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Sets and The Real Number System

This document defines sets and describes the real number system. It discusses that a set is a collection of objects called elements. There are two ways to describe a set: listing the elements or using a set-builder notation specifying properties of elements. The real number system consists of rational numbers, which can be written as fractions, and irrational numbers, which cannot. Rational numbers have decimal representations that either terminate or repeat, while irrational numbers' decimals do not terminate or repeat.

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Caris Ann D Armonio
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432 views5 pages

Sets and The Real Number System

This document defines sets and describes the real number system. It discusses that a set is a collection of objects called elements. There are two ways to describe a set: listing the elements or using a set-builder notation specifying properties of elements. The real number system consists of rational numbers, which can be written as fractions, and irrational numbers, which cannot. Rational numbers have decimal representations that either terminate or repeat, while irrational numbers' decimals do not terminate or repeat.

Uploaded by

Caris Ann D Armonio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sets and the Real Number System

Set
A set is a well-defined collection of objects. The objects which form a set are called Elements.

Examples:
a. The set of students in MTH 101C.
b. The set of counting numbers less than 10.

There are two ways a set may be described; namely, a. Listing Method and b. Set Builder Method.

1.) Listing Method


In this method all or partial members of the set are listed.

Examples:
a) Let R be the set of Natural number less than 10.
𝑹 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}, complete listing
b) Let H be the set of counting numbers less than 1000
𝑯 = {1, 2, 3, . . . ,999}, Partial listing
c) Let N be the set of Natural Numbers
𝑵 = {1, 2, 3, . . .}, Partial listing

Empty Set
A set containing no element is called an empty set or a null set. Notations { } 𝒐𝒓 ∅ denotes empty set.
Example: The set of natural numbers less than 1.

2.) Set Builder Method


In this method the set is described by listing the properties that describe the elements of the set.

Examples:
a) S be the set of students in this class, then using set builder S can be describes as
𝑺 = { | 𝒙 is a student in a Math 1111 class }
b) N be the set of natural numbers
𝑵 = { n | n is a natural number }

Set-Builder form has two parts:


1) A variable 𝒙, n, 𝑒𝑡𝑐. representing any elements of the set.
2) A property which defines the elements of the set.

Equal Sets
Two sets are said to be equal if they contain the same elements.

Examples:
a) 𝐴 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑} and 𝐵 = {𝑑, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑎} are equal sets.
b) Let, 𝑴 = 𝑇ℎ𝑒 set of natural numbers 1 through 100 and
𝑷 = 𝑇ℎ𝑒 set of counting numbers less than 101.
M and P are equal sets.
Subsets

A set A is said to be a subset of a set B if every element of set A is also an element of set B.

Example:
a.) Let 𝐴 = {1, 2, 3} 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵 = {𝑎, 1, 2, 3}.
Since every element of set A is also in B A is a subset of B
Notation: 𝑨 ⊆ 𝑩 means A is a subset of B

Pictorial Representation of a Set: Venn Diagram

Pictorially, a non-empty set is represented by a circle-like closed figure inside a bigger rectangle. This is called a
Venn diagram.

Some properties of subset:


a) Empty set is a subset of any set, that is { } ⊆ 𝑨 for any set A; thus { } ⊆ { }

b) Any set is a subset of itself, that is for any set A, 𝑨 ⊆ 𝑨

c) A = B, if and only if 𝑨 ⊆ 𝑩 and 𝑩 ⊆ 𝑨

Operation on Sets
There are three types of set operations; Intersection denoted by ∩, union denoted by ∪, and complementation.

Definitions: Let A and B sets


1) The union of A and B is denoted by 𝑨 ∪ 𝑩 and is defined as the set of all elements that are in A or B. That is: ∪ 𝑩 =
{𝒙 ∶ 𝒙 ∈ 𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 ∈ 𝑩}.
2) The intersection of A and B is denoted by 𝑨 ∩ 𝑩 and is defined as the set of all elements that are in A and B. That is:
∩ 𝑩 = {𝒙 ∶ 𝒙 ∈ 𝑨 and 𝒙 ∈ 𝑩}.
3) The Complement of B in A is denoted by 𝑨 − 𝑩 𝒐𝒓 𝑨 \ 𝑩 and is defined as the set of all elements that are in A but
not in B. That is: 𝑨 \ 𝑩 = {𝒙 ∶ 𝒙 ∈ 𝑨 and 𝒙 ∉ 𝑩}.
4) The absolute complement of set A denoted by 𝑨′ and is defined by: 𝑨′ = {𝒙 ∶ 𝒙 ∈ 𝑼 and 𝒙 ∉ 𝑨}, here U is the
universal set.

Examples: Venn Diagrams


The Universal Set is represented by a rectangle. The shaded regions represent, respectively, the union, intersection
and complement of the sets 𝑨 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑩.

The Real Number System


The Set of Real Numbers R is made up two disjoint set of Numbers:
a. The Set of Rational Numbers
b. The Set of Irrational Numbers

a. The Rational Numbers


A Rational Number is a number that can be written in the form 𝒂/𝒃; 𝒂 and 𝒃 integers, 𝒃 ≠ 𝟎. In other words, a
Rational Number is a number that can be written in a fraction form.

Examples: Rational Numbers


a) -5, 11, 5/4, 22/7, 111/87, 0, -121, -1/3, 1/3, etc.
b) 0.333…, 5.33, -3.65, 0.242424… = 0.24..., 3.612612612... = 3.612612..., etc.

 Decimal Representation of a Rational Number


A Rational Number has a decimal representation that either terminates or repeats.

Example: Decimal Numbers


a) 23 = 23.0 Terminating decimal
b) 1.253 Terminating decimal
c) 1.333… Repeating Decimal
d.) Any integer is a rational number

b. The Irrational Numbers


An Irrational Number is a number that cannot be written in the form 𝒂/𝒃; 𝒂 and 𝒃 integers, 𝒃 ≠ 𝟎.
An Irrational Number cannot be written in a fraction form.

Examples of Irrational numbers


a) 1.01001000100001… d) 𝝅
b) 0.12345… e) √𝟐𝟐
c) – 4.110111011110… f) 𝒆

 Decimal Representation of an Irrational Number


An Irrational Number has a decimal representation that neither terminates nor repeats

Example: a) √2 = 1.41421356237. . . b) – 4.110111011110…


c) 𝑒 = 2.71828182845 . . . d) 𝜋 = 3.14159265358 . . .

Important Notations of Set of Numbers

ℝ – Denotes the set of Real numbers


ℚ – Denotes the set of Rational numbers
ℤ – Denotes the set of Integers
𝕎– Denotes the set of Whole numbers
ℤ – Denotes the set of Natural numbers

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