In
mathematics, a
function is a
relation between a
set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs with the property that each input is related to exactly one output. An example is the function that relates each real number
x to its square
x2. The output of a function
f corresponding to an input
x is denoted by
f(
x) (read "
f of
x"). In this example, if the input is -3, then the output is 9, and we may write
f(-3) = 9. Likewise, if the input is 3, then the output is also 9, and we may write
f(3) = 9. (The same output may be produced by more than one input, but each input gives only one output.) The input
variable(s) are sometimes referred to as the argument(s) of the function.
