3language of Sets
3language of Sets
3language of Sets
Set
Some sets occur very often in mathematics, and so we use special symbols for them.
Some such symbols follow:
N = The natural numbers or positive integers = {1, 2, 3, …}
Z = All integers, positive, negative, and zero = {…, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, …}
R = The real numbers.
Types of Sets
The following are common types of sets:
1. Universal set refers to all sets under investigation that are assumed to be contained in
some large fixed set, which we denote by U.
2. Empty set is a set that contains no elements. An empty set can be name using { } or ∅.
An empty set is also called a null set.
3. Finite set is a set consisting of elements in which the number of element is countable.
Consider the sets:
A = { 5, 7, 9, 11} and B = { 4 , 8 , 16, 32, 64, 128}
Obviously, A, B contain a finite number of elements, i.e. 4 elements in A and 6 in B.
Thus they are finite sets.
4. Infinite set is a set consisting of elements in which the number of element is not
countable or indefinite Consider the sets:
N = {1, 2, 3, 4, …}
X = {x 1 < x < 1th
In N, there are infinite numbers in the set. Note that X is also an infinite set since the
numbers between 1 and 10 have no definite number of elements. Unless you specify that
x is an integer, then it becomes a finite set.
5. A subset is a set taken from another set. Let A be a given set whose elements are the
integers from 1 to 10. From A, we form a set B = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}. Hence, B is considered
to be a subset of A. In symbol, we write B ⊆ A.
A subset is classified into two:
a. Proper subset is a subset that is not identical to the original set - it contains fewer
elements. We use the symbol “⊂”.
b. Improper subset is a subset whose elements are indentical to the original set and the
empty set.
To determine the number of subsets of set A, denoted by s(A), use the formula: s(A) =
, where n is the number of elements of A.
Example: Let C = {red, blue, yellow}. List the proper and improper subsets of C.
Note that C has n = 3 elements. Using the formula, t. Hence it has 8 subsets: 6
proper subsets and 2 improper subsets.
Proper subsets:
{red}, {blue}, {yellow}, {red, blue}, {red, yellow}, {blue, yellow}
Improper subsets:
{red, blue, yellow}, { }
Try this!
2. Equivalent sets. Two or more sets are equivalent if they have the same number of
elements.
3. Joint sets. Two or more sets are joint sets if they have at least one common element.
Example: Let E = {the letters of the word “math”} and F = {the letters of the word
“music”}. Examine the common elements found in both E and F. We see that they have a
common element, m. Therefore, E and F are joint sets.
4. Disjoint sets. Two or more sets are disjoint sets if they do not have at least one common
element.
Example: Let G ={1, 2, 3, 4, 5} and H = {6, 7, 8, 9, 10}. Since we do not see any
element common to G and H, then G and H are disjoint sets.
B. Operations on Sets
Let us consider two sets A and B to illustrate the four operations namely: union,
intersection, difference, and complement.
1. The union of two sets denoted by A ⋃ B contains all the elements contained in either set
(or both sets). More formally, x ∊ A ⋃ B if x A or x B (or both).
2. The intersection of two sets denoted by A ⋂ B contains only the elements that are in
both sets. More formally, x A ⋂ B if x A and x B.
3. The difference of two sets denoted by A – B contains the elements found in A but not in
B. Conversely, B – A contains the elements found in B not in A. More formally, x (A –
B) if x A and x ∉ B. Moreover, x (B – A) if x B and x ∉ A.
4. The complement of a set A contains everything that is not in the set A. The complement
is notated A’, or Ac, or sometimes ~A.
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Example:
Let U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}
A = {2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10}
B = {2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10}
Perform the following operations:
a. A ⋃ B
b. A ⋂ B
c. A – B
d. B – A
e. Ac
f. Bc
Answers:
a. A ⋃ B = {2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}
b. A ⋂ B = {2, 3, 7, 10}
c. A – B = {6, 8}
d. B – A = {5, 9}
e. Ac = {1, 4, 5, 9}
f. B c
= {1, 5, 6, 8}
A Venn diagram is a pictoral representation of sets using enclosed areas in the plane. The
universal set U is represented by the points in a rectangle, and the other sets are represented
by circles lying within the rectangle.
The following diagram illustrates the real number system using a Venn Diagram.
F is a subset of E (F ⊂ E)
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Example 4:
A survey asks 200 people on what beverage they drink in the morning. Suppose 20
report tea only, 80 report coffee only, 40 report both.
1. How many people drink tea in the morning?
2. How many people drink neither tea or coffee?
Solution.
This problem can be answered by creating a Venn diagram. Draw two overlapping
circles since based on the problem, there are people who drink both coffee and tea.
1. We can find the people who drink tea by adding those who drink only tea to those who
drink both. Hence, there are 30 + 40 = 70 people.
2. Those who drink neither are those not contained in the any of the three other groupings,
so we can count those by subtracting from the cardinality of the universal set, 200. Hence,
there are 200 – 80 – 30 – 40 = 50 people who drink neither.
The Venn Diagram for the problem is illustrated below: