In mathematics, a map is often used as a synonym for a function.[1]
Originally, this was an abbreviation of mapping,
which often refers to the action of applying a function to the elements of its domain.
Maps may either be functions or morphisms, though the terms share some overlap.[4]
The term map may be used to distinguish some special types of functions,
such as homomorphisms.
For example, a linear map is a homomorphism of vector spaces,
while the term linear function may have this meaning as well as another one.[5][6]
In category theory, a map may refer to a morphism,
which is a generalization of the idea of a function.
In some occasions, the term transformation can also be used interchangeably.[4]
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