UNIT – II :: PART – III :: SET THEORY :: LATTICES

Introduction :- First, we recall the definition of a partially ordered set or poset. If R is a relation on a set S satisfying the
following properties:
(i) Reflexive, i.e., for any a ∈ S , ( a , a ) ∈ R .
(ii) Antisymmetric, i.e., for any a , b ∈ S ,if ( a , b ) ∈ R∧ ( b , a ) ∈ R then a=b .
(iii) Transitive, i.e., for any a , b , c ∈ S , if ( a , b ) ∈ R∧( b , c ) ∈ R then ( a , c ) ∈ R .
then R is called a partial order relation or simply an order relation.

The set S, together with the partial order, is called a partially ordered set or an ordered set or poset and is denoted by
(S, R).

Lattice :- A lattice is a partially ordered set (L , ≤) in which every pair of elements has a least upper bound and a greatest lower
bound.
The least upper bound (or supremum, l.u.b.) of a , b ∈ L is denoted by a ⊕b , a V b , a ∪ b or a+ b and is called the
join or sum of a and b.
The greatest lower bound (or infimum, g.l.b.) of of a , b ∈ L is denoted by a∗b , a ˄ b , a Ո b or a·b and is called
the meet or product of a and b.

Note: 1. V, ˄ are binary operations on a lattice, since the least upper bound and the greatest lower bound of any subset of a
poset are unique.
2. All partially ordered sets are not lattices.

Q.59. Determine whether the following posets are lattices.

(i) ({1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, /) and (ii) ({1, 2, 4, 8, 16}, /)
Answer: (i) Consider the poset ({1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, /).

The corresponding Hasse diagram is shown in the adjacent figure.

There is no upper bound for the pairs (2, 3) and (3, 5).

Hence, the l.u.b. does not exist. This implies that ({1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, /) is not a lattice.

Answer: (ii) Consider the poset ({1, 2, 4, 8, 16}, /),

The corresponding Hasse diagram is shown in the adjacent figure.

l.u.b. of (1, 2) = 2 g.l.b. of (1, 2) =1

l.u.b. of (1, 4) = 4 g.l.b. of (1, 4) = 1

l.u.b. of (1, 8) = 8 g.l.b. of (1, 8) = 1

l.u.b. of (1, 16) = 16 g.l.b. of (1, 16) = 1

l.u.b. of (2, 4) = 4 g.l.b. of (2, 4) = 2

l.u.b. of (2, 8) = 8 g.l.b. of (2, 8) = 2

l.u.b. of (2, 16) = 16 g.l.b. of (2, 16) = 2

l.u.b. of (4, 8) = 8 g.l.b. of (4, 8) = 4

l.u.b. of (4, 16) = 16 g.l.b. of (4, 16) = 4

l.u.b. of (8, 16) = 16 g.l.b. of (8, 16) = 8

Therefore, every pair of elements of the poset has a least upper bound
and a greatest lower bound.
Hence, the poset ({1, 2, 4, 8, 16}, /) is a lattice.

Q60. Determine whether the posets represented by each of the Hasse diagrams in the following figures (a), (b), (c) are lattices.

Answer: (i) In figure (a).

l.u.b. of {a, b} = b g.l.b. of {a, b} = a

l.u.b. of {a, c} = c g.l.b. of {a, c} = a

l.u.b. of {a, d} = d g.l.b. of {a, d} = a

l.u.b. of {a, e} = e g.l.b. of {a, e} = a

l.u.b. of {a, f} = f g.l.b. of {a, f} = a

l.u.b. of {b, c} = c g.l.b. of {b, c} = b

l.u.b. of {b, d} = d g.l.b. of {b, d} = b

l.u.b. of {b, e} = e g.l.b. of {b, e} = b

l.u.b. of {b, f} = f g.l.b. of {b, f} = b

l.u.b. of {c, d} = e g.l.b. of {c, d} = b

l.u.b. of {c, e} = e g.l.b. of {c, e} = c

l.u.b. of {c, f} = f g.l.b. of {c, f} = c

l.u.b. of {d, e} = e g.l.b. of {d, e} = d

l.u.b. of {d, f} = f g.l.b. of {d, f} = d

l.u.b. of {e, f} = f g.l.b. of {e, f} = e

Every pair of elements of this poset has a l.u.b. and a g.l.b. Thus, the poset represented by the Hasse diagram in figure (a) is a
Lattice.

Answer: (ii) In figure (b).

l.u.b. of {a, b} = b g.l.b. of {a, b} = a

l.u.b. of {a, c} = c g.l.b. of {a, c} = a

l.u.b. of {a, d} = d g.l.b. of {a, d} = a

l.u.b. of {a, e} = e g.l.b. of {a, e} = a

l.u.b. of {a, f} = f g.l.b. of {a, f} = a

l.u.b. of {b, c} = d, e g.l.b. of {b, c} = a

l.u.b. of {b, d} = d g.l.b. of {b, d} = b

l.u.b. of {b, e} = e g.l.b. of {b, e} = b

l.u.b. of {b, f} = f g.l.b. of {b, f} = b

l.u.b. of {c, d} = d g.l.b. of {c, d} = c

l.u.b. of {c, e} = e g.l.b. of {c, e} = c

l.u.b. of {c, f} = f g.l.b. of {c, f} = c

l.u.b. of {d, e} = f g.l.b. of {d, e} = b, c

l.u.b. of {d, f} = f g.l.b. of {d, f} = d

l.u.b. of {e, f} = f g.l.b. of {e, f} = e

Since the pair of elements {b, c} does not have a unique l.u.b. and the pair of elements {d, e} does not have a unique g.l.b., the
poset given in figure (b) is not a Lattice.

