Language of Sets

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:
1. Define what a set and its basic terminologies.
2. Differentiate two ways in describing sets.
3. Perform basic operations on set.
4. Define what a relation and a function is.
5. Translate relation and function into a diagram.
6. Name and apply the different properties of a relation and function.
7. Identify the domain and range in a relation and function
8. Evaluate a function.
9. Define and perform a binary operation.

Introduction

In this module, it will be discussed the four basic concepts in mathematics such as sets and
its basic operation, the functions, relations and the binary operations.

Discussion:

I. Sets and Subsets

A. The Language of Sets

Use of the word “set” as a formal mathematical term was introduced in 1879 by Georg
Cantor. For most mathematical purposes we can think of a set intuitively, as cantor did,
simply as a collection of elements.

So by definition:
A set is a collection of well-defined objects.

Illustration:
A set of counting numbers from 1 to 10.
A set of an English alphabet from a to e.
A set of even numbers
A set of an integers.

Note: A set is denoted with braces or curly brackets { } and label or name the set by a
capital letter such as A, B, C, … etc.

a. A set of counting numbers from 1 to 5.

A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 }
b. A set of English alphabets from a to e.
B = { a, b, c, d, e }
c. A set of all even positive integers.
C = { 2, 4, 6, 8, …}

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 d. A set of an integers.
D = {…, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …}

Now, if S is a set, the notation 𝑥 ∈ 𝑆 means that 𝑥 is an element of 𝑆. The notation

𝑥 ∉ 𝑆 means that 𝑥 is not an element of 𝑆.
So, what is an element of a set?

Elements of a set
- Each member of the set is called an element and the ∈ notation means that an item
belongs to a set.

Illustration:
Say A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 }
1 ∈ A; 3 ∈ A; 5 ∈ A
Is 6 is an element of set A? Since in a given set A above, we could not see six as an
element of set A, thus we could say that:
6 is not an element of Set A or 6∉A

Note: Each element is a set should separate by comma.

Terminologies of Sets

1. Unit Set
Unit set is a set that contains only one element.

Illustration:
𝐴 = { 1}; 𝐵 = { 𝑐 }; 𝐶 = { 𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑎}

2. Empty Set or Null Set ; ∅

Empty or null set is a set that has no element.

Illustration:
𝐴 = { } ; A set of seven yellow carabaos

3. Finite Set
A finite set is a set that the elements in a given set is countable.

Illustration:
𝐴 = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 }; 𝐵 = { 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑};

4. Infinite Set
An infinite set is a set that elements in a given set has no end or not countable.
Illustration:
A set of counting numbers
𝐴 = {… , −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, … }

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 5. Cardinal Number; 𝒏
Cardinal number are numbers that used to measure the number of elements in given
set. It is just similar in counting the total number of element in a set.
Illustration:
𝐴 = { 2, 4, 6, 8 } 𝑛=4
𝐵 = { 𝑎, 𝑐, 𝑒} 𝑛=3

6. Equal Set
Two sets, say A and B, are said to be equal if and only if they have equal number
of cardinality and the element/s are identical. There is a 1-1 correspondence.
Illustration:
𝐴 = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 } 𝐵 = {3, 5, 2, 4, 1}

7. Equivalent Set
Two sets, say A and B, are said to be equivalent if and only if they have the exact
number of element. There is a 1-1 correspondence.
Illustration:
𝐴 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} 𝐵 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑, 𝑒}

8. Universal Set
The universal set 𝑈 is the set of all elements under discussion.
Illustration:
A set of an English alphabet 𝑈 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑, … , 𝑧}

9. Joint Sets
Two sets, say A and B, are said to be joint sets if and only if they have common
element/s.

𝐴 = {1, 2, 3} 𝐵 = {2, 4, 6}
Here, sets A and B are joint set since they have common element such as 2.

10. Disjoint Sets

Two sets, say A and B, are said to be disjoint if and only if they are mutually
exclusive or if they don’t have common element/s.
𝐴 = {1, 2, 3} 𝐵 = {4, 6, 8 }

B. Two ways of Describing a Set

1. Roster or Tabular Method

It is done by listing or tabulating the elements of the set.

Illustration:
a. Let A={1, 2, 3}, B={3,1, 2}, and C={1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3}. What are the elements of
A, B, and C? How are A, B, and C related?
b. Is {0} = 0?

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 c. How many elements are in the set {1. {1}}?
d. For each nonnegative integer n, let 𝑈! = {𝑛, −𝑛}. Find 𝑈" , 𝑈# , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑈$ .

Solution
a. A, B, and C have exactly the same three elements: 1,2, and 3. Therefore, A, B,
and C are simply different ways to represent the same set.
b. {0} ≠ 0 because {0} is a set with one element, namely 0, whereas 0 is just the
symbol that represents the number zero.
c. The set {1, {1}} has two elements \: 1 and the set whose only element is 1.
d. 𝑈" = {1, −1}, 𝑈# = {2, −2}, 𝑈$ = {0, −0} = {0}.
2. Rule or Set-builder Method
It is done by stating or describing the common characteristics of the elements of
the set. We use the notation 𝐴 = {𝑥 | 𝑥 … }

Illustration:
a. 𝐴 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
𝐴 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 1 𝑡𝑜 5}
𝐴 = 𝑥|𝑥 ∈ 𝑁, 𝑥 < 6}
b. 𝐵 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑, … , 𝑧}
𝐵 = {𝑥|𝑥 ∈ 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑎𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑏𝑒𝑡}
𝐵 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑎𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑏𝑒𝑡}
Illustration:
Given that R denotes the set of all real numbers, Z the set of all integers, and Z+ the
set of all positive integers, describe each of the following sets.
a. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑅| − 2 < 𝑥 < 5}
b. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑍| − 2 < 𝑥 < 5}
c. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑍 % | − 2 < 𝑥 < 5}
Solution
a. a. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑅| − 2 < 𝑥 < 5} is the open interval of real numbers (strictly)
between -2 and 5. It is pictured as follows:

b. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑍| − 2 < 𝑥 < 5} is the set of all integers (strictly) between -2 and 5.

It is equal to the set {-1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 }.
c. Since all the integers in Z+ are positive, {𝑥 ∈ 𝑍 % |−2 < 𝑥 < 5} =
{1, 2, 3, 4}.

C. Subsets

A subset, 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵, means that every element of A is also an element of B.

If 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴, then 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵.
In particular, every set is a subset of itself, 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐴.

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 A subset is called a proper subset, A is a proper subset of B, if 𝐴 ⊂ 𝐵 and there is
at least one element of B that is not in A:

If 𝑥 ⊂ 𝐴, then 𝑥 ⊂ 𝐵 and there is an element b such that 𝑏 ∈ 𝐵 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 ∉ 𝐴.

NOTE 1: The empty set or {} has no elements and is a subset of every set for every set
A, 𝐴 ⊂ 𝐴.

The number of subsets of a given set is given by 2n, where n is the number of
elements of the given set.

Illustration:
How many subsets are there in a set: 𝐴 = {1, 2, 3}? List down all the subsets of set
A. Number of subsets = 2n = 23 = 8 subsets

With one element: {1}; {2}; {3}

With two elements: {1,2}; {1,3}; {2,3}
With three elements: {1, 2, 3}
With no elements: {}

Illustration:
Let A =Z+, 𝐵 = {𝑛 ∈ 𝑍|0 ≤ 𝑛 ≤ 100}, and 𝐶=
{100, 200, 300, 400, 500}. Evaluate the truth and falsify of each of the following
statements.
a. 𝐵 ⊆ 𝐴
b. C is a proper subset of A
c. C and B have at least one element in common
d. 𝐶 ⊆ 𝐵
e. 𝐶 ⊆ 𝐶
Solution:
a. False. Zero is not a positive integer. Thus zero is in B but zero is not in A, and
so 𝐵 ⊈ 𝐴.
b. True. Each element in C is a positive integer and, hence, is in A, but there are
elements in A that are not in C. For instance, 1 is in A and not in C.
c. True. For example, 100 is in both C and B.
d. False. For example, 200 is in C but not in B.
e. True. Every element in C is in C. In general, the definition of subset implies
that all sets are subsets of themselves.
Illustration:
Which of the following are true statements?
a. 2 ∈ {1, 2, 3}
b. {2} ∈ {1, 2, 3}
c. 2 ⊆ {1, 2, 3}
d. {2} ⊆ {1, 2, 3}
e. {2} ⊆ {{1}, { 2}}
f. {2} ∈ {{1}, { 2}}

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 Solution:
Only (a), (d), and (f) are true.
For (b) to be true, the set {1, 2, 3} would have to contain the element {2}. But the
only elements of {1, 2, 3} are 1, 2, and 3, and 2 is not equal to {2}. Hence (b) is false.
For (c) to be true, the number 2 would have to be a set and every element in the set
2 would have to be an element of {1, 2, 3}. This is not the case, so (c) is false.
For (e) to be true, every element in the set containing only the number 2 would have
to be an element of the set whose elements are {1} and {2}. But 2 is not equal to either {1}
or {2}, and so (e) is false.

Activity 6:
1. Let 𝑋 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐}, 𝑌 = {𝑎, 𝑐, 𝑏}, and 𝑍 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑐, 𝑐 }. What are the elements of X,
Y, and Z? How are X, Y, and Z related?
2. How many elements are in the set {a, {a, b}, {a} } ?
3. For each positive integer 𝑥, let 𝐴& = {𝑥, 𝑥 # }. Find 𝐴" , 𝐴# , and 𝐴' .

Activity 7:
Given that R denotes the set of all real numbers, Z the set of all integers, and 𝑍 ( the set of
all negative integers, describe each of the following sets.
a. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑅 | − 5 < 𝑥 < 1}
b. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑍 | − 5 < 𝑥 < 1}
c. {𝑥 ∈ 𝑍 ( | − 5 < 𝑥 < 1}

Activity 8:
#
Let 𝐴 = {2. {2}, [√2] }, 𝐵 = {2, {2}, ^{2}_} and 𝐶 = {2}. Evaluate the truth and falsify of
the following statements.
a. 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵
b. 𝐵 ⊆ 𝐴
c. A is a proper subset of B
d. 𝐶 ⊆ 𝐵
e. C is a proper subset of A

Activity 9:
Which of the following are true statements?
a. 𝑥 ∈ {𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧}
b. 𝑥 ⊆ {{𝑥}, {𝑦}, {𝑧}}
c. 𝑥 ⊆ {𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧}
d. {𝑥} ⊆ {{𝑥 }, {𝑦}, {𝑧}}
e. {𝑥} ∈ {𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧}

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