Definition:Bijection
Definition
Definition 1
A mapping $f: S \to T$ is a bijection if and only if both:
- $(1): \quad f$ is an injection
and:
- $(2): \quad f$ is a surjection.
Definition 2
A mapping $f: S \to T$ is a bijection if and only if:
- $f$ has both a left inverse and a right inverse.
Definition 3
A mapping $f: S \to T$ is a bijection if and only if:
Definition 4
A mapping $f \subseteq S \times T$ is a bijection if and only if:
- for each $y \in T$ there exists one and only one $x \in S$ such that $\tuple {x, y} \in f$.
Definition 5
A relation $f \subseteq S \times T$ is a bijection if and only if:
- $(1): \quad$ for each $x \in S$ there exists one and only one $y \in T$ such that $\tuple {x, y} \in f$
- $(2): \quad$ for each $y \in T$ there exists one and only one $x \in S$ such that $\tuple {x, y} \in f$.
Class-Theoretical Definition
In the context of class theory, the definition follows the same lines:
Let $A$ and $B$ be classes.
Let $f: A \to B$ be a class mapping from $A$ to $B$.
Then $f$ is said to be a bijection if and only if:
- $f$ is both a class injection and a class surjection.
Graphical Depiction
The following diagram illustrates the bijection:
- $f: S \to T$
and its inverse, where $S$ and $T$ are the finite sets:
\(\ds S\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {a, b, c, d}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds T\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {p, q, r, s}\) |
and $f$ is defined as:
- $f = \set {\tuple {a, p}, \tuple {b, r}, \tuple {c, s}, \tuple {d, q} }$
Thus the images of each of the elements of $S$ under $f$ are:
\(\ds \map f a\) | \(=\) | \(\ds p\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \map f b\) | \(=\) | \(\ds r\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \map f c\) | \(=\) | \(\ds s\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \map f d\) | \(=\) | \(\ds q\) |
The preimages of each of the elements of $T$ under $f$ are:
\(\ds \map {f^{-1} } p\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set a\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \map {f^{-1} } q\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set d\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \map {f^{-1} } r\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set c\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \map {f^{-1} } s\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set c\) |
Also known as
The terms
- biunique correspondence
- bijective correspondence
are sometimes seen for bijection.
Authors who prefer to limit the jargon of mathematics tend to use the term one-one and onto mapping for bijection.
If a bijection exists between two sets $S$ and $T$, then $S$ and $T$ are said to be in one-to-one correspondence.
Occasionally you will see the term set isomorphism, but the term isomorphism is usually reserved for mathematical structures of greater complexity than a set.
Some authors, developing the concept of inverse mapping independently from that of the bijection, call such a mapping invertible.
The symbol $f: S \leftrightarrow T$ is sometimes seen to denote that $f$ is a bijection from $S$ to $T$.
Also seen sometimes is the notation $f: S \cong T$ or $S \stackrel f \cong T$ but this is cumbersome and the symbol $\cong$ already has several uses.
In the context of class theory, a bijection is often seen referred to as a class bijection.
Technical Note
The $\LaTeX$ code for \(f: S \leftrightarrow T\) is f: S \leftrightarrow T
.
The $\LaTeX$ code for \(f: S \cong T\) is f: S \cong T
.
The $\LaTeX$ code for \(S \stackrel f \cong T\) is S \stackrel f \cong T
.
Examples
Arbitrary Mapping on Sets
Let $A = \set {a_1, a_2, a_3, a_4}$.
Let $B = \set {b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4}$.
Let $f \subseteq {A \times B}$ be the mapping defined as:
- $f = \set {\tuple {a_1, b_3}, \tuple {a_2, b_2}, \tuple {a_3, b_4}, \tuple {a_4, b_1} }$
Then $f$ is a bijection.
$\paren {-1}^x \floor {\dfrac x 2}$ from $\N$ to $\Z$
Let $f: \N \to \Z$ be the mapping defined from the natural numbers to the integers as:
- $\forall x \in \N: f \paren x = \paren {-1}^x \floor {\dfrac x 2}$
Then $f$ is a bijection.
$x^3$ Function on Real Numbers is Bijective
Let $f: \R \to \R$ be the mapping defined on the set of real numbers as:
- $\forall x \in \R: \map f x = x^3$
Then $f$ is a bijection.
Negative Functions on Standard Number Systems are Bijective
Let $\mathbb S$ be one of the standard number systems $\Z$, $\Q$, $\R$, $\C$.
Let $h: \mathbb S \to \mathbb S$ be the negation function defined on $\mathbb S$:
- $\forall x \in \mathbb S: \map h x = -x$
Then $h$ is a bijection.
$2 x + 1$ Function on Real Numbers is Bijective
Let $f: \R \to \R$ be the mapping defined on the set of real numbers as:
- $\forall x \in \R: \map f x = 2 x + 1$
Then $f$ is a bijection.
Also see
- Results about bijections can be found here.
Basic Properties of a Bijection
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- In Bijection iff Left and Right Inverse, it is shown that a mapping $f$ is a bijection if and only if it has both a left inverse and a right inverse, and that these are the same, called the (two-sided) inverse.
- In Bijection iff Inverse is Bijection, it is shown that the inverse mapping $f^{-1}$ of a bijection $f$ is also a bijection, and that it is the same mapping as the (two-sided) inverse.
- In Composite of Bijection with Inverse is Identity Mapping, it is established that the inverse mapping $f^{-1}$ and the (two-sided) inverse are the same thing.
- In Bijection iff Left and Right Cancellable, it is shown that a mapping $f$ is a bijection if and only if it is both left cancellable and right cancellable.
Sources
- 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): one-to-one correspondence ($1$-$1$ correspondence)
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): one-to-one correspondence (one-one or $1$-$1$ correspondence)
- 2014: Christopher Clapham and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): correspondence
- Barile, Margherita. "One-to-One." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource, created by Eric W. Weisstein. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/One-to-One.html