function \(f:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) is strictly increasing if whenever \(x_1 \lt x_2\) we have \(f(x_1) \lt f(x_2)\text{.}\) Similarly, a function \(g: \mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) is strictly decreasing if whenever \(x_1 \lt x_2\) we have \(g(x_1) \gt g(x_2)\text{.}\)
  1. Prove that the composition of two strictly increasing functions is strictly increasing.
  2. Prove that the composition of two strictly decreasing functions is strictly increasing.

20.

Let \(f,g\text{,}\) and \(h\) be functions from \(\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\text{.}\) We define the following operations on functions:
  • Function addition: \(\left(f+g\right)(x) = f(x)+g(x)\)
  • Function division: \(\left(\frac{f}{g}\right)(x) = \frac{f(x)}{g(x)}\)
  • Function composition: \(\left(f\circ g\right)(x) = f(g(x))\)
Note that under this definition, \(\left(\frac{1}{f}\right)(x) = \frac{1}{f(x)}\text{.}\) This is NOT the inverse of \(f(x)\text{.}\)
Prove or give a counterexample to the following statements:
  1. \(f\circ (g+h)= f\circ g + f\circ h\) for every \(x\in \mathbb{R}\text{.}\)
  2. \((g+h)\circ f = g\circ f + h\circ f\) for every \(x\in \mathbb{R}\text{.}\)
  3. \(\frac{1}{f\circ g} = \frac{1}{f}\circ g\) for every \(x\in \mathbb{R}\text{.}\)
  4. \(\frac{1}{f\circ g} = f \circ \frac{1}{g}\) for every \(x\in \mathbb{R}\text{.}\)

21.

Find counterexamples to the following statements:
  1. Given a function \(f : A\rightarrow B\) and subsets \(W,X \subseteq A\text{,}\) we have \(f (W\cap X) = f (W)\cap f (X)\text{.}\)
  2. Given a function \(f : A \rightarrow B\) and a subset \(Y \subseteq B\text{,}\) we have \(f ( f^{-1}(Y)) = Y\text{.}\)
Explain your answers.

22.

Let \(A, B\) be nonempty sets. Let \(f, h\) be functions from \(A\) to \(B\text{,}\) and let \(g\) be a function from \(B\) to \(A\text{.}\)
  1. Suppose that \(g\) is injective. Prove that if \(g\circ f=g\circ h\text{,}\) then \(f=h\text{.}\)
  2. Suppose that \(g\) is surjective. Prove that if \(f \circ g=h\circ g\text{,}\) then \(f=h\text{.}\)

23.

Consider the following functions and their compositions.
  1. Let \(f:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) be defined by \(f(x)=x+1\text{.}\) Does there exist a function \(g:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) such that \((f\circ g )(x) = (g\circ f)(x)\) for every \(x\in \mathbb{R}\text{?}\)
  2. Let \(f:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) be defined by \(f(x)=c\) for some \(c\in \mathbb{R}\) (i.e. \(f\) is a constant function). Which functions \(g:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) have the property \((f\circ g) (x) = (g\circ f)(x)\) for every \(x\in \mathbb{R}\text{?}\)
  3. Let \(f:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\text{.}\) Suppose \((f\circ g)(x) = (g\circ f)(x)\) for every \(x\in \mathbb{R}\) and for every function \(g:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\text{.}\) Show that \(f(x) = x\text{.}\)

24.

Let \(A\) be a nonempty set and \(f:A\rightarrow A\) be a function.
  1. Prove that \(f\) is bijective if \(f\circ f\) is bijective.
  2. Let
    \begin{equation*} f:(0,\infty) \to (0,\infty) \qquad f(x) = \log\left( \dfrac{e^x+1}{e^x-1} \right) \end{equation*}
    where \(\log(x) \) denotes the natural logarithm of \(x\text{.}\) Use part (a) to prove that this is a bijective function.

25.

Prove that the function
\begin{equation*} f : \mathbb R-\set{-2}\rightarrow\mathbb R-\set{1}, \text{ defined by } f(x)=\dfrac{x+1}{x+2} \end{equation*}
is bijective and find its inverse.

26.

Let \(f:\mathbb Z \rightarrow \mathbb Z\) defined so that \(f(n)=-n+3\) if \(n\) is even and \(f(n)=n+7\) if \(n\) is odd. Prove that \(f\) is bijective and find its inverse, \(f^{-1}\text{.}\)

27.

The following question concerns the triple composition of a function.
  1. Let \(A\) be a non-empty set and let \(g:A \to A\) be a function that satisfies \(g\circ g\circ g=i_A\text{,}\) where \(i_A\) is the identity function on the set \(A\text{.}\) Prove that \(g\) must be bijective.
  2. Let \(A=\mathbb R -\{0,1\}\) and let \(f:A\to A\) be defined by \(f(x)=1-\frac{1}{x}\text{.}\) Show that \(f\circ f\circ f = i_A\) .
  3. Use part (a) to conclude that \(f\) is bijective and determine its inverse function \(f^{-1}\text{.}\)