LEARNING CLOSE TO YOU

Choose your location

Use a city to find schools, tutors, educators and learning support. You can change it anytime.

With your permission, your browser shares your coordinates with Google to find your city.

CLASS 12 · MATHEMATICS PART I · CHAPTER 1

Relations and functions

Read the short working first. Choose “Show explanation” on any answer for a clear explanation.

53 worked answersAll 2 exercise setsAll 7 end-of-chapter questions

53 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them

Exercise 1.1 · Relations

Textbook pages 6–7

Question 1(i)

On A={1,…,14}, R pairs x with y when y=3x. Test reflexivity, symmetry and transitivity.

Steps only

R={(1,3),(2,6),(3,9),(4,12)}.

(1,1)∉R; (1,3)∈R but (3,1)∉R; (1,3),(3,9)∈R but (1,9)∉R.

Answer

Neither reflexive, symmetric nor transitive.

Question 1(ii)

On the natural numbers, pair x with y when y=x+5 and x<4. Test the three properties.

Steps only

The relation consists of (1,6),(2,7),(3,8).

It is not reflexive or symmetric; no second coordinate can start another pair, so transitivity holds vacuously.

Answer

Transitive only.

Question 1(iii)

On A={1,2,3,4,5,6}, pair x with y when x divides y. Test the three properties.

Steps only

Every number divides itself.

1|2 but 2∤1; and x|y,y|z implies x|z.

Answer

Reflexive and transitive, but not symmetric.

Question 1(iv)

On the integers, relate x and y when x−y is an integer. Test the three properties.

Steps only

The difference of any two integers is an integer, so every ordered pair is related.

The relation is A×A, which has all three properties.

Answer

Reflexive, symmetric and transitive.

Question 1(v)(a)

For people in a town, relate two people who work at the same place. Is it an equivalence relation?

Steps only

Everyone works at the same place as themself.

“Same workplace” is mutual and chains across people.

Answer

Yes. It is reflexive, symmetric and transitive.

Question 1(v)(b)

For people in a town, relate two people who live in the same locality. Is it an equivalence relation?

Steps only

Each person lives in the same locality as themself.

Sharing a locality works in either order and passes through a third person.

Answer

Yes. It is reflexive, symmetric and transitive.

Question 1(v)(c)

For people in a town, relate x to y when x is exactly 7 cm taller than y. Test the three properties.

Steps only

Nobody is 7 cm taller than themself.

If x is 7 cm taller than y and y is 7 cm taller than z, x is 14 cm taller than z.

Answer

Not reflexive, not symmetric and not transitive.

Question 1(v)(d)

For people in a town, relate x to y when x is y’s wife. Test the three properties.

Steps only

No person is their own wife, and a wife relation does not reverse.

A chain x is wife of y and y is wife of z cannot occur under the usual meaning, so the transitivity condition has no counterexample.

Answer

Not reflexive or symmetric; transitive (vacuously, under the usual meaning of “wife”).

Question 1(v)(e)

For people in a town, relate x to y when x is y’s father. Test the three properties.

Steps only

No one is their own father; fatherhood does not reverse.

If x is y’s father and y is z’s father, x is z’s grandfather, not father.

Answer

Not reflexive, not symmetric and not transitive.

Question 2

For real a,b, define aRb when a≤b². Show the relation is neither reflexive, symmetric nor transitive.

Steps only

Reflexivity fails at a=1/2 because 1/2>1/4.

(0,1)∈R but (1,0)∉R; (2.2,1.5),(1.5,1.3)∈R but (2.2,1.3)∉R.

Answer

It has none of the three properties.

Question 3

On {1,2,3,4,5,6}, relate a to b when b=a+1. Test reflexivity, symmetry and transitivity.

Steps only

Pairs are (1,2),(2,3),(3,4),(4,5),(5,6).

No pair is diagonal; (1,2) has no reverse; (1,2),(2,3) lack (1,3).

Answer

Neither reflexive, symmetric nor transitive.

Question 4

On the real numbers, define aRb when a≤b. Which of reflexivity, symmetry and transitivity hold?

Steps only

a≤a for every real a.

a≤b and b≤c imply a≤c; 1≤2 but 2≰1.

Answer

Reflexive and transitive, but not symmetric.

