Table of set theory symbols

Meaning /
Symbol Symbol Name Example
definition

A=
{} set a collection of elements {3,7,9,14},
B = {9,14,28}

A = {x | x∈
| such that so that
, x<0}

objects that belong to set A A∩B=

A∩B intersection
and set B {9,14}

objects that belong to set A or A∪B=

A∪B union
set B {3,7,9,14,28}

A is a subset of B. set A is {9,14,28} ⊆

A⊆B subset
included in set B. {9,14,28}

proper subset / strict A is a subset of B, but A is not {9,14} ⊂

A⊂B subset equal to B. {9,14,28}
{9,66} ⊄
A⊄B not subset set A is not a subset of set B
{9,14,28}

A is a superset of B. set A {9,14,28} ⊇

A⊇B superset
includes set B {9,14,28}

proper superset / A is a superset of B, but B is {9,14,28} ⊃

A⊃B strict superset not equal to A. {9,14}
{9,14,28} ⊅
A⊅B not superset set A is not a superset of set B
{9,66}

2A power set all subsets of A  

power set all subsets of A  

A={3,9,14},
both sets have the same
A=B equality
members B={3,9,14},
A=B
 Meaning /
Symbol Symbol Name Example
definition

all the objects that do not

Ac complement
belong to set A
 

all the objects that do not

A' complement
belong to set A
 

A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A and
A\B relative complement
not to B B = {1,2,3},
A \ B = {9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A and B = {1,2,3},
A-B relative complement
not to B A-B=
{9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A or B B = {1,2,3},
A∆B symmetric difference
but not to their intersection A∆B=
{1,2,9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A or B B = {1,2,3},
A⊖B symmetric difference
but not to their intersection A⊖B=
{1,2,9,14}

element of, A={3,9,14}, 3

a∈A belongs to
set membership
∈A
A={3,9,14}, 1
x∉A not element of no set membership
∉A

(a,b) ordered pair collection of 2 elements  

set of all ordered pairs from A

A×B cartesian product
and B
 

the number of elements of set A={3,9,14}, |

|A| cardinality
A A|=3

the number of elements of set A={3,9,14},

#A cardinality
A #A=3
 Meaning /
Symbol Symbol Name Example
definition

infinite cardinality of natural

aleph-null  
numbers set

cardinality of countable ordinal

aleph-one  
numbers set

Ø empty set Ø = {} A=Ø

universal set set of all possible values  

natural numbers /
0 whole numbers  set 0  = {0,1,2,3,4,...} 0 ∈  0
(with zero)

natural numbers /
1 whole numbers  set 1  = {1,2,3,4,5,...} 6 ∈  1
(without zero)

integer numbers set  = {...-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3,...} -6 ∈ 

rational numbers set  = {x | x=a/b, a,b∈  

2/6 ∈ 
and b≠0}
6.343434
real numbers set  = {x | -∞ < x <∞}
∈ 

complex numbers  = {z | z=a+bi,

  set -∞<a<∞,      -∞<b<∞}
6+2i ∈