To determine if a function has an inverse, you need to check if the function is bijective, meaning it is both injective (one-to-one) and surjective (onto). Here's a breakdown of these terms:

1. Injective (One-to-One): A function is injective if different inputs produce different outputs. Formally, a function $f(x)$ is injective if for every $x_1$ and $x_2$, whenever $f(x_1) = f(x_2)$, it must be that $x_1 = x_2$. This guarantees that each output corresponds to only one input.

   To check injectivity:

   • You can check the derivative $f'(x)$ (if the function is differentiable). If $f'(x)$ does not change sign (i.e., it’s always positive or always negative), the function is injective.
   • Alternatively, use the horizontal line test: If any horizontal line crosses the graph of the function at more than one point, the function is not injective.

2. Surjective (Onto): A function is surjective if every possible output is covered by some input. That is, for every $y$ in the codomain (range of possible outputs), there exists an $x$ such that $f(x) = y$.

   To check surjectivity:

   • Verify that the function’s range is equal to its codomain. This means the function must cover all possible output values.

3. Bijective: A function is bijective if it is both injective and surjective. If a function is bijective, it will have an inverse function.

Summary Steps to Check if a Function Has an Inverse:

1. Check if the function is injective (use the horizontal line test or derivative).
2. Check if the function is surjective (verify that the range matches the codomain).
3. If both are satisfied, the function is bijective and has an inverse.

Would you like more details on how to apply these tests to specific functions?

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Related Questions:

1. How does the horizontal line test work in detail?
2. Can non-bijective functions still have a partial inverse?
3. How do we find the inverse of a specific bijective function?
4. What are some real-world examples of functions with and without inverses?
5. How do the properties of a function's derivative relate to its injectivity?

Tip: Functions that are strictly increasing or decreasing (monotonic) are always injective and thus have inverses if their domain covers the entire codomain.