Editing Injective function (section)

{{Short description|Function that preserves distinctness}}
{{Redirect|Injective|other uses|Injective module|and|Injective object}}
{{Functions}}

In [[mathematics]], an '''injective function''' (also known as '''injection''', or '''one-to-one function'''<ref>Sometimes ''one-one function'', in Indian mathematical education. {{Cite web |title=Chapter 1:Relations and functions |url=https://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/lemh101.pdf |via=NCERT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231226194119/https://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/lemh101.pdf |archive-date= Dec 26, 2023 }}</ref> )  is a [[function (mathematics)|function]] {{math|''f''}} that maps [[Distinct (mathematics)|distinct]] elements of its domain to distinct elements of its codomain; that is, {{math|1=''x''<sub>1</sub> ≠ ''x''<sub>2</sub>}} implies {{math|''f''(''x''<sub>1</sub>) {{≠}} ''f''(''x''<sub>2</sub>)}} (equivalently by [[contraposition]], {{math|''f''(''x''<sub>1</sub>) {{=}} ''f''(''x''<sub>2</sub>)}} implies {{math|1=''x''<sub>1</sub> = ''x''<sub>2</sub>}}). In other words, every element of the function's [[codomain]] is the [[Image (mathematics)|image]] of {{em|at most}} one element of its [[Domain of a function|domain]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mathsisfun.com/sets/injective-surjective-bijective.html|title=Injective, Surjective and Bijective|website=Math is Fun |access-date=2019-12-07}}</ref> The term {{em|one-to-one function}} must not be confused with {{em|one-to-one correspondence}} that refers to [[bijective function]]s, which are functions such that each element in the codomain is an image of exactly one element in the domain. 

A [[homomorphism]] between [[algebraic structure]]s is a function that is compatible with the operations of the structures. For all common algebraic structures, and, in particular for [[vector space]]s, an {{em|injective homomorphism}} is also called a {{em|[[monomorphism]]}}. However, in the more general context of [[category theory]], the definition of a monomorphism differs from that of an injective homomorphism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stacks.math.columbia.edu/tag/00V5|title=Section 7.3 (00V5): Injective and surjective maps of presheaves |website=The Stacks project |access-date=2019-12-07}}</ref> This is thus a theorem that they are equivalent for algebraic structures; see {{slink|Homomorphism|Monomorphism}} for more details.

A function <math>f</math> that is not injective is sometimes called many-to-one.<ref name=":0" />