Surjection iff Right Cancellable/Sufficient Condition/Proof 2

Theorem

Let $f$ be a mapping which is right cancellable.


Then $f$ is a surjection.


Proof

Let $f: X \to Y$ be a right cancellable mapping.

Let $Y$ contain exactly one element.

Then by definition $Y$ is a singleton.

From Mapping to Singleton is Surjection it follows that $f$ is a surjection.


So let $Y$ contain at least two elements.

Call those two elements $a$ and $b$, and we note that $a \ne b$.

We define the two mappings $h, k$ as follows:

$h: Y \to Y: \forall y \in Y: \map h y = \begin{cases} y & : y \in \Img f \\ a & : y \notin \Img f \end{cases}$
$k: Y \to Y: \forall y \in Y: \map k y = \begin{cases} y & : y \in \Img f \\ b & : y \notin \Img f \end{cases}$

It is clear that:

$\forall x \in X: \map h {\map f x} = \map f x = \map k {\map f x}$

and so:

$h \circ f = k \circ f$

But by hypothesis, $f$ is right cancellable.

Thus $h = k$.


Aiming for a contradiction, suppose $Y \ne \Img f$.

Then:

$\Img f \subsetneq Y$

That is:

$\exists y \in Y: y \notin \Img f$

It follows that:

$a = \map h y = \map k y = b$

But we posited that $a \ne b$.

From this contradiction we conclude that:

$Y = \Img f$

So, by definition, $f$ must be a surjection.

$\blacksquare$


Sources

  • 1975: T.S. Blyth: Set Theory and Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 5$. Induced mappings; composition; injections; surjections; bijections: Theorem $5.6$