Sets, Relations

and Functions
Sets
Sets of the most fundamental
are one
concepts in mathematics. A set is a well
defined class or collection of the objects. Set is denoted
by the symbol A, B, C, ...

and its elements are denoted by a,b, C, etc. ...

e.g., The numbers 2, 4, and 6 are distinct

objects when considered separately but
when they are considered collectively they form a single set of size three,
written
as {2,4,6}.

Roster Method (Listing Method)

In this method, a set is described by listing elements, separated
by commas,
within braces.
e.g., A set of vowels of English alphabet may be described as {a, e, i, 0, u}.

Set Builder Method (Rule Method)

In this method, a set is described by a
characterizing property P(x) of its
elements x. In such a case the set is described by {x: P(x) holds} or
{x|P(x) holds} which is read as the set of allx such that P(x) holds.
The symbol '|' or ' is read as such that
e.g.,The set P = {0, 1, 4,9, 16,...} can be written as P { x | x eZ
Types of Sets If A, A . ,A, is a finite family of B
The set which contains no element at all is called the null sets.
set (empty set or void set) and it is denoted by the
Then, union of sets is denoted by
symbol o or ' and if it contains single element in
a set is called singleton set. UA
i= 1
Aset in which the process of counting of elements is
AUB
definitely comes to an end, is called a finite set, otherwise or A UAg U...UA
it is an infinite set.
. T w o sets A and B are said to be equal set iff every nent.Intersection

of A is an element of B and also every element of B is an The intersection of A and B is the set of all those
element of A. i.e., A =B, if x eA x e B. elements
that belongs to both A and B.
But in equivalent set, they have the same number of AnB= {x: x eA and x eB}.
i.e.,
elements, not exactly the same elements.
Two sets A and B are
comparable, if one of them is a U
subset of the other i.e., eitherACBor
BCA.
A set that contains all sets in
universal set (U).
a given
Let A and B be two sets. If every element of A is
element of B, thenA is called a subset of B, i.e., A CB.
If A is a subset of B and A B, then A is a
context is called

proper subset of
an eO AnB

If A, A,.., A, is a finite family of sets.

B. i.e., A c B.
Then, their intersection of sets is denoted by A ; or
The null set o is a subset of every set. subset
Every set is a AnAz O A . n Ap i=1
of itself i.e., ocA and A cA lor every set A.
They are
called improper subsets of A.
3. Difference
If S is any set, then the family of all the subsets
of S is The difference of set A and set B i.e., A
called the power set of S and it is denoted by PS). Power B, is the-

set of all
set of a given set is always If A has n elements, those elements of A which do not belong to B.
non-empty.
then P(A) has 2" elements. i.e. A-B = {x: x EA and xe B}
and B-A ={x eB : xe A).
The set {0} is not a nul set. lt is a set containing one
element o.
A
Whenever, we have to show that two sets A and B are equal
show that AcB and B CA, then A =B.
Total number of subsets of a finite set containing n elements
is 2"
A-B
B-A
Venn Diagram
4. Symmetric Difference
The combination of rectangles and circles is called Venn
Euler diagram or Venn diagram. The symmetric difference of sets
A and B is the set (A B) U
In Venn diagram, the universal set is U - (B - A)
and is denoted by AAB.
represented by a rectangular region and
set is AAB=(A - B) u (B - A)
a
represented by circle on some
closed geometrical figure.
5. Complement AAB
where A is the set and U is the universal set.
Let U be the universal set and A
be a
set such that Ac U.
Operations on Sets
Then, complement of A with respect
1. Union to U is denoted
Let A and B are two sets. The union of A and B is the set of
by A or A or C(A)
or U- A. It is defined as the set of
all elements which are in set A or in B or both A and B. all
those elements of U which are not
i.e., AUB={x:xeA orxeB} in A.
 Day 1 Sets, Relations and Functions 3

Some of the laws are also given as

Laws of Algebra of Sets
1) A-B =AnB'
C three sets, then
If A, B and are any (ii) B- A = B o A
iii) A - B =A AnB = 0
1. Idempotent Laws

(i) AUA =A (iv) (A - B) UB =AUB

(ii) AnA =A (v) (A- B) nB =o
2. Identity Laws (vi) AcBB'CA
(vii) (A - B) ( B - A) = ( A U B) - ( A n B)

