This can be demonstrated using a function machine. The function, multiply by 3 and then subtract 1, can be applied to different values. If 5 is the input, the output is 14 because 5 × 3 – 1 = 14.

Charles Blackorby, William Schworm, The Existence of Input and Output Aggregates in Aggregate Production Functions, Econometrica, Vol. 56, No. 3 (May, 1988), pp. 613-643 ...

\ (\text {Input} \rightarrow \text {FUNCTION} \rightarrow \text {Output}\) If we think of a simple function such as multiply by 3, we can determine a set of output values.

What makes one- way functions special is that it's impossible to use their output value to deduce the input value -- in other words, the password. At least not with today's resources.

M. D. McKay, R. J. Beckman, W. J. Conover, A Comparison of Three Methods for Selecting Values of Input Variables in the Analysis of Output from a Computer Code, Technometrics, Vol. 21, No. 2 (May, ...