Solutions to Sets and Functions Problems

Solutions to Sets and Functions Problems

Arun Ram
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University of Melbourne
Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
aram@unimelb.edu.au
and

Department of Mathematics
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Madison, WI 53706 USA
ram@math.wisc.edu

Last updates: 10 November 2009

Problems

Let S , T and U be sets and let f : S → T and g : T → U be functions. Show that
  1. if f and g are injective then g ∘ f is injective,
  2. if f and g are surjective then g ∘ f is surjective, and
  3. if f and g are bijective then g ∘ f is bijective.

Let f : S → T be a function and let U ⊆ S . The image of U under f is the subset of T given by f U = f u | u ∈ U .

Let f : S → T be a function. The image of U under f is the subset of T given by im U = f s | s ∈ S . Note that im f = f S .

Let f : S → T be a function and let V ⊆ T . The inverse image of V under f is the subset of S given by f -1 V = s ∈ S | f s ∈ V .

Let f : S → T be a function and let t ∈ T . The fiber of f over t is the subset of S given by f -1 t = s ∈ S | f s = t .

Let f : S → T be a function. Show that the set F = f -1 t | t ∈ T of fibers of the map f is a partition of S .

  1. Let f : S → T be a function. Define f ′ : S ⟶ im f s ⟼ f s . Show that the map f ′ is well defined and surjective.
  2. Let f : S → T be a function and let F = f -1 t | t ∈ im f = f -1 t | t ∈ T \ ∅ be the set of nonempty fibers of the map f . Define f ^ : F ⟶ T f -1 t ⟼ t . Show that the map f ^ is well defined and injective.
  3. Let f : S → T be a function and let F = f -1 t | t ∈ im f = f -1 t | t ∈ T \ ∅ be the set of nonempty fibers of the map f . Define f ^ ′ : F ⟶ im T f -1 t ⟼ t . Show that the map f ^ ′ is well defined and bijective.

Let S be a set. The power set of S , 2 S , is the set of all subsets of S .

Let S be a set and let 0 1 S be the set of all functions f : S → 0 1 . Given a subset T ⊆ S define a function f T : S → 0 1 by f T s = 0 , if  s ∉ T , 1 , if  s ∈ T .

Show that the map ψ : 2 S ⟶ 0 1 S T ⟼ f T is a bijection.

Let ∘ : S × S → S be an associative operation on a set S . An identity for ∘ is an element e ∈ S such that e ∘ s = s ∘ e = s for all s ∈ S .

Let e be an identity for an associative operation ∘ on a set S . Let s ∈ S . A left inverse for s is an element t ∈ S such that t ∘ s = e . A right inverse for s is an element t ′ ∈ S such that s ∘ t ′ = e . An inverse for s is an element s -1 ∈ S such that s -1 ∘ s = s ∘ s -1 = e .

  1. Let ∘ be an operation on a set S . Show that if S contains an identity for ∘ then it is unique.
  2. Let e be an identity for an associative operation ∘ on a set S . Let s ∈ S . Show that if s has an inverse then it is then it is unique.

  1. Let S and T be sets and let ι S and ι T be the identity maps on S and T respectively. Show that for any function f : S → T , ι T ∘ f = f , and f ∘ ι S = f .
  2. Let f : S → T be a function. Show that if an inverse function to f exists then it is unique. (Hint: The proof is very similar to the proof in Ex. 5b above.)

