In mathematics, the domain or set of departure of a function is the set into which all of the input of the function is constrained to fall. It is the set in the notation. Since a function is defined on its entire domain, its domain coincides with its domain of definition, the subset of the domain for which the function associates an image. However this coincidence is no longer true for a partial function since the domain of definition of a partial function can be a proper subset of the domain. A domain is part of a function if is defined as a triple where is called the domain of, its codomain, and its graph. A domain is not part of a function if is defined as just a graph. For example in set theory it is desirable to permit the domain of a function to be a proper class, in which case there is formally no such thing as a triple. With such a definition functions do not have a domain, although some authors still use it informally after introducing a function in the form. For instance, the domain of cosine is the set of all real numbers, while the domain of the square root consists only of numbers greater than or equal to 0. If the domain of a function is a subset of the real numbers and the function is represented in a Cartesian coordinate system, then the domain is represented on the x-axis.
Examples
A well-defined function must map every element of its domain to an element of its codomain. For example, the function defined by has no value for. Thus, the set of all real numbers,, cannot be its domain. In cases like this, the function is either defined on or the "gap is plugged" by explicitly defining. If one extends the definition of to the piecewise function then f is defined for all real numbers, and its domain is. Any function can be restricted to a subset of its domain. The restriction of to, where, is written.
Natural domain
The natural domain of a function is the maximum set of values for which the function is defined, typically within the reals but sometimes among the integers or complex numbers. For instance the natural domain of square root is the non-negative reals when considered as a real number function. When considering a natural domain, the set of possible values of the function is typically called its range.
Category theory
deals with morphisms instead of functions. Morphisms are arrows from one object to another. The domain of any morphism is the object from which an arrow starts. In this context, many set theoretic ideas about domains must be abandoned or at least formulated more abstractly. For example, the notion of restricting a morphism to a subset of its domain must be modified. Seesubobject for more.
As a partial function from the real numbers to the real numbers, the function has domain. However, if one defines the square root of a negative numberx as the complex numberz with positive imaginary part such that z2 = x, the function has as its domain the entire real line. The domain of the trigonometric function is the set of all numbers not of the form.
