Definition Defining a Set

A collection of well-defined objects is

called a set.
For example,

‘the set of former Nobel Prize

winners’
is a well-defined
set

‘the set of tall students in our university’

is not a well-defined set

 Note

Sets must be well-defined.

A set is well-defined if we can tell

whether a particular object is an
element of that set.
Definition Defining a Set

Each object in a set is called an element

or
C,member
Sets notation: A, B, a … of the set.
Elements Notation: a, b, c, …

Note

For example, A = {a, b,

c, d} b  A
‘b is an element of set A’ or
‘b is in A’
fA
‘f is not an element of set
A’ or ‘f is not in A’
Note

Each element of the set is

written only once.

The order of
elements in a set
is not important.
George Cantor (1845-1918)
George Cantor was born March 3, 1845 in St.
Petersburg, Russia and died January 6, 1918 in
Halle, Germany.
Cantor was the first mathematician who
defined the basic ideas of set theory. Using
ingenious methods, he proved remarkable
things about infinite sets.
 Representing Sets

1.The List or Roster Method

2.The Defining Property or Rule Method

3.The Venn Diagram Method

 Representing Sets
The List Method

For instance,

C = {I, You, He, She, We, They}

A = {, , , }
 Representing Sets

The Defining-Property Method

Or Rule method – by stating a property of its elements.

For example,

B={x| x is a season of the year}

of all x x is a season of the year
B is
such that
the set


Note
When we use the defining-property method
we can use the symbol ‘:’ instead of ‘|’.
 Representing Sets
Example

Defining/Rule Method List/Roster Method

A = {x| x is a day of the weekend} A = {Monday, Tuesday … Sunday},

1. B = {x| x is a season of the year} 1. B = {Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall}

1. C = {y| y is a whole number less than 1. C = {6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24}
25 & divisible by 3}
• D = {O, B, AB, A+, A-,AB+, AB-}
• D = {z| z is a blood type}
 Representing Sets
The Venn Diagram Method

As an example,

A
.a

.b
.c


Note
Each element of the set is represented
by a point inside the closed shape.
 John Venn (1834-1923)

John Venn was

born August 4,
1834 in Hull,
Yorkshire, England and
died April 4, 1923 in

•Cambridge, England. Venn diagrams (a diagrammatic way

of
•representing sets & their relationships) were introduced in 1880
by John Venn.
 Representing Sets
Solution 4

A
a. .1 .3 b. . July
.5 . January
.7
.9 . June

c. .5 . 10

. 15 . 0 . 20
 Number of Elements of a Set
Definition

The number of elements in a set A is

called the cardinal number
of the set A.
Denotation: n(A)
 Number of Elements of a Set

example

a. {a, b} & {e, f} are elements of set B,

therefore n(B) = 4

a. E = {M, A, T, H, E, I, C, S} so n(E) = 8

a. Nobody lives on the sun, so n(P) = 0

 Comparing Sets

1. Equivalent Sets

Note
1. Equal Sets
 Comparing Sets
Equivalent Sets
Definition

Two sets are equivalent if they have the

same number of elements.

If A & B are equivalent

AB ‘set A is equivalent to set

B’
For example,

n(A) = n(B) A
= 4= {a, b, c, d} so
&B A =B{1, 2, 3, 4}
 Comparing Sets
Equal Sets
Definition

Two sets are equal if they have exactly

the same elements.
If A & B are equal ; A=B
‘set A is equal to set B’
Example: {3,8,9} = {9,8,3}
{6,7,6,7,6} = {6,7}
Note
If A is equal to B, then A is also
equivalent to B.

A=BA B
However,

If A is equivalent to B, then A
might not be equal to B.

