FUNCTIONS

 

CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONS

Function can be classified mainly into two groups

1.Algebraic Functions

2.Transcendental Functions


1. Algebraic Functions

A function which consists of a finite number of terms involving integral and/or fractional powers of the independent variable (argument) x, connected by the four operators +, -, × and ÷ is called an algebraic function.

Three particular cases of algebraic functions are the following:

i)Polynomial Function

A function of the form a0xn + a1xn-1 + …… + an  where n is a positive integer and a0, a1,  …… an are real constants and a0 ≠ 0 is called a polynomial in x of degree n.

Example:

F(x) = 2x4 - 5x-3 – x2+ 9x - 6

 

ii)Rational Function

A function of the form f(x)/g(x), where f(x) and g(x) ≠ 0 are polynomials is called a rational function.

Example:

F(x) = (3x-3 – 9x - 6) / (3x+1)

 

iii)Irrational Function

A function involving radicals, viz., fractional powers of polynomials is called an irrational function.

Example:

F(x) = (√3x-3 – 9x - 6) / (√3x+1)

 

2. Transcendental Functions

A function which is not algebraic is called a transcendental function.

Example:

i.   Inverse circular functions

ii.  Logarithmic functions

iii. Hyperbolic functions

iv. Exponential functions

 

i. Identity Function

A function f : A → A, where f(x) = x, where x ϵ A is called the identify function on A.

In other words, the identity function is the function that assigns each element of A to itself and is denoted by IA or simply I.  The function IA is a bijection.

 

ii.Floor Function

If x is a real number, the function that assigns the largest integer that is less than or equal to x is called the floor function of x or simply the floor of x and denoted by x.

The floor of x is also called the greatest integer function.

If x = n, where n is an integer, then n≤ x< n+1.

Example

6.8 = 6

-6.8 = -7

6.234 = 6

5 = 5

-3 = -3

 

iii.Ceiling Function

If x is a real number, the function that assigns the smallest integer that is greater than or equal to x is called the ceiling function of x or simply the ceiling of x and denoted by x.

If x = n, where n is an integer, then n-1≤ x<n.

Example

6.8 = 7

-6.8 = -6

6.235 = 7

8 = 8

-9 = -9

Note:

It is obvious that if x is itself an integer, then x = x; otherwise x + 1 = x.

Also it is clear that the floor of x rounds x down, while the ceiling of x rounds x up.

 

iv.Integer Value Function

The integer value of x, where x is a real number, converts x into an integer by truncating or deleting the fractional part of the number and is denoted by INT (x) or [x].       

Example

INT (3.25) = 3

INT (-8.54) = -8

INT (6) = 6

[3.234] = 3

[-6.234] = -6

 

v.Absolute Value Function

The absolute value of x, where x is a real number is defined as the greater of x or –x and denoted by ABS (x) = |x|.

If x is positive, ABS(x) = x; if x is negative, ABS (-x) = x and ABS (0) = 0.

Example

ABS(-9) = 9

ABS(3) = 3

ABS(0) = 0

 

vi.Remainder Function

If a  is any integer and m is a positive integer, then the integer remainder (function) when a is divided by m is denoted by a (mod m) [read as ‘a modulo m’].

Viz., a (mod m) is the unique integer r such that a = mq + r, where 0 ≤r<m.

 

When a is positive, we simply divide a by m to get the remainder r.

Example

30 (mod 5) = 0

3 (mod 5) = 3

30 (mod 7) = 2

When a is negative, we divide |a| by m and get the remainder r’. 

Then a (mod m) = m – r’ (r’≠0).

Example

-30 (mod 5) = 0

-30 (mod 7) = 7 – 2 = 5

-3 (mod 5) = 5 – 3 = 2

 

When two integers a and b have the same remainder when divided by the positive integer m, then a is said to be congruent to b modulo m and denoted as

a ≡ b (mod m)

When a ≡ b (mod m), m divides a – b or a – b is a multiple of m and hence a =b + km.

 

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Backtracking - N-Queens Problem, Sum of Subsets, Graph Colouring, Hamiltonian Cycle

Divide and Conquer Technique - Binary Search, Quick Sort, Merge Sort

GRAPH THEORY