Relations - University Level MCQ Questions

Introduction to Relations
Question 1: Let A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {a, b}. Which of the following is NOT a valid relation from A to B? A)
{(1, a), (2, b), (3, a)} B) {(1, a), (1, b), (2, a), (2, b), (3, a), (3, b)} C) {(a, 1), (b, 2)} D) ∅ (empty set)

Correct Answer: C Explanation: A relation from A to B must be a subset of A × B. Option C contains

ordered pairs where elements from B are first, making it a relation from B to A, not A to B.

Question 2: If R is a relation on set A = {1, 2, 3, 4} defined by R = {(1,2), (2,3), (3,4), (1,4)}, what is the
domain of R? A) {1, 2, 3} B) {2, 3, 4} C) {1, 2, 3, 4} D) {1, 4}

Correct Answer: A Explanation: The domain of a relation consists of all first elements in the ordered
pairs. From R = {(1,2), (2,3), (3,4), (1,4)}, the first elements are {1, 2, 3}.

Types of Relations
Question 3: Consider the relation R on the set of real numbers defined by xRy if x² = y². This relation is:
A) A function B) One-to-one correspondence C) An equivalence relation D) A partial order relation

Correct Answer: C Explanation: The relation x² = y² is reflexive (x² = x²), symmetric (if x² = y² then y² =
x²), and transitive (if x² = y² and y² = z² then x² = z²), making it an equivalence relation.

Reflexive Relations
Question 4: Which of the following relations on set A = {1, 2, 3} is reflexive? A) R₁ = {(1,1), (2,2)} B) R₂ =
{(1,2), (2,3), (3,1)} C) R₃ = {(1,1), (2,2), (3,3), (1,2)} D) R₄ = {(1,2), (2,1), (3,2)}

Correct Answer: C Explanation: A relation is reflexive if every element is related to itself. R₃ contains all
pairs (a,a) for every a ∈ A: (1,1), (2,2), (3,3).

Question 5: The minimum number of ordered pairs that must be added to the relation R = {(1,2), (2,3)}
on set {1, 2, 3} to make it reflexive is: A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4

Correct Answer: C Explanation: To make R reflexive, we need (1,1), (2,2), and (3,3). Since none of these
are already in R, we need to add all 3 pairs.

Symmetric Relations
Question 6: Let R be a relation on set A. If R is symmetric, which statement must be true? A) If (a,b) ∈ R,
then (a,a) ∈ R B) If (a,b) ∈ R, then (b,a) ∈ R C) If (a,b) ∈ R and (b,c) ∈ R, then (a,c) ∈ R D) If (a,b) ∈ R, then a
=b

Correct Answer: B Explanation: A relation is symmetric if whenever (a,b) is in the relation, then (b,a) is
also in the relation.
Question 7: Consider R = {(1,2), (2,1), (2,3), (3,2), (1,1)} on set {1, 2, 3}. To make this relation symmetric, we
need to add: A) (3,3) B) (2,2) C) (3,3) and (2,2) D) No additional pairs needed

Correct Answer: D Explanation: The relation is already symmetric: (1,2) and (2,1) are both present, (2,3)
and (3,2) are both present, and (1,1) is symmetric with itself.

Antisymmetric Relations
Question 8: A relation R on set A is antisymmetric if: A) For all a,b ∈ A, if (a,b) ∈ R then (b,a) ∉ R B) For all
a,b ∈ A, if (a,b) ∈ R and (b,a) ∈ R, then a = b C) For all a ∈ A, (a,a) ∉ R D) For all a,b ∈ A, either (a,b) ∈ R or
(b,a) ∈ R

Correct Answer: B Explanation: Antisymmetric means that if both (a,b) and (b,a) are in the relation, then
a must equal b. This allows for reflexive pairs but prevents distinct elements from being mutually related.

Question 9: Which relation on {1, 2, 3} is antisymmetric? A) {(1,1), (2,2), (1,2), (2,1)} B) {(1,2), (2,3), (1,3)} C)
{(1,1), (2,2), (3,3), (1,2), (2,3)} D) {(1,2), (2,1), (2,3), (3,2)}

Correct Answer: C Explanation: In option C, there are no pairs (a,b) and (b,a) where a ≠ b. All reflexive
pairs are allowed in antisymmetric relations.

Transitive Relations
Question 10: If R = {(1,2), (2,3), (3,4)} on set {1, 2, 3, 4}, what must be added to make R transitive? A) (1,3)
only B) (1,3) and (2,4) C) (1,3), (2,4), and (1,4) D) (1,4) only

Correct Answer: C Explanation: For transitivity: (1,2) and (2,3) require (1,3); (2,3) and (3,4) require (2,4);
(1,2), (2,3), (3,4) chain requires (1,4). With (1,3) added, (1,3) and (3,4) require (1,4).