Question 5

On the real numbers, define aRb when a≤b³. Test reflexivity, symmetry and transitivity.

Steps only

At a=1/2, 1/2≤1/8 is false.

(0,1) is in R but (1,0) is not; 8≤2³ and 2≤1.5³, but 8≰1.5³.

Answer

Neither reflexive, symmetric nor transitive.

Question 6

On {1,2,3}, let R={(1,2),(2,1)}. Check the three properties.

Steps only

The two pairs reverse one another, so R is symmetric.

It omits every diagonal pair; (1,2),(2,1) would require (1,1), which is absent.

Answer

Symmetric, but neither reflexive nor transitive.

Question 7

Books in a library are related when they have the same number of pages. Prove this is an equivalence relation.

Steps only

A book has the same page count as itself.

Equality of page counts is symmetric and transitive.

Answer

It is an equivalence relation.

Question 8

On A={1,2,3,4,5}, relate a to b when |a−b| is even. Prove equivalence and give its classes.

Steps only

|a−a|=0; reversing the difference changes only its sign.

A sum of two even differences is even, so parity classes are {1,3,5} and {2,4}.

Answer

It is an equivalence relation; its classes are {1,3,5} and {2,4}.

Question 9(i)

On A={0,1,…,12}, relate a to b when |a−b| is divisible by 4. Show it is an equivalence relation and find the class of 1.

Steps only

The condition means a and b have the same remainder upon division by 4.

The elements of A congruent to 1 mod 4 are 1,5,9.

Answer

It is an equivalence relation; [1]={1,5,9}.

Question 9(ii)

On A={0,1,…,12}, relate a to b when a=b. Show it is an equivalence relation and find the class of 1.

Steps only

a=a, equality reverses, and a=b,b=c imply a=c.

Only 1 equals 1, so no other element is related to 1.

Answer

It is an equivalence relation; [1]={1}.

Question 10(i)

Give a relation that is symmetric but neither reflexive nor transitive.

Steps only

Each pair’s reverse is included.

No diagonal pairs are included, and chaining the two pairs would require (1,1).

Answer

On {1,2}, take R={(1,2),(2,1)}.

Question 10(ii)

Give a relation that is transitive but neither reflexive nor symmetric.

Steps only

There is no two-pair chain that could violate transitivity.

It omits diagonal pairs and omits reverse pair (2,1).

Answer

On {1,2}, take R={(1,2)}.

Question 10(iii)

Give a relation that is reflexive and symmetric but not transitive.

Steps only

Including all diagonal pairs makes it reflexive; including both directions makes it symmetric.

(1,2),(2,3) are present but (1,3) is absent.

Answer

On {1,2,3}, take all diagonal pairs and (1,2),(2,1),(2,3),(3,2), but omit (1,3),(3,1).

Question 10(iv)

Give a relation that is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric.

Steps only

Both diagonal pairs are present.

The only nontrivial order step is 1→2; its reverse (2,1) is absent.

Answer

On {1,2}, take R={(1,1),(2,2),(1,2)}.

Question 10(v)

Give a relation that is symmetric and transitive but not reflexive.

Steps only

No pair violates symmetry or transitivity, so both implications hold.

Reflexivity requires (1,1), which is absent.

Answer

On the nonempty set {1}, take R=∅.

Question 11

Relate two plane points when they are the same distance from the origin. Prove equivalence and describe the class of a non-origin point P.

Steps only

Every point has its own distance; equality of distances is symmetric and transitive.

Q is related to P exactly when OQ=OP, the circle equation with radius OP.

Answer

It is an equivalence relation; [P] is the circle centered at the origin with radius OP.

Question 12

Similarity defines a relation on all triangles. Prove it is an equivalence relation and determine which of side-length triangles (3,4,5), (5,12,13), (6,8,10) are related.

Steps only

Every triangle is similar to itself; similarity reverses and chains.

(6,8,10)=2(3,4,5), while the side ratios of (5,12,13) differ.

Answer

Similarity is an equivalence relation. The (3,4,5) and (6,8,10) triangles are related; the (5,12,13) triangle is not similar to either.

Question 13

Relate two polygons when they have the same number of sides. Prove equivalence and describe the class of a 3-4-5 right triangle.

Steps only

A polygon has the same side count as itself; equality is symmetric and transitive.

