ST.

MARK’S MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

CHROMEPET, CHENNAI - 600 044

Class: VI MATHEMATICS
Learning Material for the chapter – 1
SETS
Types of sets:

The empty set:

A set containing no element is called an empty set or a null set. It is written as { } or ф.
Example:
The set of natural numbers lying between 1 and 2 .

The singleton set:

A set that contains only one element is called a singleton set.
Example:
A = { x : x is an even prime number }

The finite set:

A set whose elements can be counted is called a finite set.
Example:
A = { 1, 2, 3,…. 60 }

The infinite set:

A set which has an uncountable number of different elements is called an infinite set.
Example:
W = { 0, 1, 2, 3,…. }

The universal set:

A set which consists of all elements of the different sets under consideration is called as
the universal set. It is represented by U.

Example:
A = {1, 3, 5, 7 } B = { 2, 4, 6, 8 }. C = { 2, 3, 5, 7 }
The set which contains every element of A, B and C is called the universal
set.
(i.e.,) U = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 }
It could also be,
U = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 } or a set of all natural numbers.

Note:
● The universal set for a given set is not unique.
● We may have more than one universal set for the same set.
The equal sets:
Two sets are said to be equal if they have the same elements. If the sets A and B are
equal, then, A = B, otherwise A ≠ B.
Example:
Let P = { 1, 3, 5 },. Q = { 1, 5, 3, 1, 5, 3, 1 }
Here, P = Q, because the elements in both the sets are the
same.
Let C = {the letters in the word ‘tomb'}
D = {the letters in the word ‘bottle’}
Here, C ≠ D because the sets C and D do not have the same elements.

The equivalent sets:

Two finite sets are said to be equivalent if the number of distinct elements in both the
sets are equal.
If the sets A and B are equivalent, we write it as A ↔ B.
Example:
Let A = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 } and B = { 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 }
The number of elements in each set is 5. So A ↔ B
Note:
All equal sets are equivalent but all equivalent sets may not be equal.

The overlapping sets:

The sets having atleast one element in common are called the overlapping sets.
Example:
Let P = { a, b, c }
Q = { t, a, b, x }
The sets P and Q are overlapping because they have elements ‘a’ and ‘b’ in common.

The disjoint sets:

Two sets are said to be disjoint if they have no element in common.
Example:
The sets A = { 1, 3, 5 } and B = { 2, 4, 6 } are disjoint sets as they have no common
elements.

The cardinal number of a set:

The number of distinct elements in a finite set is called the cardinal number of the set.
The cardinal number of a finite set A is denoted by n( A ).
Example:
C = {the letters of the word
‘parallelogram’}
C ={ p, a, r ,l, e ,o, g ,m }
The set C has 8 distinct elements.
So, n (c) = 8

Exercise 1.2
1. State whether the given sets are finite or infinite.
a.A= { x:xc N,x<10 }
 Answer:
A = {1, 2, 3,4, 5,6, 7,8, 9 }
Therefore,the set A is a finite set, because it has 9 elements.

b.D= { x:x is a multiple of

20}
Answer:
D = { 1,2,4,5,10,20 }
Therefore,the set D is a finite set because it has 6 elements.

c. C={x:x is a multiple of 20}

The set C is an infinite set because there can be an infinite number of multiples of
20.

2. Which of the following sets are empty?

a. A = { the numbers between 0 and 1 }

Solution:
The set A is an empty set because it is not possible to count the
numbers between 0 and 1.

b. B ={numbers between 0 and 2.}

Solution:
The set B is not an empty set
because it contains one element
between 0 and 2 and there is no
possibility to add.

c.{score of a batsman who could

not bat because of rain}
Solution:
The set C is an empty set
because it is not possible.

3.State which of the following pairs of sets are equivalent but not equal.
a. A = { 2,3,5,7},B={x:x is a factor of 21}
Solution:
A={2,3,5,7}
B={1,3,7,21}
Therefore, n(A)=4
n(B )=4
The sets A and B are equivalent sets but not equal
sets.

b. A= { 2,4,...},B={all the natural numbers divisible by2}

Solution:
A= {2,4,... }
 B={2,4,6,..}
The sets A and B are equal and equivalent sets
4.Classify the following as finite or infinite sets.
a.Set of the prime numbers less than 6.
Solution:
The prime numbers less than 6 is 2,3,5.
Therefore,it is a finite set because it has 3 elements.

b.The set of all fractions lying between 1 and 2.

Solution:
It is an infinite set because it is not possible to mention the number of all trees in Delhi.

5.Find the cardinal numbers of the following sets.

a.{1,2,3,4}=A
Solution:
n(A )=4
Therefore,the number of elements in the set=4.

b.P={letters in the word MATRICULATION}

Solution:
P={m,a,t,r,i,c,u,l,o,n}
n(A)=10.

c.A={0}
Solution:
n(A)=1

6.Given that,A={5,7,9,2,3}and B={3,5,x,2,7}

Solution:
Given that,sets A and B are equal sets.
Therefore,x=9.

7.Find whether the given sets A and B are overlapping or disjoint sets.
Solution:
a.A={x:xcW, x<15} and {x:x is a factor of 12}
Solution:
A={0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,1}
B={1,2,3,4,6,12}
The sets A and B,have numbers 1,2,3,4,6,12 is common.Therefore,These sets are
overlapping.

b.A={x:x is a consonant in the word’MATHS’}

B ={x:x is a vowel in the word’PHYSICS’}
Solution:
A={M,T,H,S}
B={I}
The sets A and B, have no common elements.Therefore, these sets are disjoint.

3. If A = { x : x = 𝑛2 , n < 5 } then , find A when the universal set is the set of

a. Natural
numbers
Answer:
A = { 1, 4, 9, 16 }

b. Whole numbers
Answer:
A = { 0, 1, 4, 9, 16 }

5 If ‘A’ represents the set of natural numbers less than 5, then, find the
number of elements in A.
Answer:
A = { 1, 2, 3, 4 }
n(A) = 4