# Math Help - Functions help

1. ## Functions help

Hey guys. I'm about to start grade 11 and I've always had a lot of trouble with high school math. I looked back at my summer school stuff (I started gr11 math early) and I'm puzzled by this question: Complete the following table then sketch the graph for the equation x = y squared. The y "elements" or Range as I'm taught to call it now are as follows: -3, -2 , -2 ,0, 1 ,2, 3.

The question I'm stuck on is this: Is x=y squared a function or a relation?

Ps- Would describing the graph i made help in any way?

2. You need a definition of a function. Do your materials provide such a definition?

Most clearly, if 2 y-values lead to the same x-value, you've a relation and not a function. In this case:

y = 1 ==> (1^2) = 1
y = -1 ==> ((-1)^2) = 1

What does that say about function or relation?

3. Originally Posted by Obama
Hey guys. I'm about to start grade 11 and I've always had a lot of trouble with high school math. I looked back at my summer school stuff (I started gr11 math early) and I'm puzzled by this question: Complete the following table then sketch the graph for the equation x = y squared. The y "elements" or Range as I'm taught to call it now are as follows: -3, -2 , -2 ,0, 1 ,2, 3.

The question I'm stuck on is this: Is x=y squared a function or a relation?

Ps- Would describing the graph i made help in any way?

Make a table of values and plot them on a pair of axis. put the y-elements in one column and calculate the respective x-elements (by following the formula).

example.

$x = y^2$

$\Rightarrow$ when $y = -3$:

$x = (-3)^2 = 9$

so: $x = 9, y = -3$ is the first row of the table

when you calculate the x-values for all the y-values, then just plot the points on the axis (do you know how to do that?)

Hint: For the second part. A function is a special type of relation. A function is a relation in which each element in the domain maps to one and ONLY one element in the range, that is, each output has a unique input

EDIT: You're too fast for me, TKHunny