7/25/2011

A = {1, 2, 3}
B = {2, 3, 6}
A B = {2, 3}

MATHEMATIC: SETS

Dinda Ayu Rahmi | X-2 | SMAN 3 Bandung

Contents

Contents ............................................................................................................................... 1
Definition .............................................................................................................................. 2
1.

Listing the elements .....................................................................................................

2.

Describing the elements ...............................................................................................

Venn Diagram ....................................................................................................................... 3

Kind of Sets ........................................................................................................................... 3
1.

Universal Set ................................................................................................................

2.

Empty Set .....................................................................................................................

3.

Finite Sets .....................................................................................................................

4.

Infinite Sets ..................................................................................................................

Set Operations ...................................................................................................................... 4

1.

Intersection of Sets .......................................................................................................

2.

Union of Sets ................................................................................................................

3.

Complement of a Set ....................................................................................................

4.

Set Subtraction/Difference ...........................................................................................

Characteristics of Set ............................................................................................................ 6

1.

Idempotent ..................................................................................................................

2.

Commutative................................................................................................................

3.

Associative ...................................................................................................................

4.

Distributive ...................................................................................................................

5.

Complement Characteristics .........................................................................................

6.

Identity Characteristics .................................................................................................

7.

De Morgans Law ..........................................................................................................

Sets
Definition
A set is a collection of objects, things or symbols which are clearly defined. The
individual objects in a set are called the members or elements of the set.
A set must be properly defined so that we can find out whether an object is a
member of the set.
There are two ways of doing this :

1. Listing the elements

The set can be defined by listing all its elements, separated by commas and enclosed
within braces.
Example:
B = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}
X = {a, b, c, d, e}
However, in some instances, it is impossible to list all the elements of a set. In such
cases, we define the set by method 2.

2. Describing the elements

The set can be defined, where possible, by describing the elements.
Example:
C = {x : x is an integer, x > 3 }
This is read as: C is the set of elements x such that x is an integer greater than
3.
We should describe a certain property which all the elements x, in a set, have in
common so that we can know whether a particular thing belongs to the set.
We relate a member and a set using the symbol . If an object x is an element of set
A, we write x A. If an object z is not an element of set A, we write z A.
denotes is an element of or is a member of or belongs to
denotes is not an element of or is not a member of or does not belong to
Example:
If A = {1, 3, 5} then 1 A and 2 A

Venn Diagram
We can also represent sets using Venn diagrams. In a Venn diagram, the sets are
represented by shapes usually circles or ovals. The elements of a set are labelled within
the circle.
Venn diagram can be made to represent a set and also can be made to represent
some sets and their relationships.

Kind of Sets
1. Universal Set
A universal set is the set of all elements under consideration, denoted by capital U
or sometimes capital E.
Example:
Given that U = {5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12}, list the elements of the following sets.
a) A = {x : x is a factor of 60}
b) B = {x : x is a prime number}
Solution:
The elements of sets A and B can only be selected from the given universal set U .
a) A = {5, 6, 10, 12}
b) B = {5, 7, 11}
In a venn diagram, the universal set is usually represented by a rectangle and
labelled U.
Example:
Draw a Venn diagram to represent the following sets:
U
= {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}
A
= {1, 2, 5, 6}
B
= {3, 9}
Solution:
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

: Draw a rectangle and label it U to represent the universal set.

: Draw circles within the rectangle to represent the other sets. Label
the circles and write the relevant elements in each circle.
: Write the remaining elements outside the circles but within the
rectangle.

2. Empty Set
There are some sets that do not contain any element at all. For example, the set of
months with 32 days. We call a set with no elements the null or empty set. It is
represented by the symbol { } or .
Some other example of null sets are:
The set of normal dogs with six legs.
The set of squares with 5 sides.
The set of cars with 20 doors.
The set of integers which are both even and odd.

3. Finite Sets
Finite sets are sets that have a finite number of members. If the elements of a finite
set are listed one after another, the process will eventually run out of elements to
list.
Example:
A
= {0, 2, 4, 6, 8, , 100}
C
= {x : x is an integer, 1 < x < 10}

4. Infinite Sets
An infinite set is a set which is not finite. It is not possible to explicitly list out all the
elements of an infinite set.
Example:
T
= {x : x is an odd number}
N is the set of natural numbers
A is the set of fractions
The number of elements in an infinite set A is denoted by n(A).

Set Operations
1. Intersection of Sets
A new set can also be constructed by determining which members two sets have "in
common". The intersection of A and B, denoted by A B, is the set of all things
which are members of both A and B. If A B = , then A and B are said to be disjoint
(without intersections at all).
Example:
X
= {1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10}
Y
= {1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10}
X Y = {1, 5, 6, 10}

For the Venn diagram,

Step 1 : Draw two overlapping circles to represent the two sets.
Step 2 : Write down the elements in the intersection.
Step 3 : Write down the remaining elements in the respective sets.
Notice that you start filling the Venn diagram from the elements in the intersection
first.

2. Union of Sets
The union of two sets A and B is the set of elements, which are in A or in B or
in both. It is denoted by A B and is read A union B
Example :
U
= {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10}
X
= {1, 2, 6, 7}
Y
= {1, 3, 4, 5, 8}
Find X Y and draw a Venn diagram to illustrate X Y.
Solution:
X Y = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8} 1 is written only once.

3. Complement of a Set
The complement of set A, denoted by A or Ac , is the set of all elements in the
universal set that are not in A.

4. Set Subtraction/Difference
B complement to A, denoted A B, read as it exists in A but not in B. A
complement to B denoted B A, read as it exists in B but not in A.
Example:
A
= {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
B
= {2, 5, 7, 11}
A B = {x : x A and x B}
A B = {1, 3, 4}
B A = {x : x B and x A}
B A = {7, 11}

Characteristics of Set
Sets Operations have some characteristics such as:

1. Idempotent

5. Complement Characteristics

a. A A
b. A A

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

=A
=A

2. Commutative
a. A B = B A
b. A B = B A

=U
=
=A
=
=U

6. Identity Characteristics

3. Associative

a.
b.
c.
d.

a. (A B) C = A (B C)
b. (A B) C = A (B C)

4. Distributive
a. A (B C) = (A B) (A C)
b. A (B C) = (A B) (A C)

A
AU
AU
A

=A
=A
=U
=

7. De Morgans Law
a. (A B)
b. (A B)

SOURCES:

A A
A A
(A)
U

http://en.wikipedia.org
http://onlinemathlearning.com
http://scribd.com
6

= A B
= A B