Solutions

  1. Assume f and g are injective.
  2. To show: If s 1 s 2 ∈ S and g ∘ f s 1 = g ∘ f s 2 then s 1 = s 2 .
    1. Assume s 1 s 2 ∈ S and g ∘ f s 1 = g ∘ f s 2 .
    2. Then g f s 1 = g f s 2 .
    3. Thus, since g is injective, f s 1 = f s 2
    4. Thus, since f is injective, s 1 = s 2 .
  3. So g ∘ f is injective.
  4. □
  5. Assume f and g are surjective.
  6. To show: If u ∈ U then there exists s ∈ S such that g ∘ f s = u .
    1. Assume u ∈ U .
    2. Since g is surjective there exists t ∈ T such that g t = u .
    3. Since f is surjective there exists s ∈ S such that f s = t .
    4. So g ∘ f s = g f s = g t = u .
    5. So there exists s ∈ S such that g ∘ f s = u .
  7. So g ∘ f is surjective.
  8. □
  9. Assume that f and g are bijective.
  10. To Show:
    1. g ∘ f is injective.
    2. g ∘ f is surjective.
  11. Proof:
    1. Since f and g are bijective, f and g are injective.
    2. Thus, by (a), g ∘ f is injective.
    3. Since f and g are bijective, f and g are surjective.
    4. Thus, by (b), g ∘ f is surjective.
  12. So g ∘ f is bijective.
  13. □
To show:
  1. If s ′ ∈ S then s ′ ∈ f -1 t for some t ∈ T .
  2. If f -1 t 1 ∩ f -1 t 2 ≠ ∅ then f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
Proof:
  1. Assume s ′ ∈ S .
  2. Then f -1 f s ′ = s ∈ S | f s = f s ′ .
  3. Since f s ′ = f s ′ , s ′ ∈ f -1 f s ′ .
  4. Assume f -1 t 1 ∩ f -1 t 2 ≠ ∅ .
  5. Let s ∈ f -1 t 1 ∩ f -1 t 2 .
  6. So f s = t 1 and f s = t 2
  7. To show: f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
    1. To show:
      1. f -1 t 1 ⊆ f -1 t 2 .
      2. f -1 t 2 ⊆ f -1 t 1 .
    2. Proof:
      1. Let k ∈ f -1 t 1 .
      2. Then f k = t 1 = f s = t 2 .
      3. So k ∈ f -1 t 2 .
      4. So f -1 t 1 ⊆ f -1 t 2 .
      5. Let h ∈ f -1 t 2 .
      6. Then f h = t 2 = f s = t 1 .
      7. So h ∈ f -1 t 1 .
      8. So f -1 t 2 ⊆ f -1 t 1 .
  8. So f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
So the set F = f -1 t | t ∈ T of fibres of the map f is a partition of S .
□
  1. To show:
    1. f ′ is well defined.
    2. f ′ is surjective.
  2. Proof:
    1. To Show:
      1. If s ∈ S then f ′ s ∈ im f .
      2. If s 1 = s 2 then f ′ s 1 = f ′ s 2 .
    2. Proof:
      1. Assume s ∈ S .
      2. Then f ′ s = f s ∈ im f by definition of f ′ and im f .
      3. Assume s 1 = s 2 .
      4. Then, by definition of f ′ , f ′ s 1 = f s 1 = f s 2 = f ′ s 2 .
    3. So f ′ is well defined.
    4. To show: If t ∈ im f then there exists s ∈ S such that f ′ s = t .
      1. Assume t ∈ im f .
      2. Then f s = t for some s ∈ S .
      3. So f ′ s = f s = t .
    5. So f ′ is surjective.
  3. □
  4. To show:
    1. f ^ is well defined.
    2. f ^ is injective.
  5. Proof:
    1. To show:
      1. If f -1 t ∈ F then f ^ f -1 t ∈ T .
      2. If f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 then f ^ f -1 t 1 = f ^ f -1 t 2 .
    2. Proof:
      1. Assume f -1 t ∈ F .
      2. Then f ^ f -1 t = t ∈ T , by definition.
      3. Assume f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
      4. Let s ∈ f -1 t 1 .
      5. Then s ∈ f -1 t 2 also.
      6. So t 1 = s = t 2 .
      7. Then f ^ f -1 t 1 = t 1 = t 2 = f ^ f -1 t 2 .
    3. So f ^ is well defined.
    4. To Show: If f ^ f -1 t 1 = f ^ f -1 t 2 then f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
      1. Assume f ^ f -1 t 1 = f ^ f -1 t 2 .
      2. Then t 1 = t 2 .
      3. To show: f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
        1. This is clearly true since t 1 = t 2 .
    5. So f ^ is injective.
  6. □
  7. By part (b) above, the function f ^ : F ⟶ T f -1 t ⟼ t is well defined and surjective.
  8. By part (a) above, the function f ^ ′ : F ⟶ im f ^ f -1 t ⟼ t is well defined and surjective.
  9. To show:
    1. im f ^ = im f .
    2. f ^ ′ is injective.
  10. Proof:
    1. To Show:
      1. im f ^ ⊆ im f .
      2. im f ⊆ im f ^ .
    2. Proof:
      1. Assume t ∈ im f ^ .
      2. Then f -1 t is nonempty.
      3. So there exists s ∈ S such that f s = t .
      4. So t ∈ im f .
      5. So im f ^ ⊆ im f .
      6. Assume t ∈ im f .
      7. Then there exists s ∈ S such that f s = t .
      8. So f -1 t ≠ ∅ .
      9. So t ∈ im f ^ .
      10. So im f ⊆ im f ^ .
    3. So im f ^ = im f .
    4. To show: If f ^ ′ f -1 t 1 = f ^ ′ f -1 t 2 then f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
