Graph of a function: Difference between revisions

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Definition: fundamental clarification
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{{anchor|graph of a relation}}A graph of a function is a special case of a [[Relation (mathematics)|relation]].
In the modern [[foundations of mathematics]], and, typically, in [[set theory]], a function is actually equal to its graph.<ref name="Pinter2014">{{cite book|author=Charles C Pinter|title=A Book of Set Theory|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iUT_AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA49|year=2014|orig-year=1971|publisher=Dover Publications|isbn=978-0-486-79549-2|pages=49}}</ref> However, it is often useful to see functions as [[Map (mathematics)|mappings]],<ref>{{cite book|author=T. M. Apostol|authorlink=Tom M. Apostol|title=Mathematical Analysis|year=1981|publisher=Addison-Wesley|page=35}}</ref> which consist not only of the relation between input and output, but also which set is the ___domain, and which set is the [[codomain]]. For example, to say that a function is onto ([[Surjective function|surjective]]) or not the codomain should be taken into account. The graph of a function on its own does not determine the codomain. It is common<ref>{{cite book|author=P. R. Halmos|title=A Hilbert Space Problem Book|url=https://archive.org/details/hilbertspaceprob00halm_811|url-access=limited|year=1982|publisher=Springer-Verlag|isbn=0-387-90685-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/hilbertspaceprob00halm_811/page/n47 31]}}</ref> to use both terms ''function'' and ''graph of a function'' since even if considered the same object, they indicate viewing it from a different perspective.
[[File:X^4 - 4^x.PNG|350px|thumb|Graph of the function <math>f(x) = x^4 - 4^x</math> over the [[Interval (mathematics)|interval]] [−2,+3]. Also shown are the two real roots and the local minimum that are in the interval.]]