1) AU o =A (viii) A n ( B - C ) = ( A n B) - (AnC)
1i) An U=A
(ix) An (BA C) = (A n B) A (A n C)
3. Distributive Laws
() Au (B n C) =(A U B) n (AuC) Cartesian Product of Sets
(ii) An BU C) =(AnB) U (An C)
Let A and B be any two on-empty sets. The set of all
4. De-Morgan's Laws ordered pairs (a, b) such that a e A and b e B is called the
cartesian product of the sets A and B and is denoted by
i) (AUB =. B
ii) (AnB =AUB AxB.
(ii) A-(B n C) = (A - B) U (A - C) Thus, AxB = [a, b) :a eA and b eB]
(iv) A-(BUC) =(A - B) n(A -C) If A = o or B = o, then we define A x B = o.

5. Associative Laws f A andB be two non-empty sets having n elements in

i) (AUB) UC = A 3UC common, then A x B and B x A have n' elements in common.
ii) An (Bo C) = (Ao B) nC bo of E ool
-- -nn-- --**************** ***********

Number of Elements in Sets

(Important Results)
() n (AUB) =n (A) + n (B)- n (An B)

(i) n (Au B) =n (A)+ n (B) A and B are disjoint non-void sets.

(ii) n (A-B) = n (A) - n (An B)

(iv) n (AA B) = n (A) + n (B) - 2n (AnB)

()n(AuBUC)=n (A)+ n (B) +n C)-n (AnB)-n (B nC)-n (A nC)+ n (AnBn C)
(vi) n (number of elements in exactly two of the sets A, Band C) = n (AnB) + n (B nC) + n (CnA)- 3n (AnBrC)
(vii) n (number of elements in exactly one of the sets A, B and C)
=n (A) + n (B) + n (C)-2n (A n B-2n (BnC)-2n (An C)+ 3n (AnBnC)
(vii) n (A UB') =n (An BY = n (U) - n (An B)

(ix) n (A nB')=n (AUBY =n(U)-n (AU B)

Relation
Let A and B be two non-empty sets, then relation R from A to B is a subset of A xB. Let RCAxBand (a, b) ER, then we
say that a is related to b by the relation Ri.e., aRb. If (a, b) E R, then we write it as aRb.

Domain and Range of a Relatioon

a relation from a set A to set B. Then, the set of all
be
Let R
hrst components or coordinates of the ordered pairs
belonging to R is called the domain of R while the set of all
second components or coordinates of the ordered pairs in
R is called the range of R. Thus,
Domain (R) = {a:(a, b) e R} and Range (R) = {b : (a,b) eR}
 A JEE Main MathematicsinJust 40 Days

Types of Relations 6. Equivalence Relation

A relation R on a set A is said to be
The different types of relations are as given below
an
equivalence
relation on A iff
(i) it is reflexive i.e., (a, a) e R, Va eA.
1. Reflexive Relation
(i) it is symmetric i.e.,
A relation R set A is said to be
on a
reflexive, if every (a, b)e R.b, aeR, Va, beA
element of A is related to itself. (iii) it is transitive
Thus, R is reflexive ( a , a) eR,V aeA. i.e., (a, b) eR and (b, c) e R
( a , c)eR, Va, b, ceA
2. Symmetric Relation
The intersection of two equivalence relations on a set is an
A relation R on a set A is said to be
symmetric relation equivalance relation on the set.
iff
The union of two equivalence relations on a set is not
(a,b) e R (b,a) e R, V a,b e A necessarily an equivalence relation on the set.
or R on a set A is symmetric fRand Sare two equivalence relations orn set A, then Rn S
iff R =
R, where R is a
inverse relation of R. Is also an equivalence relation on A.
Ris an equivalence relation on a set A, then R is also an
3. Anti-symmetric Relation equivalence relation A.
Let A be any set. Then, a relation R on set A is said to be
an anti-symmetric relation iff 7. Inverse Relation
Let A and B be two sets and R be a relation from a set A to
(a, b) e R and (b, a) eR a=b, Va, beA.
set B. Then, the inverse of R, denoted
by R, is a relation
4. Transitive Relation from B to A and is defined by R = {(b, a) : (a, e R}. b)
Let A be any set. Then, a relation R on set A is said to be Clearly, (a, b) e R (b, a) eR
a transitive relation iff