ABA= B
 Types of Set

• Empty (Null) Set

• The Universal Set

• Finite & Infinite Sets

 Types of Set
Empty (Null) Set
Definition

The set that contains no element is

called the empty set or the
null set.
Denotation:  or { }

As an example,

A = {x| x is a month containing 32 days}

So A =  & n() = 0
 Types of Set
The Universal Set
Definition

The Universal set is the set of

all elements under consideration in a
given discussion.
Denotation: U
For instance, U = {a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, I, j}

A = {a, b, c}
B = {c, d, e}
C = {f, g, h}
 Types of Set
Finite & Infinite Sets
Definition

Finite Set - contains elements that can be counted

and terminates at a certain natural number.
Infinite Set – contains elements that cannot be
counted and has no certain end.
As an example,

‘the set of days of the week’

is a finite set

‘the set of whole numbers’

is an infinite set
 Representing Sets
Example

Finite Set – specific number of element in a set•

C = {m, a, t, h, e, i, c, s}
Each element is written only once.
• D = {1, 2, 3, …, 1000}
The first few elements of D are written to establish a pattern. The
three dots (…), called an ellipsis, indicate that the last continues in
the same way up to the last number of the set, which is 1000.

Infinite Set – no specific quantity or cannot be counted.

• W = {0, 1, 2, 3, …}
If we don’t put a number after the ellipsis, this means
that the list doesn’t end.
 Subsets
Definition

Set A is a subset of set B if every

element of A is also an element of B.
• If A  B ‘A is a subset of B’, or ‘A is contained in B’

• If B  A ‘B is a super set of A’, or ‘B contains A’

U
B A AB
. 1
. 2 . 3 . 6
. 5 BU
. 4
. 8
. 7 A
U
 Subsets
Examples

a. every element of set B is

A
also an element of A. . 4
. 1
. 2
. 3 C

B . 5 . 7

A proper subset is a subset that is not equal to

the original set, otherwise, improper subset.
Example: Given {3, 5, 7}
Then proper subsets are {}, {5,7},{3,5},{3,7}
The improper subset is {3,5,7}
 Subsets
Properties

• Every set is a subset of itself. (A  A)

• The empty set is a subset of any set. ( 

A)

• If A  B and B  A then A = B.

• If A  B, B  C then A  C.
(Transitive)
 Union of Sets
Definition

The union of sets A & B is the set

of all elements which belong to A
or to
We write A  B & say ‘A union B
B’ (or to both).

Note

If A = {a, b, c, d, e}
& B = {a, c, f, g, h}, then
A  B = {a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h}.

U
nio
n
of
set
Note

If a  A  B then a  A or
a  B.
Each element must
be written only
once in the union of
sets.
 Union of Sets
example

•Given:
U = {a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h}
A = {a, c, f}
B = {d, e, f}
A  B = {a, c, d, e, f}
 Union of Sets
Properties of the Union
Let A, B, C be three sets, then the following statements are
true:
• AA= A
(idempotent law)
• AB=B A
(commutative property)
• A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C
(associative property)
• A= A
(identity law)
• AU= U
 Intersection of Sets
Definition

The intersection of two sets A & B is

the set of all elements that are in both A
& B.
We write A  B
& say ‘A intersection B’

Note
Note

If a  A  B then
a  A & a  B.
 Intersection of Sets
example

• A  B = {a, b, c, d, e}  {c, d, f, g} = {c, d}

• C  D = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}  {1, 3, 5} = {1, 3, 5} = D

• E  F = {m, n, o}  {p, r, s, t} = 
 Intersection of Sets
Properties of the Intersection
Let A, B, & C be three sets, then the following statements are
true:
• AA= A
(idempotent law)

• AB=BA
(commutative property)

• A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C
(associative property)
• A= 
(identity law)

• AU= A
• Complementation – is an operation on a set that must
be performed in reference to a universal set, denoted
by A’
example: given U = {a, b, c, d, e}
A = {c, d, e},
find A’
A’ = {a, b}
 Complement of a Set
Definition

The set of elements of U which are not

elements of set A is called
the
complement of A.

Ac or A’

‘the complement of set A’

 Complement of a Set
Properties

Let U be a universal set & A  U.

