Hi, Pardue.

That depends on the context, of course. I suppose you're asking why

we teach how to determine whether a relation is a function or not.
For some ideas on why the concept of a function is important, see

Why Do We Have Functions?

http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/62559.html

As to why we would want to determine whether something is a function,

consider the definition of a function. First, if it is a function,
then we can calculate its value given the input; there is only one
answer. If it is not a function, then we can't know which answer to
choose. That's certainly worth knowing. For example, we know that
the square root would not be a function if we allowed it to mean
either root, so we choose to define the radical symbol as representing
only the principal root. That decision was made essentially so that
we would have a function, and expressions involving it would not be
ambiguous. We want a symbol to have only one meaning, where possible.
It's also worth knowing that when we work with complex numbers, the
square root is NOT a function; there is no way to consistently define
the square root as having only one value. Knowing that can help us
avoid some common mistakes.

Similarly, in certain fields of math we define functions in roundabout

ways, and have to show that it is "well-defined", meaning that it
really has just one value that is not dependent on how we define it.
As an example, you might define a function on rational numbers based
on the numerator and denominator of the fraction, and you have to make
sure that you will get the same answer regardless of which equivalent
fraction you use to do the calculation. That is an example of
determining whether something is a function, and it amounts to asking,
does what I'm doing make sense at all?

Further, there are some things we can do only with functions--

differentiating and integrating in calculus come to mind, and it is my
understanding that the concept of function was invented primarily so
that we could talk about what those operations do (change one function
into another). We have to know we have a function in order to do
those things.

Then, too, the fact that a relation is a function is just one more
thing to know about it, which can help in graphing it or otherwise
working with it.

If you have any further questions, feel free to write back.

- Doctor Peterson, The Math Forum

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/

Functions are, in many ways, one of the basic and fundamental objects in higher
mathematics. There are many branches where functions (or generalization of functions) are
crucial objects.
Understanding the graph of a function is a really useful skill in higher mathematics (esp. in
those areas that deal with calculus). Often when trying to understand a function we can look
at its graph as a "picture" of a function. It tells you how it changes when you change the
input/argument of the function and tells you about the points where the function behaves in
special ways, like having a maximum/minima. It can also give you an understanding what
values a function takes, whether it is increasing faster than another function, whether it is
close to zero or not, etc. That is one reason that I would recommend that when you are
reading about functions in your text book that you graph them yourself on some graph
paper and/or use a graphing calculator or a website like http://www.wolframalpha.com/ that
can graph functions. I would recommend graphing the functions that are given in the book,
even if there already are graphs given, and "mess around" with the graphing software by
changing the function slightly to see what that did to the graph of the function. For instance,
if your textbook has the graph of the function y=x2y=x2 and you see that it curves upward,
increasing more and more, you might want to ask yourself, "Why does the function increase
as xx gets larger? Why is x2<1x2<1 when 0<x<10<x<1? How would the function change if I
made it instead y=−x2y=−x2 or y=x2+1y=x2+1 or y=x2+xy=x2+x or y=x2.1y=x2.1?" Being able
to graph multiple functions at the same time can be helpful in seeing the change in the
function when you change it slightly. Getting some understanding for the relationship
between the graphs of functions and the equation for the function can be a very useful skill.
This intuition for a function based on its graph is often exploited in higher mathematics, like
analysis classes, where sometimes when asked questions about a strange function on a
homework exercise, it asks the student to graph the function. This helps the student
understand the function and gives them intuition for being able to solve the rest of the
problem.
Sometimes spending some time to understand the problem can go a long way and even save
you time. For instance, if you spend time working through examples like the ones suggested
in the previous paragraph and it helps you understand functions better so that, say, when
you learn about a specific function like y=2xy=2x it "clicks" and its properties make more
sense than they would have otherwise had you not spent the time trying to understand
functions, then not only have you spent your time studying wisely so that learning new
material is easier and possibly faster, but you enjoy it more and can get a still deeper
understanding of the topic.
A resource that I found very useful when learning some of the elementary topics in math
was Khan Accademy's and other videos that you can find by searching for your topic on
YouTube. For instance, Khan Academy has a playlist here about functions and their
graphs: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra-home/alg-functions
Understanding functions is crucial in basically all mathematics starting at algebra I in high
school. So, getting familiar with them in the short run (in taking precalculus, which is chock
full of functions) and in the long run if you are interested in pursuing basically any academic
field or being an educated person. Functions and their graphs come up in many fields on
science (like biology and chemistry, but especially physics and engineering) but also in
everyday like in interpreting data given about history or provided by statistics or economics.
That is why they often teach and ask questions about graphs in history classes, since graphs
are visual ways to depict and understand data. Likewise, in more function-intense fields,
understanding functions is very useful, so understanding graphs is very useful since
understanding graphs is often a visual way of interpreting what a function "really means"
and what it does.
That being said, yes, functions are important in higher mathematics. Because of that, graphs
of functions are important. There are multiple ways of studying, but math is not a spectator
sport. If you want to learn you have to get your hands dirty (with pencil lead or pen ink) and
do the math. I would suggest taking notes while you read and trying and working out
examples in the book yourself, before and after you read it. If you spend time trying to find
the solution to an example before you read the answer and a solution, then you will get more
out of it, even if you struggle with the problem and don't solve it by yourself. That being
said, working through problems in the book is a very helpful thing to do. Try doing the ones
that have the answers in the back of the book or try finding problems with answers online
through videos that present and solve the problems or websites
like http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/Alg/Alg.aspx . Remember, working on a problem is
not to just get to the right answer (which might be the overtone that is expressed in high
school classes) but to understand the problem. Higher mathematics is all about
understanding and asking questions. Of course, there are disciplines in higher mathematics
that involve a lot of computation, especially the ones that have many applications to the
sciences, but understanding how computations work and understanding in general are the
big things in higher mathematics. In math it often takes work to understand what is going
on, but it is a good thing to ask about how you can understand the material that you are
learning. I hope that you got something out of this and do well. Finding out how you learn
math best is a thing that you have to learn for yourself, since every person is different, but
these are some things that have worked for me. Have a great day. :)