Answer: (iii) In figure (c).

l.u.b. of {a, b} = b g.l.b. of {a, b} = a

l.u.b. of {a, c} = c g.l.b. of {a, c} = a

l.u.b. of {a, d} = d g.l.b. of {a, d} = a

l.u.b. of {a, e} = e g.l.b. of {a, e} = a

l.u.b. of {a, f} = f g.l.b. of {a, f} = a

l.u.b. of {a, g} = g g.l.b. of {a, g} = a

l.u.b. of {a, h} = h g.l.b. of {a, h} = a

l.u.b. of {b, c} = h g.l.b. of {b, c} = a

l.u.b. of {b, d} = h g.l.b. of {b, d} = a

l.u.b. of {b, e} = e g.l.b. of {b, e} = b

l.u.b. of {b, f} = h g.l.b. of {b, f} = a

l.u.b. of {b, g} = h g.l.b. of {b, g} = a

l.u.b. of {b, h} = h g.l.b. of {b, h} = b

l.u.b. of {c, d} = h g.l.b. of {c, d} = a

l.u.b. of {c, e} = h g.l.b. of {c, e} = a

l.u.b. of {c, f} = f g.l.b. of {c, f} = c

l.u.b. of {c, g} = h g.l.b. of {c, g} = a

l.u.b. of {c, h} = f g.l.b. of {c, h} = c

l.u.b. of {d, e} = h g.l.b. of {d, e} = a

l.u.b. of {d, f} = h g.l.b. of {d, f} = a

l.u.b. of {d, g} = g g.l.b. of {d, g} = d

l.u.b. of {d, h} = h g.l.b. of {d, h} = d

l.u.b. of {e, f} = h g.l.b. of {e, f} = a

l.u.b. of {e, g} = h g.l.b. of {e, g} = a

l.u.b. of {e, h} = h g.l.b. of {e, h} = e

l.u.b. of {f, g} = h g.l.b. of {f, g} = a

l.u.b. of {f, h} = h g.l.b. of {f, h} = f

l.u.b. of {g, h} = h g.l.b. of {g, h} = g

Every pair of elements of this poset has a l.u.b. and a g.l.b. Thus, the poset represented by the Hasse diagram in figure (c) is a
Lattice.

Q61. If P(S) is the power set of a set S and Ս and Ո are taken as the join and meet, then prove that (P(S), ⊆) is a lattice.

Proof: Let A and B be any two elements of P(S) i.e., A and B are any two subsets of S then A ⊆ (A Ս B) this implies that A Ս
B is an upper bound of {A, B}. We assume that A ⊆ C and B ⊆ C then A U B ⊆ C. Thus, the least upper bound of {A, B} =
AՍB.

Similarly, A Ո B ⊆ A and A Ո B ⊆ B, this implies that A Ո B is a lower bound of {A, B}. We assume that
D ⊆ A and D ⊆ B then D ⊆ A Ո B. since every pair of elements P(S) has a l.u.b. and g.l.b. under the
relation ⊆, (P(S), ⊆) is a Lattice.

Principle of Duality:- Any statement about lattices involving the operations ˄ and v and the relations ≤
and ≥ remains true if ˄ is replaced by v and v is replaced by ˄; ≤ by ≥ and ≥ by ≤ .
The Lattices ( L ,≤ )∧(L , ≥) are called the duals of each other similarly the operations v and ˄ are duals
of each other and the relations ≤ and ≥ are duals of each other.

PROPERTIES OF LATTICES :-
1. Idempotent Law :- Let (L, ≤ ) be a lattice and a ∈ L , then a V a = a and a ˄ a = a.
Proof: By definition, we have a V a = l.u.b. of {a, a} = a
And a ˄ a = g.l.b. of {a, a} = a.
Hence, a V a = a and a ˄ a = a, ∀ a ∈ L .
2. Commutative Law : - Let (L, ≤ ) be a lattice and a , b ∈ L , then a V b = b V a and a ˄ b = b ˄ a.
Proof: By definition, we a V b = l.u.b. of {a, b} = l.u.b. of {b, a} = b V a.
Also a ˄ b = g.l.b. of {a, b} = g.l.b. of {b, a} = b ˄ a.
Hence, a V b = b V a and a ˄ b = b ˄ a, ∀ a , b ∈ L .
3. Absorption Law :- Let (L, ≤ ) be a lattice and a , b , c ∈ L then aV(a˄b)=a and a˄(aVb)=a
Proof: By definition, we have a˄b = g.l.b. of {a, b} this implies that a˄b≤ a and a˄b≤ b; also a≤ a.
Therefore, a≤ a and a˄b≤ a this implies that aV(a˄b)≤a …………(1)
Also by the definition of l.u.b., we have aV(a˄b)=l.u.b. of { a, a˄b}
This implies that a ≤ aV(a˄b) ……….. (2)
From (1) and (2), we have aV(a˄b)=a
 By the principle of duality, we have a˄(aVb)=a.

4. Associative Law :- Let (L, ≤ ) be a lattice and a , b , c ∈ L then a V (b V c) = (a V b) V c and a˄(b˄c) = (a˄b)˄c.