How to Map a subset of list elements to a function?

Update: in version 10.2 BlockMap was added as a System context function.

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If the arguments are sequential there is a function Developer`PartitionMap that does this directly, potentially saving considerable memory over Partition.

Developer`PartitionMap[f @@ # &, Range@5, 2, 1]

{f[1, 2], f[2, 3], f[3, 4], f[4, 5]}

Syntax is the same as for Partition but with the function to map inserted as the first argument. Notice in my use above that I needed Apply (short form @@) to pass the elements as arguments rather than a single list.

If the arguments are not sequental you can use Part:

list = {a, b, c, d, e}; 

parts = {{1, 2}, {4, 1, 3}, {5, 2}};

f @@ list[[#]] & /@ parts

{f[a, b], f[d, a, c], f[e, b]}

You can use

f @@@ Partition[{1,2,3,4}, 2, 1]

which will give

{f[1,2], f[2,3], f[3,4]}

You might first partition your list and then use Map as usual :

f[#[[1]], #[[2]]] & /@ Partition[{1,2,3,4}, 2, 1]

(* {f[1, 2], f[2, 3], f[3, 4]} *)