In mathematics, a function is a relation between a set of inputs and a set of possible outputs, where each input is related to exactly one output. In other words, for every input (often referred to as an independent variable), there is a unique output (dependent variable). This means that no two different inputs can correspond to the same output. Functions can be represented in various ways, including through equations, graphs, and tables.
Considering the table you provided, it demonstrates a function because each day of the week (the input) is associated with exactly one corresponding number of children in the car (the output). Each day is unique and maps to a specific number of children present:
- Sunday maps to 2
- Monday maps to 4
- Tuesday maps to 4
- Wednesday maps to 3
- Thursday maps to 4
- Friday maps to 3
- Saturday maps to 0
There are no days of the week that share the same output (the number of children) in a way that violates the definition of a function, even though some days may have the same number of children. The key point is that each day of the week (input) corresponds to only one value (output), fulfilling the criteria of a function.