      1. Assume f ^ ′ f -1 t 1 = f ^ ′ f -1 t 2 .
      2. So t 1 = t 2 .
      3. So f -1 t 1 = f -1 t 2 .
    5. So f ^ ′ is injective.
  11. So f ^ ′ is well defined and bijective.
  12. □
To show:
  1. ψ is well defined.
  2. ψ is bijective.
Proof:
  1. To show:
    1. If T ∈ 2 S then ψ T = f T ∈ 0 1 S .
    2. If T 1 and T 2 are subsets of S and T 1 = T 2 then ψ T 1 = ψ T 2 .
  2. Proof:
    1. It is clear from the definition of f T that ψ T = f T is a function from S to 0 1 .
    2. Assume T 1 and T 2 are subsets of S and that T 1 = T 2 .
    3. To show: ψ T 1 = ψ T 2 .
      1. To show: f T 1 = f T 2 .
        1. To show: If s ∈ S then f T 1 s = f T 2 s .
          1. Assume s ∈ S .
          2. Case 1:
            1. If s ∈ T 1 then, since T 1 = T 2 , s ∈ T 2 .
            2. So f T 1 s = 1 = f T 2 s .
          3. Case 2:
            1. If s ∉ T 1 then, since T 1 = T 2 , s ∉ T 2 .
            2. So f T 1 s = 0 = f T 2 s .
        2. So f T 1 s = f T 2 s for all s ∈ S .
      2. So f T 1 = f T 2 .
    4. So ψ T 1 = f T 1 = f T 2 = ψ T 2 .
  3. So ψ is well defined.
  4. By virtue of Proposition 2.2.3 [??? - CORRECT?] we would like to show:
  5. ψ : 2 S → 0 1 S has an inverse function.
  6. Given a function f : s → 0 1 define T f = s ∈ S | f s = 1 .
  7. Define a function ϕ : 0 1 S → 2 S by ϕ : 0 1 S ⟶ 2 S f ⟼ T f .
  8. To Show:
    1. ϕ is well defined.
    2. ϕ is an inverse function to ψ .
  9. Proof:
    1. To show:
      1. If f ∈ 0 1 S then ϕ f = T f ∈ 2 S .
      2. If f 1 f 2 ∈ 0 1 S and f 1 = f 2 then ϕ f 1 = ϕ f 2 .
    2. Proof:
      1. By definition T f = s ∈ s | f s = 1 is a subset of S .
      2. Assume f 1 f 2 ∈ 1 2 S and f 1 = f 2 .
      3. To show: ϕ f 1 = ϕ f 2 .
        1. To show: T f 1 = T f 2 .
          1. To Show:
            1. T f 1 ⊆ T f 2 .
            2. T f 1 ⊆ T f 2 .
          1. Proof:
            1. Assume s ∈ T f 1 .
            2. Then f 1 s = 1 .
            3. Since f 2 s = f 1 s , f 2 s = 1 .
            4. Thus s ∈ T f 2 .
            5. So, T f 1 ⊆ T f 2
            6. Assume s ∈ T f 2 .
            7. Then f 2 s = 1 .
            8. Since f 1 s = f 2 s , f 1 s = 1 .
            9. Thus s ∈ T f 1 .
            10. So, T f 2 ⊆ T f 1
        2. So T f 1 = T f 2 .
      4. So ϕ f 1 = ϕ f 2 .
    3. So ϕ is well defined.
    4. To Show:
      1. If T ∈ 2 S then ϕ ψ T = T .
      2. If f ∈ 0 1 S then ψ ϕ f = f .
    5. Proof:
      1. Assume T ⊆ S .
      2. To show: ϕ ψ T = T
        1. To show: T f T = T .
        2. To Show:
          1. T f T ⊆ T .
          2. T ⊆ T f T .
        3. Proof:
          1. Assume t ∈ T f T .
          2. Then f T t = 1 .
          3. So t ∈ T .
          4. So T f T ⊆ T .
          5. Assume t ∈ T .
          6. Then f T t = 1 .
          7. So t ∈ T f T .
          8. So T ⊆ T f T .
        4. So T f T = T .
      3. So ϕ ψ T = T
      4. Assume f ∈ 0 1 S .
      5. To show: ϕ ψ f = f .
        1. By definition, ψ ϕ f = f T f .
        2. To show: If s ∈ S then f T f s = f s .
          1. Assume s ∈ S .
          2. Case 1: f s = 1 .
            1. Then s ∈ T f .
            2. So f T f = 1 .
            3. So f T f = f s .
          3. Case 2: f s = 0 .
            1. Then s ∉ T f .
            2. So f T f = 0 .
            3. So f T f = f s .
        3. So f T f s = f s .
      6. So ψ ϕ f = f .
    6. So ϕ is an inverse function to ψ .
  10. So ψ is bijective.
  11. □
  1. Let e e ′ ∈ S be identities for ∘ .
  2. Then e ∘ e ′ = e , since e ′ is an identity, and e ∘ e ′ = e ′ , since e is an identity.
  3. So, e = e ′ .
  4. Let t u ∈ S be inverses for s .
  5. By associativity of ∘ , u = t ∘ s ∘ u = t ∘ s ∘ u = t .
  6. □
  1. Assume f : S → T is a function.
  2. To show:
    1. ι T ∘ f = f .
    2. f ∘ ι T = f .
  3. Proof:
    1. If s ∈ S then ι T f s = f s .
    2. If s ∈ S then f ι S s = f s .
  4. (aa) and (ab) follow immediately from the definitions of ι T and ι S .
  5. Assume ϕ and ψ are both inverse functions to f .
  6. To show: ϕ = ψ .
  7. By the definitions of identity and inverse functions ϕ = ϕ ∘ f ∘ ψ = ϕ ∘ f ∘ ψ = ψ .
  8. So, if an inverse functions exists, then it is unique.
  9. □

References [PLACEHOLDER]

[BG] A. Braverman and D. Gaitsgory, Crystals via the affine Grassmanian, Duke Math. J. 107 no. 3, (2001), 561-575; arXiv:math/9909077v2, MR1828302 (2002e:20083)