What Is Calculus and Why do we Study it?

Calculus is the study of how things change. It provides a framework for modeling systems in which there is
change, and a way to deduce the predictions of such models.

I have been around for a while, and know how things change, more or less. What can calculus add to
that?

I am sure you know lots about how things change. And you have a qualitative notion of calculus. For example
the concept of speed of motion is a notion straight from calculus, though it surely existed long before calculus
did and you know lots about it.

So what does calculus add for me?

It provides a way for us to construct relatively simple quantitative models of change, and to deduce their
consequences.

To what end?

With this you get the ability to find the effects of changing conditions on the system being investigated. By
studying these, you can learn how to control the system to do make it do what you want it to do. Calculus, by
giving engineers and you the ability to model and control systems gives them (and potentially you)
extraordinary power over the material world.

The development of calculus and its applications to physics and engineering is probably the most significant
factor in the development of modern science beyond where it was in the days of Archimedes. And this was
responsible for the industrial revolution and everything that has followed from it including almost all the major
advances of the last few centuries.

Are you trying to claim that I will know enough about calculus to model systems and deduce enough to
control them?

If you had asked me this question ten years ago I would have said no. Now it is within the realm of possibility,
for some non-trivial systems, with your use of your laptop or desk computer.

OK, but how does calculus models change? What is calculus like?

The fundamental idea of calculus is to study change by studying "instantaneous" change, by which we mean
changes over tiny intervals of time.

And what good is that?

It turns out that such changes tend to be lots simpler than changes over finite intervals of time. This means they
are lots easier to model. In fact calculus was invented by Newton, who discovered that acceleration, which
means change of speed of objects could be modeled by his relatively simple laws of motion.

And so?

This leaves us with the problem of deducing information about the motion of objects from information about
their speed or acceleration. And the details of calculus involve the interrelations between the concepts
exemplified by speed and acceleration and that represented by position.

So what does one study in learning about calculus?

To begin with you have to have a framework for describing such notions as position speed and acceleration.

Single variable calculus, which is what we begin with, can deal with motion of an object along a fixed path.
The more general problem, when motion can take place on a surface, or in space, can be handled by
multivariable calculus. We study this latter subject by finding clever tricks for using the one dimensional ideas
and methods to handle the more general problems. So single variable calculus is the key to the general problem
as well.

When we deal with an object moving along a path, its position varies with time we can describe its position at
any time by a single number, which can be the distance in some units from some fixed point on that path,
called the "origin" of our coordinate system. (We add a sign to this distance, which will be negative if the
object is behind the origin.)

