Problem Set 6

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LEVEL 1
1. Draw Venn diagrams for (𝐴 ∖ 𝐵) ∖ 𝐶 and 𝐴 ∖ (𝐵 ∖ 𝐶). Are these two sets equal for all sets 𝐴,
𝐵, and 𝐶? If so, prove it. If not, provide a counterexample.

2. Let 𝐴 = {∅, {∅, {∅}}}, 𝐵 = {∅, {∅}}, 𝐶 = (−∞, 2], 𝐷 = (−1, 3]. Compute each of the following:
(i) 𝐴∪𝐵
(ii) 𝐴∩𝐵
(iii) 𝐴 ∖ 𝐵
(iv) 𝐵 ∖ 𝐴
(v) 𝐴Δ𝐵
(vi) 𝐶 ∪ 𝐷
(vii) 𝐶 ∩ 𝐷
(viii) 𝐶 ∖ 𝐷
(ix) 𝐷 ∖ 𝐶
(x) 𝐶Δ𝐷

LEVEL 2
3. Prove the following:
(i) The operation of forming unions is commutative.
(ii) The operation of forming intersections is commutative.
(iii) The operation of forming intersections is associative.

4. Prove that if an interval 𝐼 is unbounded, then 𝐼 has one of the following five forms: (𝑎, ∞),
(– ∞, 𝑏), [𝑎, ∞), (– ∞, 𝑏], (– ∞, ∞)

LEVEL 3
5. Prove or provide a counterexample:
(i) Every pairwise disjoint set of sets is disjoint.
(ii) Every disjoint set of sets is pairwise disjoint.
 6. Prove the following:
(i) For all 𝑏 ∈ ℝ, the infinite interval (– ∞, 𝑏) is an open set in ℝ.
(ii) The intersection of two open intervals in ℝ is either empty or an open interval in ℝ.
(iii) The intersection of finitely many open sets in ℝ is an open set in ℝ.

7. Let 𝐴, 𝐵, and 𝐶 be sets. Prove each of the following:

(i) 𝐴 ∩ (𝐵 ∪ 𝐶) = (𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) ∪ (𝐴 ∩ 𝐶).
(ii) 𝐴 ∪ (𝐵 ∩ 𝐶) = (𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) ∩ (𝐴 ∪ 𝐶).
(iii) 𝐶 ∖ (𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) = (𝐶 ∖ 𝐴) ∩ (𝐶 ∖ 𝐵).
(iv) 𝐶 ∖ (𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = (𝐶 ∖ 𝐴) ∪ (𝐶 ∖ 𝐵).

LEVEL 4
8. Give an example of an infinite collection of open sets whose intersection is not open. Also, give
an example of an infinite collection of closed sets whose union is not closed. Provide a proof for
each example.

9. Let 𝑿 be a nonempty set of sets. Prove the following:

(i) For all 𝐴 ∈ 𝑿, 𝐴 ⊆ ⋃𝑿.
(ii) For all 𝐴 ∈ 𝑿, ⋂𝑿 ⊆ 𝐴.

LEVEL 5
10. Prove that if 𝑿 is a nonempty set of closed subsets of ℝ, then ⋂𝑿 is closed.

11. Let 𝐴 be a set and let 𝑿 be a nonempty collection of sets. Prove each of the following:
(i) 𝐴 ∩ ⋃𝑿 = ⋃{𝐴 ∩ 𝐵 | 𝐵 ∈ 𝑿}
(ii) 𝐴 ∪ ⋂𝑿 = ⋂{𝐴 ∪ 𝐵 | 𝐵 ∈ 𝑿}
(iii) 𝐴 ∖ ⋃𝑿 = ⋂{𝐴 ∖ 𝐵 | 𝐵 ∈ 𝑿}
(iv) 𝐴 ∖ ⋂𝑿 = ⋃{𝐴 ∖ 𝐵 | 𝐵 ∈ 𝑿}.

12. Prove that every closed set in ℝ can be written as an intersection ⋂𝑿, where each element of 𝑿
is a union of at most 2 closed intervals.

CHALLENGE PROBLEM
13. Prove that every nonempty open set of real numbers can be expressed as a union of pairwise
disjoint open intervals.