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Membership Tables: Proving Set Identities With One Example

This document discusses different proof techniques in discrete mathematics, including direct proofs, proofs by contradiction, and proofs by cases. It notes that proofs using a single example are not a valid proof technique. The document then provides an example proof to show that X ∪ (Y ∩ Z) = (X ∪ Y) ∩ (X ∪ Z) using a membership table and Venn diagram. It concludes by showing membership tables can represent sets with more than 3 elements.

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Amoy Pixel Nicholson
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422 views9 pages

Membership Tables: Proving Set Identities With One Example

This document discusses different proof techniques in discrete mathematics, including direct proofs, proofs by contradiction, and proofs by cases. It notes that proofs using a single example are not a valid proof technique. The document then provides an example proof to show that X ∪ (Y ∩ Z) = (X ∪ Y) ∩ (X ∪ Z) using a membership table and Venn diagram. It concludes by showing membership tables can represent sets with more than 3 elements.

Uploaded by

Amoy Pixel Nicholson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Membership Tables: Proving Set Identities with One Example

Proof techniques we teach in Discrete Mathematics


Direct Proofs Proofs by Contradiction Proofs by Contrapositive Proofs by Cases Mathematical Induction (Strong Form?)

Proof techniques we do NOT teach in Discrete Mathematics


Proof by one example Proof by two examples Proof by a few examples Proof by many examples

Two sets X and Y are equal if X and Y have the same elements. To prove sets X and Y are equal, prove if x X then x Y , and if y Y, then y X .

Example: Determine the truth value of

X (Y Z ) ( X Y ) ( X Z ). Proof: Let x X (Y Z ) . Then x is a member of X, or x is a member of Y Z . Hence, x is a


member of X, or x is a member of Y and x is a member of Z. If x is a member of X, then x is a member of X Y and x is a member of X . Z Otherwise, x is a member of Y and Z and hence a member of X Y and X Z. Either way, x is a member of X Y and X Z . Therefore, x ( X Y ) ( X Z ) . Now show the other direction.

Venn Diagram Verification


X

X (Y Z )

(X Y ) (X Z )

X
4

U {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} X {1,2,3,4} Y {1,2,5,6} Z {1,3,5,7}


Z
8

2 1 3

X (Y Z ) {1,2,3,4} {1,5} {1,2,3,4,5}

( X Y ) ( X Z ) {1,2,3,4,5,6} {1,2,3,4,5,7} {1,2,3,4,5}

Venn Diagrams for more than 3 sets

4 sets

5 sets

Source: http://www.combinatorics.org/Surveys/ds5/VennGraphEJC.html

Membership Tables
X Y Z Y Z 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 0
X (Y Z )

X Y X Z ( X Y ) ( X Z )

1 1

1 1

1 1

1 1

3
4 5 6 7 8

1 0 1
1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

0
0 1 0 0 0

1
1 1 0 0 0

1
1 1 1 0 0

1
1 1 0 1 0

1
1 1 0 0 0

Never underestimate the value of a good example. --Tom Hern, Bowling Green State University Invited Address at 2005 Fall Meeting of the Ohio Section of MAA
Discrete Mathematics textbooks containing descriptions of membership tables: 1) Kenneth H. Rosen, Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications, 5th Ed., McGraw Hill, 2003, p. 91. 2) Ralph P. Grimaldi, Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics, 5th Ed., Pearson, 2004, pp. 143-144.

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