Question 11: Which property is violated by the relation R = {(a,b), (b,c), (a,d)} if we know it should be
transitive? A) Missing (b,d) B) Missing (a,c) C) Missing (d,c) D) Missing (c,a)

Correct Answer: B Explanation: Since (a,b) ∈ R and (b,c) ∈ R, transitivity requires (a,c) ∈ R, but it's
missing from the given relation.

Closure Properties
Question 12: The reflexive closure of relation R = {(1,2), (2,3)} on set {1, 2, 3} is: A) {(1,2), (2,3), (1,1)} B)
{(1,2), (2,3), (1,1), (2,2), (3,3)} C) {(1,2), (2,3), (2,1), (3,2)} D) {(1,2), (2,3), (1,3)}

Correct Answer: B Explanation: Reflexive closure adds all pairs (a,a) for every element a in the set. We
add (1,1), (2,2), and (3,3) to the original relation.

Question 13: If R = {(1,2), (2,1)} on {1, 2}, what is the transitive closure of R? A) {(1,2), (2,1)} B) {(1,2), (2,1),
(1,1), (2,2)} C) {(1,2), (2,1), (1,1)} D) {(1,1), (2,2)}
Correct Answer: B Explanation: Transitive closure requires adding all pairs (a,c) where there's a path
from a to c. Since (1,2) and (2,1) exist, we need (1,1) and (2,2) for transitivity.

Equivalence Relations
Question 14: For a relation to be an equivalence relation, it must be: A) Reflexive and symmetric only B)
Reflexive and transitive only C) Symmetric and transitive only D) Reflexive, symmetric, and transitive

Correct Answer: D Explanation: An equivalence relation must satisfy all three properties: reflexive (every
element relates to itself), symmetric (if a relates to b, then b relates to a), and transitive (if a relates to b
and b relates to c, then a relates to c).

Question 15: Consider the relation R on integers defined by aRb if a ≡ b (mod 3). The equivalence class
of 5 is: A) {2, 5, 8, 11, ...} B) {3, 6, 9, 12, ...} C) {..., -1, 2, 5, 8, 11, ...} D) {0, 3, 6, 9, ...}

Correct Answer: C Explanation: The equivalence class of 5 consists of all integers that have remainder 2
when divided by 3: {..., -4, -1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, ...}.

Question 16: How many equivalence classes does the relation R = {(a,b) | a ≡ b (mod 4)} create on the set
{0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}? A) 2 B) 4 C) 6 D) 8

Correct Answer: B Explanation: Congruence modulo 4 creates 4 equivalence classes based on

remainders: [0] = {0,4}, [1] = {1,5}, [2] = {2,6}, [3] = {3,7}.

Partitions
Question 17: Which of the following is a partition of set A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}? A) {{1, 2}, {3, 4}, {4, 5}} B) {{1, 2},
{3}, {4, 5}} C) {{1}, {2, 3}, {5}} D) {{1, 2, 3}, {4, 5}, ∅}

Correct Answer: B Explanation: A partition must have non-empty, disjoint subsets that cover all
elements. Option B satisfies this: {1,2} ∪ {3} ∪ {4,5} = {1,2,3,4,5} with no overlaps.

Question 18: If an equivalence relation on a set of 12 elements has 3 equivalence classes of sizes 4, 5,
and 3 respectively, then: A) This is impossible B) This is valid C) We need more information D) The relation
is not well-defined

Correct Answer: A Explanation: The sizes must sum to the total number of elements: 4 + 5 + 3 = 12,
which matches. However, let me reconsider... Actually, this IS possible and valid.

Correct Answer: B Explanation: This is valid since 4 + 5 + 3 = 12, and equivalence classes form a
partition of the set.

Partial Ordering Relations

Question 19: A relation R on set A is a partial order if it is: A) Reflexive, symmetric, and transitive B)
Reflexive, antisymmetric, and transitive C) Symmetric, antisymmetric, and transitive D) Irreflexive,
antisymmetric, and transitive
Correct Answer: B Explanation: A partial order (or partially ordered set) requires reflexivity (every
element relates to itself), antisymmetry (if a relates to b and b relates to a, then a = b), and transitivity.

Question 20: Consider the "divides" relation on {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12}. Which pair represents comparable
elements in this partial order? A) (2, 3) B) (3, 4) C) (2, 6) D) (4, 6)

Correct Answer: C Explanation: In the "divides" relation, a divides b means a|b. Since 2|6 (2 divides 6),
the elements 2 and 6 are comparable. The other pairs are incomparable since neither element divides the
other.