• A  A’ = U
• A  A’ = 
• U’ = 
• (A’)’ = A
 Complement of a Set
example

Given: U = {3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, a, b}
A = {a, 3, 7, 9}
A’= {4, 5, 8, b}

• A  A’ = {3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, a, b} = U

• A  A’ = {a, 3, 7, 9}  {4, 5, 8, b} = 
Functions and Relations

40
 A relation is a set of ordered pairs.
The domain is the set of all x values in the relation
domain = {-1,0,2,4,9}
These are the x values written in a set from smallest to largest
This is a
{(2,3), (-1,5), (4,-2), (9,9), (0,-6)} relation

These are the y values written in a set from smallest to largest

range = {-6,-2,3,5,9}
The range is the set of all y values in the relation
 A relation assigns the x’s with y’s

1
2
2
4
3
6
4 8
5 10

Domain (set of all x’s) Range (set of all y’s)

This relation can be written {(1,6), (2,2), (3,4), (4,8), (5,10)}

 AAfunction
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This is a function.
It meets our Set A is the domain Set B is the range
conditions.

Must use all the x’s

The x value can only be assigned to one y

 Let’s look at another relation and decide if it is a function.
The second condition says each x can have only one y, but it CAN
be the same y as another x gets assigned to.
No
1 xh
are 2 tha as
’s ed 2 m
x
All sign
4 ass n one ore
3 ign y
as 6 ed
4 8
5 10

Set A is the domain Set B is the range

This is a function
---it meets our Must use all the x’s
conditions
The x value can only be assigned to one y
AAgood
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okay.

1
2
2
4
3
6
4 8
5 10

2 was assigned both 4 and 10

Is the relation shown above a function? NO Why not???
 Check this relation out to determine if it is a function.
It is not---3 didn’t get assigned to anything
Comparing to our example, a student in maths must receive a grade

1
2
2
4
3
6
4 8
5 10

Set A is the domain Set B is the range

This is not a
function---it Must use all the x’s
doesn’t assign
each x with a y The x value can only be assigned to one y
 Check this relation out to determine if it is a function.
This is fine—each student gets only one grade. More than one can
get an A and I don’t have to give any D’s (so all y’s don’t need to be
used).
1
2
2
4
3
6
4 8
5 10

Set A is the domain Set B is the range

This is a function Must use all the x’s

The x value can only be assigned to one y

 We commonly call functions by letters. Because function
starts with f, it is a commonly used letter to refer to
functions.
f x   2 x  3 x  6
2
This means
the right The left side DOES NOT
hand side is This means MEAN f times x like
a function the right hand brackets usually do, it
called f side has the simply tells us what is on
variable x in it the right hand side.

The left hand side of this equation is the function notation.

It tells us two things. We called the function f and the
variable in the function is x.
Remember---this tells you what
is on the right hand side---it is
f x   2 x  3 x  6
2

f 2   22   32   6
not something you work. It says 2
that the right hand side is the
function f and it has x in it.

f 2   24   32   6  8  6  6  8
So we have a function called f that has the variable x in it.
Using function notation we could then ask the following:
This means to find the function f and instead of
Find f (2). having an x in it, put a 2 in it. So let’s take the
function above and make brackets everywhere
the x was and in its place, put in a 2.

Don’t forget order of operations---powers, then

multiplication, finally addition & subtraction
Find f (-2). f x   2 x  3 x  6
2

f  2   2 2   3 2   6
2

f  2   24   3 2   6  8  6  6  20

This means to find the function f and instead of having an x

in it, put a -2 in it. So let’s take the function above and make
brackets everywhere the x was and in its place, put in a -2.

Don’t forget order of operations---powers, then

multiplication, finally addition & subtraction
Find f (k). f x   2 x  3 x  6
2

f k   2k   3k   6
2

 
f k   2 k  3k   6  2k  3k  6
2 2

This means to find the function f and instead of having an x

in it, put a k in it. So let’s take the function above and make
brackets everywhere the x was and in its place, put in a k.

Don’t forget order of operations---powers, then

multiplication, finally addition & subtraction
Find f (2k). f x   2 x  3 x  6
2

f 2k   22k   32k   6

2

 
f 2k   2 4k  32k   6  8k  6k  6
2 2

This means to find the function f and instead of having an x in

it, put a 2k in it. So let’s take the function above and make
brackets everywhere the x was and in its place, put in a 2k.

Don’t forget order of operations---powers, then

multiplication, finally addition & subtraction
 Thank you.

Proceed to your schoology week 4 and do your

quiz.