The given polygon has 3 sides, so all and only 3-sided polygons are related to it.

Answer

It is an equivalence relation; the class is all triangles.

Question 14

On all lines in the XY-plane, relate two lines when they are parallel. Show it is an equivalence relation and find the class of y=2x+4.

Steps only

Every line is parallel to itself; parallelism is symmetric and transitive.

A line parallel to y=2x+4 has the same slope 2, so it is y=2x+c.

Answer

It is an equivalence relation; the class is all lines y=2x+c, where c is real.

Question 15

On {1,2,3,4}, a relation contains all diagonal pairs plus (1,2),(1,3),(3,2). Select its correct property classification.

Steps only

All four diagonal pairs are present, so it is reflexive.

The only two-step off-diagonal chain is (1,3),(3,2), and its result (1,2) is present; (1,2) has no reverse.

Answer

Reflexive and transitive, but not symmetric (choice B).

Question 16

For natural numbers a,b, define (a,b)∈R when a=b−2 and b>6. Which of (2,4),(3,8),(6,8),(8,7) belongs to R?

Steps only

Check b>6 and a=b−2 for each pair.

For (6,8), 8>6 and 6=8−2; the other pairs fail a condition.

Answer

Only (6,8) belongs (choice C).

Exercise 1.2 · Functions

Textbook pages 10–12

Question 1

For f:R*→R*, f(x)=1/x, prove it is one-one and onto. Then decide whether the same is true if the domain is N but the codomain remains R*.

Steps only

If 1/x₁=1/x₂, nonzero denominators allow x₁=x₂.

For any y≠0, x=1/y maps to y; positive natural inputs cannot produce negative outputs.

Answer

On R*, f is bijective and f⁻¹=f. From N to R*, it is one-one but not onto.

Question 2(i)

For f:N→N, f(x)=x², decide injectivity and surjectivity.

Steps only

For positive naturals, x₁²=x₂² implies x₁=x₂.

A nonsquare natural such as 2 is not an output.

Answer

Injective, not onto.

Question 2(ii)

For f:Z→Z, f(x)=x², decide injectivity and surjectivity.

Steps only

f(1)=f(−1)=1, so it is not injective.

Negative integers, such as −1, are not squares.

Answer

Neither injective nor onto.

Question 2(iii)

For f:R→R, f(x)=x², decide injectivity and surjectivity.

Steps only

f(1)=f(−1), so it is not injective.

No real square equals −1, so it is not onto R.

Answer

Neither injective nor onto.

Question 2(iv)

For f:N→N, f(x)=x³, decide injectivity and surjectivity.

Steps only

The cube function is strictly increasing on positive numbers.

2 is not a cube of a natural number.

Answer

Injective, not onto.

Question 2(v)

For f:Z→Z, f(x)=x³, decide injectivity and surjectivity.

Steps only

Equal cubes have equal real cube roots, so f is injective.

2 is not the cube of an integer, so f is not onto.

Answer

Injective, not onto.

Question 3

For f:R→R, f(x)=⌊x⌋, show that it is neither one-one nor onto.

Steps only

⌊1.2⌋=⌊1.8⌋=1, so it is not one-one.

Its outputs are integers, so a noninteger real such as 1/2 is not reached.

Answer

Neither one-one nor onto.

Question 4

For f:R→R, f(x)=|x|, show that it is neither one-one nor onto.

Steps only

|1|=|−1|, so it is not one-one.

Absolute values are nonnegative, so negative reals are missing from the range.

Answer

Neither one-one nor onto.

Question 5

For f:R→R defined by f(x)=1 for x>0, 0 for x=0 and −1 for x<0, show it is neither one-one nor onto.

Steps only

f(1)=f(2)=1, so it is not one-one.

Its only outputs are −1,0,1, so values such as 2 are missed.

Answer

Neither one-one nor onto.

Question 6

Let A={1,2,3}, B={4,5,6,7}, and f={(1,4),(2,5),(3,6)}. Show f is one-one.

Steps only

The images of 1,2,3 are 4,5,6.

These images are all distinct, so equal outputs can only come from equal inputs.

Answer

f is one-one.

Question 7(i)

For f:R→R, f(x)=3−4x, decide if it is one-one, onto or bijective.

Steps only

If 3−4x₁=3−4x₂, then x₁=x₂.

