Function

🅟 Feb 22, 2026

  🅤 Feb 22, 2026

Set Theory > Functions

DEF-F. Function.

A function / mapping / transformation $f$ is a binary relation that is functional, i.e.

\[\forall x,y,z\in\operatorname{dom}f :\enspace (z,x)\in f\land(z,y)\in f \enspace\Rightarrow\enspace x=y.\]

For any $x\in\operatorname{dom}f$, the value of $f$ at $x$, written as $f(x)$, is the unique $y$ such that $(x,y)\in f$. Another notation for $f(x)=y$ is

\[f : x\mapsto y.\]

$f$ is a function on $X$ if $X=\operatorname{dom}f$. $f$ is a function onto $Y$, if $\operatorname{ran}f=Y$. $f$ is a function from $X$ to / into $Y$, written

\[f : X\to Y,\]

if $\operatorname{dom}f=X$ and $\operatorname{ran}f\subseteq Y$. In this context, $Y$ is called the codomain or set of destination of $f$.

REM-F-COD.

Notice that the codomain of a function is not an intrinsic property. When we talk about a function $f:X\to Y$, it is as if we were talking about the structure $(f,Y)$.

PROP-F-EMP.

$\varnothing$ is a function.