(a,b) e Rand (b,c) e R= (a, c) eR, V a, b, cEA

e., aRb and bRc aRc, V a,b,ceA.
Composition of Relations
Let R and S be two relations from set A to B
and B to C
5. Identity Relation respectively, then we can define a relation SoR from A to C
such that (a, c) e
Let A be a
non-empty set. Then, the relation
SoR3b eB such that (a,b) e R and
(b,c) ES. This relation is called the
A ={{a, a):a eA} on A is called the identity composition of R and S.
But RoS SoR. Also,
relation on A. #
(SoR) =
RoS1

Function or Mapping
If A and B are two
non-empty sets, then a rule f which
associated to each xEA, aunique abf(a) + f{b), Va,b eA
number y e B, is called a or fla) = f{b) =a =b, V a,b eA a
function from A to B. i.e., f:A>B. The set
of A is called a2
the domain of f{D,). The set of B is called the codomain of Graphically Any line parallel to b2
X-axis cuts the
f(C). The set consisting of all the images of the elements of graph of the function a3
atmost at one point. a4 ba
the domain A(R,).
The number
of functions from a finite set A into finite set
Different Types of Function B ={n(B)1n)
The number of one-one function that can be
1. One-One Function (injection) (5)
defined from
finite set A into finite set B is yif n(B) 2n(A)
A functionf:A-> B is said to be a one-one function or an 0 otherwise
injection, if different elements of A have different images in B. Any function which is entirely increasing or decreasing in the
Thus, f:A > B is one-one, if there exist a,b eA such that whole of a domain is one-one function.
 Day 1 Sets, Relations and Functions 5

Methods to Check One-One Function

5.One-One and Onto Function
Method 1 If fx) = fy)>x = y, then f is one-one.
(Bijection)
Method 2 A function is one-one iff no line
parallel to X-axis meets
the of function at more than one
A function f :A> Bis said to be a bijection, if it
graph point. is one-one as well as onto. Thus, f:A-B is a
Method 3 If f(x) s0, or f(x) 20, Vxe
domain, then f is one-one. bijection, if
i) it is one-one
2. Many-One Function i.e., fx) = fly)

A function f:A> B is said to be a many-one X =y, v X, y EA.

(ii) it is onto
function, if two or more elements of set A have
i.e., Vy eB, there exists x EA such that
the same image in B.
f(x) = y.
Thus, f:A> B ismany-one function, if there
a 3

exist a, b eA such that a # b but f{a) f(b). =

a4
6. Inverse Function
i.e..f:A>B is a many-one function, if it is not
a one-one function.
Letf be defineda function from A to B such that
for every element of B their exist a image. Let y be
Graphically Any line parallel to x-axis, cuts the graph of the an arbitrary element of B.
function atleast two points. Then, f being onto, there exists an element x EA
In three consecutive quadrants, trigonometrical functions such that f(x) = y. Also, f being one-one, this x
are always
many-one function. must be unique.
Thus, for each yeB, there exists a unique
3. Onto Function (Surjection) element xEA such that f(x) =y. So, we may
define a function,
A function f:A->B is said to be an onto, if
each element of B has its pre-image in A.
b1 f:B>A
I f f y ) eA,Vy eB, then function is onto, 2- 2 fy)=x
where fis inverse of f Range of f x ) = Jy
an f = 03
Codomain of f.
The above function f is called the inverse
of f.
The number of onto functions that can be defined from a finite set A
Inverse of bijective function
containingn elements onto a finite set B containing 2 elements = 2-2. is also bijective
function.
The number of onto functions that can be defined from a finite set A out a
finite set B = Number of ways of dividing n(A) things into n(B) groups. So, If the inverse of f exist, then is called
f an
that no group is empty, if n(A)2 n(B) and is O, otherwise invertible function i.e., A function f is
invertible if and only if f is one-one onto.
Method to Check Onto Function
Find the range y = f(x) and show that range 7. Composite Function
f(x)= codomain of f (x). Iff:A > Band g:B>C are two functions, then
the composite function of f and
g
4. Into Function
b i.., gof:A>C will be defined as,
A function f:A-> B is said to be an into
b2 gof (x) = glf x)]. V x eA.
Tunction, if there exists atleast one element in B
a3
navingno pre-image in A. i.e.,f:A>Bis an into ba
Generally gof+fog.
Tunction, if it is not an onto function.
b5