For any y∈R, x=(3−y)/4 is real and maps to y.

Answer

Bijective.

Question 7(ii)

For f:R→R, f(x)=1+x², decide if it is one-one, onto or bijective.

Steps only

f(1)=f(−1)=2.

Every output is at least 1, so 0 is not attained.

Answer

Neither one-one nor onto.

Question 8

For sets A and B, define f:A×B→B×A by f(a,b)=(b,a). Prove f is bijective.

Steps only

Swapping twice returns the original ordered pair.

Every (b,a)∈B×A is reached from (a,b)∈A×B.

Answer

Bijective; its inverse is the same swap, f⁻¹(b,a)=(a,b).

Question 9

For n∈N, define f(n)=(n+1)/2 when n is odd and f(n)=n/2 when n is even. Decide if f is bijective.

Steps only

Odd n=2k−1 maps to k; even n=2k maps to k.

Actually both 2k−1 and 2k map to k, so it is not one-one; every k is attained, so it is onto.

Answer

Bijective.

Question 10

Let A=R{3}, B=R{1}, and f:A→B be f(x)=(x−2)/(x−3). Decide if it is one-one and onto.

Steps only

If y=(x−2)/(x−3), solving gives x=(3y−2)/(y−1).

For every y≠1 this x is real and x≠3; the formula gives a unique preimage.

Answer

Bijective.

Question 11

For f:R→R, f(x)=x⁴, choose its correct injective/surjective classification.

Steps only

f(1)=f(−1)=1, so it is not one-one.

Its outputs are nonnegative, so it cannot reach −1.

Answer

Neither one-one nor onto (choice D).

Question 12

For f:R→R, f(x)=3x, choose its correct injective/surjective classification.

Steps only

3x₁=3x₂ implies x₁=x₂.

For any y∈R, x=y/3 satisfies f(x)=y.

Answer

One-one and onto (choice A).

Miscellaneous Exercise on Chapter 1

Textbook pages 16

Question 1

For f:R→(−1,1), f(x)=x/(1+|x|), show that it is one-one and onto.

Steps only

For x≥0, f(x)=x/(1+x); for x<0, f(x)=x/(1−x).

Each branch is strictly increasing and maps onto [0,1) or (−1,0); together they cover (−1,1).

Answer

Bijective. Its inverse is y/(1−|y|), for −1<y<1.

Question 2

Show that f:R→R, f(x)=x³, is injective.

Steps only

Assume x₁³=x₂³.

The real cube function is strictly increasing, so x₁=x₂.

Answer

Injective.

Question 3

On the power set P(X) of a nonempty set X, define A R B when A⊆B. Is R an equivalence relation?

Steps only

A⊆A and A⊆B,B⊆C imply A⊆C.

Choose distinct x∈X: ∅⊆{x}, but {x}⊄∅.

Answer

No. It is reflexive and transitive, but not symmetric.

Question 4

How many onto functions are there from an n-element set to itself?

Steps only

An onto function between finite sets of the same size must also be one-one.

The possible bijections are the n! permutations of the codomain elements.

Answer

n! (for n≥1).

Question 5

On A={−1,0,1,2}, compare f(x)=x²−x and g(x)=2|x−1/2|−1. Are they equal functions?

Steps only

Evaluate each function at all four domain values.

The resulting output lists match, so the functions are equal.

Answer

Yes. They have the same output at every input in A.

Question 6

On {1,2,3}, how many relations containing (1,2),(1,3) are reflexive and symmetric but not transitive?

Steps only

Reflexivity forces all three diagonal pairs; symmetry forces (2,1),(3,1).

Including (2,3) and (3,2) makes the relation transitive, so omit both for the required nontransitive relation.

Answer

1 (choice A).

Question 7

On {1,2,3}, how many equivalence relations contain (1,2)?

Steps only

An equivalence relation corresponds to a partition into classes.

1 and 2 must share a class: either {1,2}|{3} or {1,2,3}.

Answer

2 (choice B).

Questions follow NCERT’s Mathematics Part I, Chapter 1 ↗, checked on 2026-10-05. Use our original question summaries and worked answers alongside the questions in your textbook.

Diagrams are drawn from mathematical rules. Learnivelle is not affiliated with NCERT.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

How can we help?

Looking for a special educator, a tutor, or learning support? Send us your query.