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Section 3: Equivalence Relations

This document discusses equivalence relations and how they relate to partitions of sets. It defines an equivalence relation as a binary relation that is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive. Equivalence relations induce partitions of sets, where the equivalence classes under the relation form the disjoint subsets whose union is the original set. Conversely, any partition of a set can be used to define an induced equivalence relation consisting of pairs of elements that are in the same subset of the partition.

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Ahmad Fikry Iskandar
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121 views12 pages

Section 3: Equivalence Relations

This document discusses equivalence relations and how they relate to partitions of sets. It defines an equivalence relation as a binary relation that is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive. Equivalence relations induce partitions of sets, where the equivalence classes under the relation form the disjoint subsets whose union is the original set. Conversely, any partition of a set can be used to define an induced equivalence relation consisting of pairs of elements that are in the same subset of the partition.

Uploaded by

Ahmad Fikry Iskandar
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Section 3: Equivalence Relations

Definition: Let R be a binary relation on A. R is


an equivalence relation on A if R is reflexive,
symmetric, and transitive.
From the last section, we demonstrated that
Equality on the Real Numbers and Congruence
Modulo p on the Integers were reflexive,
symmetric, and transitive, so we can describe
them as equivalence relations.
10.3.1
Examples
What is the smallest equivalence relation on a
set A?
R = {(a,a) | a A}, so that n(R) = n(A).
What is the largest equivalence relation on a set
A?
R = A A, so that n(R) = [n(A)]
2
.
10.3.2
Equivalence Classes
Definition: If R is an equivalence relation on a set
A, and a A, then the equivalence class of a is
defined to be:
[a] = {b A | (a,b) R}.
In other words, [a] is the set of all elements
which relate to a by R.
For example: If R is congruence mod 5, then
[3] = {..., 12, 7, 2, 3, 8, 13, 18, ...}.
Another example: If R is equality on Q, then
[2/3] = {2/3, 4/6, 6/9, 8/12, 10/15, ...}.
Observation: If b [a], then [b] = [a].
10.3.3
A String Example
Let = {0,1} and denote L(s) = length of s, for
any string s *. Consider the relation:
R = {(s,t) | s,t * and L(s) = L(t)}
R is an equivalence relation. Why?
REF: For all s *, L(s) = L(s);
SYM: If L(s) = L(t), then L(t) = L(s);
TRAN: If L(s) = L(t) and L(t) = L(u), L(s) = L(u).
What are the equivalence classes of R?
[], [0], [00], [000], [0000], ...
in other words,
0
,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
, ...
10.3.4
Relations and Partitions
Recall that a partition of a set is a collection of
mutually disjoint subsets whose union is the
original set.
Equivalence relations and partitions are tied
together by the following:
Definition: Given a partition of a set A, the
binary relation induced by the partition is
R = {(x,y) | x and y are in the same partition set}.
Theorem: If A is a set with a partition and R is
the relation induced by the partition, then R is an
equivalence relation.
10.3.5
Making Equivalence Relations
This example shows how to apply this theorem to
create the induced equivalence relation.
The collection {{1,2,3}, {4,5}, {6}} is a partition
of {1,2,3,4,5,6}. To find the induced equivalence
relation, observe:
{1,2,3} {1,2,3} = {(1,1), (1,2), (1,3), (2,1), (2,2),
(2,3), (3,1), (3,2), (3,3)}
{4,5} {4,5} = {(4,4), (4,5), (5,4), (5,5)}
{6} {6} = {(6,6)}
R = {(1,1), (1,2), (1,3), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3), (3,1),
(3,2), (3,3), (4,4), (4,5), (5,4), (5,5), (6,6)}
10.3.6
Formally Making
Equivalence Relations
Theorem: Let A be a set partitioned by the
collection {A
1
, A
2
, A
3
, ...}. Then the equivalence
relation induced by the partition is given by:
R = (A
1
A
1
) (A
2
A
2
) (A
3
A
3
) ...
From the last example, the collection
{{1,2,3}, {4,5}, {6}} partitioned {1,2,3,4,5,6},
so the induced relation is:
R = {1,2,3}{1,2,3} {4,5}{4,5} {6}{6}
10.3.7
Equivalence Classes and Partitions
Theorem: Let A be a set partitioned by the
collection {A
1
, A
2
, A
3
, ...}. If a
1
A
1
, a
2
A
2
,
a
3
A
3
, etc., then the equivalence relation
induced by the partition is given by:
R = ([a
1
][a
1
]) ([a
2
][a
2
]) ([a
3
][a
3
]) ...
From the last example, the collection
{{1,2,3}, {4,5}, {6}} partitioned {1,2,3,4,5,6},
so the induced relation is:
R = ([1] [1]) ([4] [4]) ([6] [6])
10.3.8
Going the Other Way
Theorem: Let A be a non-empty set and let R be
an equivalence relation on A. Then the distinct
equivalence classes of R partition A.
For example, given the relation of congruence
mod 5 on the Integers, we obtain the partition:
Z = [0] [1] [2] [3] [4].
If = {0,1}, what partition of
4
is induced by
R = {(s,t) | s,t
4
and density(s) = density(t)}?

4
= [0000][0001][0011][0111][1111]
10.3.9
Functions, Relations & Partitions
Let f be a function defined on a set A, and
consider the relation R={(a,b) | f(a) = f(b)}.
Show R is an equivalence relation and describe
the partition of A induced by R.
REF: f(a) = f(a) for all a A;
SYM: If f(a) = f(b), then f(b) = f(a);
TRAN: If f(a) = f(b) and f(b) = f(c), f(a) = f(c).
Each partition set contains those elements whose
output from f is the same.
10.3.10
An Example
Let f be the function on Z, given by f(x) = x
4
+ 1.
x: 0 1 2 3 4 ...
f(x): 1 2 9 82 257 ...,
This function induces the partition:
Z = {0} {1, 1} {2, 2}
{3, 3} {4,4}...
10.3.11
Graphs & Partitions
If we generate the directed graph of an
equivalence relation just right, then the induced
partition jumps out:
1
3
4
2
5
6
10.3.12

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