Introduction to Set Theory

Gec Math (Mathematics in the Modern World)

1st Semester 2020-2021
Basic Concepts
► Set – is a well-defined collections of objects
Examples: a. letters of the English Alphabet
b. nursing students in HNU
c. even natural numbers

► Element/Member – each object that is found in a set.

(Symbol: ∈ element of the set, ∉ not element of the set)

Examples: a. { a, b, c, . . ., y, z}
b. { Abby, Bea, Carol}
c. {2, 4, 6, 8, . . .}
3 Common Ways to
Designate sets
• Listor Roster method
• Descriptive method
• Set-builder Notation method
 List or Roster Method
► Elements that are listed between braces, with commas between the
elements.
► The order in which we list elements is not important.

Examples:
a. Write the set of months of the year that begins with the letter M.
Ans: M = {May, March}
b. Write the set of natural numbers less than 6.
Ans: {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
c. Write the set of the animals in your yard.
Ans: {dogs, cats, pigs, ducks}
 Descriptive Method
► Uses a short verbal statement to describe the set.
► There a plenty of ways a set can be described.
Examples:
a. The set B containing 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.
Ans: The set B is the set of even natural numbers less than 14.
The set B is the set of natural numbers between 1 and 15
that are divisible by 2
b. The set containing -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3
Ans: The set of integers from -3 to 3.
 Set-builder Notation Method
► Uses a variable, braces, and a vertical bar | that read as “such that”.
✔ Variables: symbol usually in letters
✔ Braces: { }
✔ Vertical Bar: |
Example: a. The set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
Ans: {x|x ∈ N and x < 7 }, The example is read as “the
set of all x such that x is an element of natural number and
x is less than 7”.

b. Set R contains the Elements 2, 4, and 6

Ans: R = {x|x ∈ E and x <7 }, is read as “the set of all x such
that x is an element of even natural number and x is
less than 7”

c. Set W contains the elements red, yellow, and blue.

Ans: W = {x|x is a primary color}, is read as “the set of all x
such that x is a primary color”
 Number Type Symbol Description
Real Number R All the numbers in the number
line
Rational Numbers Q Division of one integer to another
Integers Z Whole numbers and negative
numbers
Whole Numbers W Natural/ positive numbers and
Zero
Negative Numbers Z- written as a minus sign before
their number
Natural/Positive Numbers Z+ Numbers greater than zero
Even Natural Numbers E Numbers divisible by 2
Odd Natural Numbers O Numbers not divisible by 2
 Ellipsis Empty/Null Sets
Symbol: . . . -a set with no elements
Read as: “and so forth” Symbol: Ø or { }

Examples: Examples:
a. Using the roster method, write the a. The set of dogs with six legs.
set containing all even natural numbers
b. The set of squares with 5 sides.
between 99 and 201.
c. {x|x is a human being living in Mars}
Ans: {100, 102, 104, . . . , 198,200}

b. Using the roster method, write the

set of counting numbers.
Ans: {1, 2, 3, . . .}
Cardinal Number of a Set
► The number of elements in a set.
► Symbol: For set A the symbol is n(A), which is read as “n of A”

Examples:
a. H = {5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30}
Ans: n(H) = 6
b. D = {x|x ∈ N and x <16}
Ans: n(D) = 15
c. K = {16}
Ans: n(K) = 1
d. Ø
Ans: n(Ø ) = 0
e. B = {Ø} or B = { { } }
Ans: n(B) = 1
 Finite and Infinite Sets
Finite Sets
See the following examples:
1.A = {my friend}
2.B = {11, 12, 13, 14, 15}
3.C = {k, l, m, n, o, p}
4.D = {my uncle, my aunt, my niece}
5.E = {the people on Barangay Bentig}
From the examples above, how is a
finite set defined?
A finite set is a set whose elements
can be counted or enumerated up to
the last element.
Infinite Sets
See the following examples:
1.The set of grains in a sack of rice
2.The set of stars in the sky
3.The set of stones in Cagayan River
4.The set of diameters in a circle
5.The set of Birds in the Philippines
From the examples above, how is a
infinite set defined?
A set in which the elements are so
many that it is impossible to count
or enumerate all of them is called
infinite set.
 Equal and Equivalent Sets

Equal Sets Equivalent Sets

► Two sets A and B are ► Two finite sets A and B
equal (written A = B) if are said to be equivalent
they have exactly the (written A ≈ B) if they
same elements. have the same number of
elements:
that is, n(A) = n(B)
 Equal and Equivalent Sets
Equal Sets Equivalent Sets
if they have exactly the same if they have the same number of
elements. elements.

State whether each pair of sets is equal, equivalent, equal and

equivalent, or neither.

A. Equivalent
B. Equal and Equivalent
C. Neither
D. Equivalent
E. Equal and Equivalent
 Lesson Summary
► Set – is a well-defined collections of objects
► Element/Member are each object that is found in a set. (Symbol: ∈)
► 3 Common Ways to Designate sets: List or Roster method, Descriptive
method, and Set-builder Notation method.
► List or Roster method are elements that are listed between braces,
with commas between the elements.
► Descriptive Method uses a short verbal statement to describe the set.
► Set-builder Notation Method uses a variable, braces, and a vertical
bar.
Lesson Summary
► Ellipsis Read as: “and so forth” (Symbol: . . . )
► Empty/Null set is a set with no elements (Symbol: Ø or { } )
► Cardinal Number of a set number of elements in a set.
► Finite sets can be counted or enumerated.
► Infinite sets impossible to count or enumerate
► Equal sets have exactly the same elements.
► Equivalent sets have the same number of elements.