The motion of the object is then characterized by the set of its numerical positions at relevant points in time.

The set of positions and times that we use to describe motion is what we call a function. And similar functions
are used to describe the quantities of interest in all the systems to which calculus is applied.

The course here starts with a review of numbers and functions and their properties. You are undoubtedly
familiar with much of this, so we have attempted to add unfamiliar material to keep your attention while
looking at it.

I will get bogged down if I read about such stuff. Must I?

I would love to have you look at it, since I wrote it, but if you prefer not to, you could undoubtedly get by
skipping it, and referring back to it when or if you need to do so. However you will miss the new information,
and doing so could blight you forever. (Though I doubt it.)

And what comes after numbers and functions?

A typical course in calculus covers the following topics:

1. How to find the instantaneous change (called the "derivative") of various functions. (The process of doing so
is called "differentiation".)

2. How to use derivatives to solve various kinds of problems.

3. How to go back from the derivative of a function to the function itself. (This process is
called "integration".)

4. Study of detailed methods for integrating functions of certain kinds.

5. How to use integration to solve various geometric problems, such as computations of areas and volumes of
certain regions.

There are a few other standard topics in such a course. These include description of functions in terms of
power series, and the study of when an infinite series "converges" to a number.

So where does this empower me to do what?

It doesn't really do so. The problem is that such courses were first designed centuries ago, and they were aimed
not at empowerment (at that time utterly impossible) but at familiarizing their audience with ideas and
concepts and notations which allow understanding of more advanced work. Mathematicians and scientists and
engineers use concepts of calculus in all sorts of contexts and use jargon and notations that, without your
learning about calculus, would be completely inscrutable to you. The study of calculus is normally aimed at
giving you the "mathematical sophistication" to relate to such more advanced work.

So why this nonsense about empowerment?

This course will try to be different and to aim at empowerment as well as the other usual goals. It may not
succeed, but at least will try.

And how will it try to perform this wonder?

Traditional calculus courses emphasize algebraic methods for performing differentiating and integrating. We
will describe such methods, but also show how you can perform differentiation and integration (and also
solution of ordinary differential equations) on a computer spreadsheet with a tolerable amount of effort. We
will also supply applets which do the same automatically with even less effort. With these applets, or a
spreadsheet, you can apply the tools of calculus with greater ease and flexibility than has been possible before.
(There are more advanced programs that are often available, such as MAPLE and Mathematica, which allow
you to do much more with similar ease.) With them you can deduce the consequences of models of various
kinds in a wide variety of contexts.

Also, we will put much greater emphasis on modeling systems. With ideas on modeling and methods for
solving the differential equations they lead to, you can achieve the empowerment we have claimed.
And I will be able to use this to some worthwhile end?

Okay, probably not. But you might. And also you might be provoked to learn more about the systems you want
to study or about mathematics, to improve your chances to do so. Also you might be able to understand the
probable consequences of models a little better than you do now.

Well, what is in the introductory chapter on numbers?

We start with the natural numbers (1,2,3,...,) and note how the operations of subtraction, division and taking
the square root lead us to extending our number system to include negative numbers, fractions (called rational
numbers) and complex numbers. We also describe decimal expansions and examine the notion of countability.

And in the chapter about functions?

We start with an abstract definition of a function (as a set of argument-value pairs) and then describe the
standard functions. These are those obtained by starting with the identity function (value=argument) and the
exponential function, and using various operations on them.

Operations, what operations?

These are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, substitution and inversion.

But what is the exponential function, and what are substitution and inversion?

Here are one sentence answers: if you want to know more read the chapter!

The exponential function is mysteriously defined using calculus: it is the function that is its own derivative,
defined to have the value 1 at argument 0. It turns out, however, to be something you have seen before. And it
turns out to bear a close relation to the sine function of trigonometry.

Substitution of one function f into another g produces a new function, the function defined to have, at
argument x, the value of f at an argument which is the value of g at argument x. This is simpler than it sounds.

An inverse of a function is a function obtained by switching its values with its arguments. For example the
square function, usually written as x2 has the square root function as an inverse.

And …?

In the immortal words of Father William to his nephew, as penned by Lewis Carroll, who was a
mathematician: