UNIT 1 SETS

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Overview

In this unit you will examine the different sets of numbers that make up the real
number system. You will also look at some of the properties associated with these
numbers and learn how to use interval and set builder notation to represent subsets of the
real line.

Unit Objectives

After you have completed this unit, you should be able to

1. recognize the different types of numbers,

2. use the properties associated with real numbers,
3. write subsets of the real line in interval and set builder notation.

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The Real Number System

We begin our journey with a look at the real number system. Real numbers should be
very familiar to us as these are the numbers we encounter in our everyday lives. They are
used to describe quantities like speed, weight, age and so on. Examples of real numbers
are

6, - 12, 0, 25 , 0.25, 2 , p , 3 25 and 1,750.

But what exactly is a number? What is this entity that has become the basis of modern
mathematics? A precise definition of number takes us into the realm of mathematical
philosophy. For instance, the number five is an abstraction from all collections containing
five objects; it does not depend on the characteristic of the objects or the symbols used.
Only at a high stage of civilization could such an abstraction be made. It must have taken
a very long time to realize that a pair of shoes and a couple of days were both instances of
the number two. Fortunately, we need not concern ourselves with the philosophical nature
of numbers. We proceed with our study of numbers in a constructive manner, that is, we
will begin with simple numbers and gradually increase the complexity.

The simplest real numbers are the natural numbers, which are just the counting numbers

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ! .

If we include 0 in the natural numbers we get the set of whole numbers, that is, the
whole numbers are
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ….

The numbers
! , - 3, - 2, - 1, 0, 1, 2, 3, !

are called integers. As you can see, the integers are made up of the negative whole
numbers, 0, and the positive whole numbers. Notice that the natural numbers are the
positive integers.
p
A real number is called rational if it can be written in the form , where p and q are
q
integers, with q ¹ 0. For example,

1 2 45
, , ,
2 5 11

are rational numbers. The decimal representation of a rational number either terminates
(as in 21 = 0.5) or repeats in a regular pattern (as in 11
45
= 4.090909! ).
Real numbers that are not rational are called irrational. For instance, 2 and p are
irrational numbers. The decimal representation of irrational numbers neither terminates
nor repeats in a regular pattern. For example,

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 2 = 14142136
. ! and p = 31415926
. !.

The rational numbers together with the irrational numbers make up the real numbers.

Activity 1: Try to write the decimal representation of an irrational number

The following symbols are used to identify the different classes of numbers that we have
discussed so far:

ℕ denotes the set of natural numbers

ℤ (From the German Zahlen) denotes the set of integers
ℚ denotes the set of rational numbers
ℝ denotes the set of real numbers

Sometimes W is used to represent the set of whole numbers. I guess the whole numbers are
not as important as the sets of numbers listed above.

The following figure captures the relationship among the different sets of numbers that we
have discussed so far. Notice that the set of whole numbers is not included in the diagram.

Irrational numbers ℚ ¼ 0.5

2 , 𝜋, e
ℤ 9

3/5 -2 ℕ123

Activity 2: Put in the set of whole numbers in the diagram shown above.

There are other numbers that are used in modern mathematics. Consider the following
equation:

x 2 = -1.

This simple equation has no real solution since the square of any real number is never
negative. We could either just resign ourselves to the fact that the equation has no solution, or

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we could extend our number system by constructing a new number that would make the
equation solvable. To do the construction we introduce a new symbol by defining
i 2 = -1.
This is just a symbol and has nothing to do with counting. We refer to the i as an imaginary
number and we call numbers of the form

a + bi where a and b are real numbers,

complex numbers. You should realize that real numbers are actually complex numbers.
Why? The symbol ℂ is used to represent the set of complex numbers. Fortunately, we won’t
be studying complex numbers in this course.

EXERCISES 1.1

In Exercises 1 – 3, write the solutions in the space provided.

1. Write four elements of each of the following sets.

(a) Natural numbers
(b) Integers
(c) Rational numbers
(d) Irrational numbers

(a) _______________________

(b) _______________________

(c) _______________________

(d) _______________________

222, √−5, 2𝜋, !3.

2. Consider the set of numbers = )9, √5, −2, √9, 1. 225 "

(Note: In the number 1. 225 222, the bar above the 25 means that the 25 repeats forever,
that is, 1. 225
222 represents1.25252525… . Another way to represent a repeating or
recurring decimal is by using dots above the repeating pattern. For instance,
1.25252525… can also be represented as 1. 2̇5̇.)

(a) Which elements of A are natural numbers? _______________________

(b) Which elements of A are integers? _____________________________

(c) Which elements of A are rational numbers? ______________________

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 (d) Which elements of A are irrational numbers? _____________________

3. TRUE OR FALSE.

#
(i) $
= 0. ___________
$
(ii) #
= 0. ____________
(iii) If 𝑎 × 𝑏 = 1 then either 𝑎 = 1 or 𝑏 = 1. _______________
(iv) 17 × 0 = 0. ______________
$
(v) $
= 1. _______________

Ordering The Real Numbers

We use the real number line to represent the real number system. It is a horizontal line with
a point labeled 0. We call this point the origin. All numbers to the right of the origin are
positive, that is greater than 0, and all numbers to the left of 0 are negative, that is less than 0.
Note that 0 is neither positive nor negative.

Negative Origin Positive

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

The number a is said to be less thanb if b – a is positive. We write this as the inequality
a < b . The statement a £ b means a isless than or equal to b.

Remarks 1. Notice that 5 £ 5 is a true statement because 5 is equal to 5. In general,

a £ a is a true statement.
2. The symbols > and ³ mean “greater than” and “greater than or equal to”
respectively.

From the number line we see that a < b means that a lies to the left of b. For example
-2 < 1

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-2 lies to the left of 1

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The notion of “less than” gives us an ordering of the real numbers. This ordering property is
one of the most important properties of the real number system.

We will take a closer look at inequalities later but now let us look briefly at the use of
inequalities.

Example
1. The inequality x £ 4 denotes all real numbers less than or equal to 4.

0 4
2. The inequality x < 1 denotes all real numbers less than 1.

0 1

Note that in (1) a shaded circle indicates that 4 is included while an unshaded circle in (2)
indicates that we do not include 1.

3. The inequality - 3 < x < 2 means that x is greater than –3 and x is also less than 2.
That is, all real numbers between –3 and 2.

-3 0 2

Example Write the following in inequality notation.

(a) x is negative
(b) y is nonnegative
(c) t is at most 3
(d) p lies between –2 and 4 inclusive.

Solution

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 (a) “x is negative” means that x is strictly less than 0. So we write x < 0 .
(b) “y is nonnegative” means that y is greater than or equal to 0. So we write
y ³ 0.
(c) “t is at most 3” is written as t £ 3 .
(d) Here we write - 2 £ p £ 4.

Intervals of the Real Line

Continuous segments, that is, segments that have no “holes” in them, of the real line are
called intervals. These subsets of the real line can be represented in two ways –
(i) interval notation and (ii) set builder notation. The following table summarizes the different
types of intervals that exist.

Interval Set Builder Notation Interval Notation Type of Interval

a b {x : a ≤ x ≤ b} [a, b] Closed

a b {x : a <x< b} (a, b) Open

a b {x : a ≤ x< b} [a, b) Half Open

a b {x : a <x ≤ b} (a, b] Half Open

a {x : x> a} (a, ¥) Open

a {x : x ≥ a} [a, ¥) Half Open

a {x : x< a} (-¥, a) Open

a {x : x ≤ a} (-¥, a] Half Open

Remarks

(i) In interval notation the two numbers are called the endpoints of the interval. For
instance, 4 and 7 are the endpoints of (4, 7).
(ii) The real line ℝ can be written asℝ = (-¥, ¥) orℝ = {x: -¥ < x < ¥}.

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 Example Let A = [-9, 7) and B = [3, ¥).

(i) Represent A and B on the number line.

(ii) Find (a) AÇB
(b) AÈB
(c) (A – B)
(d) (A – B)¢
(e) (AÈB)¢

Write your answers in both set builder and interval notations.

Solution
B

(i) A

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

(ii) (a) The set AÇB is the interval where A and B overlap, as shown
below.
B

A A ÇB
B
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

We need to pay special attention to the end points in the overlapping

region. Notice 3 belongs to both A and B so 3 belongs to AÇB. But
7belongs to B but 7 does not belong to A. Therefore, 7 does not belong
to
AÇB. Symbolically, we write these two statements as
“3 ÎA and 3 ÎB so 3 ÎAÇB and 7ÎB but 7ÏA so 7ÏAÇB.”
So, AÇB looks like

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Hence, AÇB = {x: 3 ≤ x < 7} in set builder notation

or AÇB = [3, 7) in interval notation.

(b) The set AÈB is the interval obtained by combining A and B, that is,

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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 A ∪ B = {x : x ≥ −9} in set builder notation. Notice that A ∪ B = [−9,∞)
in interval notation.

(c) The set A– B is the interval obtained by removing from A, the real
numbers that are common to A and B, that is, remove A Ç B from A.
This gives A – B

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Notice we removed 3 because 3 is in A Ç B.

So, A – B = {x:-9 £ x < 3} in set builder notation.

Activity Try to write A – B in interval notation.

(d) Now (A – B)¢ contains all the real numbers that are not in A – B.
This gives

-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Notice (A – B)¢ consists of two “pieces” or intervals, (-¥, -9) and

[3, ¥). So (A – B)¢ = (-¥, -9) È [3, ¥) in interval notation. We need
the union to put the two “pieces” together. Again, the end points are
important.
Notice also that -9 is not in (A – B)¢ because -9 is in A – B, while 3 is
in (A – B)¢ because 3 is not in A – B.

Activity Now write (A – B)¢in set builder notation. You will again
need to use a union of two sets.

(e) Finally, (AÈB)¢ consists of all the real numbers that are not in
AÈB. This gives

𝐴∪𝐵

-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

(𝐴 ∪ 𝐵)%

-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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 Notice that-9 is not in (AÈB)¢ because -9 is in AÈB.
So (AÈB)¢ = {x: x < -9}, in set builder notation.

Activity Now write(AÈB)¢ in interval notation.

Here is an additional part. Do you think you can find (AÇB)¢ and write
your answer in set builder and interval notation? Go ahead and try.
You will need to use a union somewhere in your answer.

EXERCISES 1.2

In Exercises 1 – 4, write the solutions in the spaces provided.

1. Write the following in inequality notation.

(i) y is positive. _______________________

(ii) p is at least 9. _______________________

(iii) q is nonpositive. ________________________

(iv) t lies between -4 and 9 inclusive. _____________________

(v) z is greater than 7 and less than 15. __________________________

(vi) x is greater than or equal to -3 and less than 10. _________________________

2. Let 𝐴 = [−3,9)and 𝐵 = (0,12].

(a) Represent intervals A and B on a number line.

(b) Find 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵. Write your answer in both interval and set builder notation.

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 (c) Write the set (𝐴 ∪ 𝐵)% in interval notation.

3. Let 𝐴 = (−∞, 6) and 𝐵 = [−1, ∞)

(a) Represent A and B on a number line.

(b) Find 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵. Give your answer in both interval and set builder notation.

(c) Find 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵% . Give your answer in interval notation.

4. Let 𝐴 = (3, ∞) and 𝐵 = [−2, 5].

(a) Represent A and B on a number line.

(b) Find (𝐴 ∩ 𝐵)% . Write your answer in interval notation.

(c) Find (𝐴 − 𝐵)% . Write your answer in set builder notation.

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5. Let 𝐴 = [−9, 5) and 𝐵 = (−2, 9).

(a) Represent A and B on a number line.

(b) Find (𝐴 − 𝐵)% . Write your answer in interval notation.

(c) Find (𝐵 − 𝐴)% . Write your answer in interval notation.

(d) Find (𝐴 ∪ 𝐵)% . Write your answer in set builder notation.

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