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Sets and Venn Diagram

DEFINITION AND SET NOTATION

A set is a well-defined collection of distinct object. These objects maybe concrete

or tangible or they maybe abstract concepts. Each distinct object is called element or
member of the set.
A capital letter is used to name a set and the symbol Î is used to mean the object
is an element or a member of the set. Braces are used to enclose the member of the
set.

Example:
The set of letter in the word love maybe written A = {l,o,v,e}.
Since l is an element of set A, this is written l Î A which is read “l is an
element or member of set A”.
Similarly x is not a member of set A, then this is written x Ï A which is read
“x is not an element of set A”.

Two Ways of describing set

1. Tabular or roster method - indicate a set by listing or tabulating the elements and
enclosing them in braces.

Example: the set of names of the month starting with letter J maybe described by
N = {January, June, July}

2. Rule method or defining property method - Indicate a set by enclosing in

braces a descriptive phrase and agreeing that those objects and only those, which have
the described property, are elements of the set.

Example: the set of the names of the month starting with letter J maybe described by

N={x|x is a name of a month starting with letter J}.

The vertical bar is read “such that”

Illustration

Roster method Rule method

a) C = {x,y,z} a) C={x|x is one of the last three letters of the English

alphabet}

b) D = {1,2,3,4} b) D = {x|x is a counting number less than 5}

c) roster method cannot be used c) E = {x|x is a student in the Philippines}

d) F = {Mary, square root 5, China} d) Rule method cannot be used

NOTE:
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• The roster method is used when the elements are few and / or when they are
unlike have no common characteristic.
• The rule method is used when the elements have a common characteristics or
property whether they are few or so numerous and uncountable.

Cardinality of a set
The cardinality of a set refers to the number of its elements.
Consider D = {2,4,6,8}. Set D has 4 elements so the cardinality of a set D is 4
which is written n(D) = 4.

Kinds of Sets

Equal Set – Sets A and B are equal if and only if they have the same element and it is
denoted by A = B.

Example: A = {1,2,3} and B = {2,1,3} then A = B

Equivalent Set – Sets A and B are said to be equivalent if and only if there exist a one-
to-one correspondence between their elements or if they have the same number of
elements, and it is denoted by A ~ B.

Example: A = {1,2,3,4} and B = {a,b,c,d} then A ~ B

Empty Set or Null Set – is a set which has no element and it is denoted by the symbol
Ø (phi).

Example: A = {} and B = {x|x is month of the year containing 35 days}

Finite Set – is a set with definite number of elements.

Example: A = {a,e,i,o,u}
B = {x|x is is a counting numbers less than ten}

Infinite Set – is a set with no definite number of elements.

Example: A = {x|x is is a counting numbers}

B = {2,4,6,8,10,12,…}

Universal Set – is the totality of elements under consideration.

Example: A = {1,3,5,7,9}
B = {2,4,6,8,10}
Then U = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}

Unit Set or Singleton Set – is a set with only one element.

Example: A = {x} B = {2}

Joint Sets – Sets with common elements.
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Example: A = {a,e,i,o,u}
B = {a,b,c,d,e}

Disjoint Sets – set A and B are said to be disjoint if and only if they have no common
elements.

Example: A = { a,e,i,o,u }
B = {2,4,6,8,10}

Subsets – set A is a subset of set B if every element of A belongs to B and it is denoted

by A Í B. If A is a subset of B and there are elements of B that are not elements of A,
then A is a proper subset of B and it is denoted by A Ì B.

Example: A = {a,b,c} and B = {a,b,c,d,e} then A Ì B

Note:
• A given set is a subset of itself
• An empty set is a subset of any given set

To determine the number of subsets of a given set use the formula 2n. where n is the
number of elements of a given set.

Example: A = {a,b,c} find all the subsets

Solution. n=3, then 2n = 23 = 8 subsets

List of subsets: {a}, {b}, {c}, {a,b}, {a,c}, {b,c}, A, Ø

B = {a,e,i,o,u} find all the subsets

OPERATIONS ON SETS
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1. UNION OF SETS – The union of two sets A and B is the set of elements that belongs
to A or B.
U A B
A È B = {x/xÎA or xÎB}

Example: A = {a,b,c}
B = {c,d,e}
A È B = {a,b,c,d,e}

2. INTERSECTION OF SETS – The intersection of two sets A and B is the set

containing the elements of A and B.
U A B
A Ç B = {x/xÎA and xÎB}

Example: A = {a,b,c}
B = {c,d,e}
A Ç B = {c}

3. DIFFERENCE (RELATIVE COMPLEMENT) – The difference of two sets A and B is

the set of elements which belongs to A but does not belong to B, denoted by A – B.

A - B = {x/xÎA and xÏB}

U A B

Example: A = {a,b,c}
B = {c,d,e}
A - B = {a,b}
B - A = {d,e}

4. COMPLEMENT OF A (ABSOLUTE COMPLEMENT) – The complement of a set A is

the set of elements in the Universal set but is/are not found in A, denoted by A’ (A
prime).

A’ = {x/xÏA and xÎU}

U A B
Example: U = {1,2,3,4,…,10}
A = {1,2,3,4,5}
B = {2,4,6,8,10}
A’ = {6,7,8,9,10}
B’ = {1,3,5,7,9}