MAT214A

Monday 1/14 10 – 10:50am

SSU Spring 2019

Recall from last time:

1. Number Sets
N = {1, 2, 3, 4, …}
W = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4…} countable infinite sets
Z = {...-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ….}
Q = {x | x = a/b where a, b ∈ Z}
R = {x | x is all the numbers on a continuous number line with no gaps} uncountable infinite set

A finite or infinite set is countable if all its elements can be listed in a sequence (ordered).
An ordered set is dense if no matter how close two elements are, you can always find another element
between them.

2. Set: An unordered collection of objects (also called members or elements)

Use a list or set builder notation to describe the set
Set Builder Notation: E = {element | properties}

3. We diagram sets using Venn diagrams

4. Cardinality is the number of elements in a set. We denote the number of elements in a set X as n(X) or |
X|. Your book uses the |X| format.

5. Equivalent Sets A~B are sets that have the same cardinality (same number of elements).
For infinite sets we must have a “one to one” mapping between elements of each set for the sets to be
equivalent.
Today:
Finish Section 1.1

1. Equal sets contain the exact same elements.

We write A = B if for every element x: if x ∈ A, then x ∈ B and if x ∈ B, then x ∈ A
Another way to write this statement: A = B if and only if ∀ x ∈ A , x ∈ B∧∀ x ∈ B , x ∈ A

“for all”
This is a double containment argument. We are saying that the set A is contained in the set B and that the
set B is contained in the set A

Example: Are the sets S = {1, 2, 3, 4} and T = {4, 3, 1, 2} equal?

Yes - By inspection we can see that if x ∈ S, then x ∈ T and if x ∈ T, then x ∈ S, so S = T

Example: Are the sets X = {A, B, C} and Y = {A, A, B, C} equal?

Yes - By inspection we can see that if x ∈ X, then x ∈ Y and if x ∈ Y, then x ∈ X, so X = Y

Example: Are the sets A = {x | x2 – 4 =0} and B = {2, -2} equal sets?
We can solve x2 – 4 =0 and see that A ={-2, 2}
Yes - if x ∈ A, then x ∈ B and if x ∈ B, then x ∈ A, so A = B

Example: X = {x | x2 +3x + 2 = 0} and Y = {0, -1, -2}

Are these equal or not equal sets?

2. The Empty Set

The empty set contains no elements. This set is also called the null or void set.
The symbol for the empty set is ∅
We can write ∅={}
n(∅) = |∅∨¿ = 0
Please note that ∅ is not the symbol for zero. It is the symbol for a set with no elements.

3. Set Operations
 Union of sets X and Y is written X ∪ Y - this is the set of all elements belonging to set X OR set Y
We can write: A ∪ B = {x | x∈A or x∈B}
Example: If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {2, 3, 4, 6, 7}, then A ∪ B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7}

 The intersection of sets is written X ∩ Y - this is the set of all elements belonging to set X AND set Y
We can write: A ∩ B = {x | x∈A and x∈B}
Example: If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {2, 3, 4, 6, 7}, then A∩ B = {2, 3, 4}

 Disjoint sets - sets that have no common elements. If A and B are disjoint sets, we would write A ∩ B =
∅
Example: If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {6, 7}, then A ∩ B = ∅

 The difference or relative complement of a set is written X – Y. This set consists of the elements in X
that are not in Y. We can write X – Y = {x| x∈X and x∉Y}
 Example: If B = {1, 2, 3, 4} and A = {3, 4}, then B – A = {1, 2}

 The complement of A- Given a universal set U and a set A, the complement of A is written U – A or Á
We can write Á=¿ U – A = {x | x∈U and x∉A}

4. Subsets
 Subsets using ⊆
If X and Y are sets and every element of X is also an element of Y, we say X is a subset of Y. Note that X and
Y could also be equal sets. In this case we can write X ⊆ Y

Example: A = { New York, Boston, London, Paris} B = {New York, Boston Paris} Show that B⊆ A
Every element in B is also an element of A.
A ∩ B = {New York, Boston, Paris} and because B has no elements that are not in A, then B-A = ∅
Therefore, B⊆ A

Example: D = {x | x2 = 9} and F = {-3, 3} Show that D ⊆ F

Every element in D is also an element of F.
D ∩ F = {-3, 3} and because D has no elements that are not in F, then D - F = ∅
 Therefore, D⊆ F

Example: Show that Z is a subset of Q

We know that Z is the set of integers {… -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 …} and Q is the set of quotients {x |x = a/b
where a and b are integers}
Z ∩ Q = {x | x = n/1 where n ∈ Z} and because Z has no elements that are not in Q, then Z - Q = ∅
Therefore, Z⊆ Q **

-----------------Stopped here --------------------------

**This is an interesting conclusion. We know that Z and Q have the same cardinality (same number of
elements) and so are equivalent. They are both infinite countable sets. |Z| = |Q| = ∞

Theorem: Every infinite set is equivalent to some proper subset of itself. In our example we have Z⊆ Q, but
Z~Q

Another example:
Let A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ...} the cardinality of A is |A| = ∞
Let B = { 1, 3, 5, 7, …} the cardinality of B is |B| = ∞
We can create an infinite one to one mapping between A and B: If x ∈ A, then we map 2x-1 to B and if x ∈
B, then we map (x+1)/2 to A. These are equivalent sets (same number of elements) and so A ~ B

But, we can also show that B⊆ A

B ∩A = {1, 3, 5, 7, …} or we could say that B ∩A = {x | x = 2n-1, n ∈ A}
Because B has no elements that are not in A, then B – A = ∅

The infinite set A (the natural numbers) is equivalent to its infinite subset B (the odd numbers)