Unit 2: Mathematical Language and Symbols

Topic 3: Language of Set

We are now ready to discuss these concepts on sets and set operation in the context of the set
of numbers.

In this part of a unit, you will learn the foundational topic on Algebra from which virtually all
of mathematics can be derived. You will undertake to define set, identify kind of sets and
perform its operations

Learning Objectives

Upon the completion of this topic, you are expected to:

a. define set, inclusive, element, object and write them using the set notations;
b. describe sets using the roster and rule method:
c. perform operations on sets; and
d. illustrate the relationship of sets using Venn diagram.

Presentation of Content

A set is a well-defined collection of distinct objects called elements. The elements that make
up a set can be anything: numbers, people, letters of the alphabet, other sets, and so on. It is
desirable that sets be well-defined to ensure the membership or non-membership of an object
in a given set. Thus, 5 ∈ N mean 5 is an element of set N.

It is conventionally denoted by Capital letters and with braces. The braces { } mean “the set
whose elements or member are” such as:
Z = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,...} is the set of all positive even integers or
A = { 1, 3, 5, 7, …} means that A is the set of all positive odd integers or
NOTE: The notation {x | x...} is read as the set of all x such that x is....
Example 9:
A= the set of counting numbers.
B =the set of vowels.
C= the set of letters in the word “Ibanag”.
D= the set of 2nd Year CPAD students enrolled in GEC 103 for first semester Academic
Year 2019-2020.
E = the set of letters in the English alphabet.
 Example 10: Membership or Element of a Set

a. If B is a set and x is one of the objects of B, this is denoted x ∈ B, and is read as "x belongs
to B", or "x is an element of B". If y is not a member of B then this is written as y ∉ B, and is
read as "y does not belong to B".

b. Another example, with respect to the sets A = {1, 2, 3, 4}, B = {blue, white, red}, and F =
{n2 − 4 : n is an integer; and 0 ≤ n ≤ 19} defined above, 4 ∈ A and 12 ∈ F; but 9 ∉ F and
green ∉ B.

Notation Meaning

3 ∈𝐴 3 is an element of set A
15 ∉ 𝐵 15 is not an element of a set B
{3} ⊂ 𝐴 The set consisting of 3 is a subset of set A
{15} ⊄ 𝐵 The set consisting of 15 is not a subset of set B

Describing Set
Sets are usually described in one of two ways:
1. Roster/Tabular Method: This first way of describing, or specifying the members of, a set
is, by listing each member of the set, separated by commas, and enclosed by braces.
Example 11: Roster Method
Complete listing: S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12}
C = {4, 2, 1, 3}
D = {blue, red, yellow, white}.

Partial listing: S = {1, 2, 3, …, 12}

For instance, the set of the first thousand positive integers may be specified extensionally as
{1, 2, 3, ..., 1000}, where the ellipsis ("...") indicates that the list continues in the obvious
way. Ellipses may also be used where sets have infinitely many members. Thus the set of
positive even numbers can be written as {2, 4, 6, 8, ... }.

2. Rule Method. This second way of describing and naming set is by using a definition or
semantic description. Using a set-builder notation.
For instance, S = {x | x is a counting number less than or equal to 12}. The set-builder notation
above is read as “the set of all x such that x is a counting number less than or equal to 12.”

Example 12: Rule Method

a. A is the set whose members are the first five positive integers.
b. B is the set of colors of the Philippine flag.
c. F = {n2 − 4 | n is an integer; and 0 ≤ n ≤ 19}.
In this notation, the vertical bar ("|") means "such that", and the description can be
interpreted as "F is the set of all numbers of the form n2 − 4, such that n is a whole number
in the range from 0 to 19 inclusive."

Operations on Sets
There are several fundamental operations for constructing new sets from a given sets. Perhaps
the best way to understand them is to use what are called Venn diagrams. It is a pictorial
representation of the relationship of sets. The rectangle represents the universal set. Circle
represents the given set.

1) Union. A B is the set that contains all the elements in either A or B or both:

Using Set-Builder Notation Venn diagram

A B = {x | x ∈ A or x ∈ B}.

Example 13: Union of Sets

a. If A = { 1, 2, 3} and B ={ 3, 4, 5}, then A B = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
b. {1, 2} ∪ {1, 2} = {1, 2}.
c. {1, 2} ∪ {2, 3} = {1, 2, 3}.
d. {1, 2, 3} ∪ {3, 4, 5} = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

2) Intersection. A B is the set that contains all the elements common to both A and B:

A B = {x | x ∈A and x ∈ B}.

Example 14: Intersection

a. If A = { 1, 2, 3} and B ={ 3, 4, 5}, then A B={3}
Note: If A ∩ B = {}, then A and B are said to be disjoint.
b. {1, 2} ∩ {1, 2} = {1, 2}.
c. {1, 2} ∩ {2, 3} = {2}.

3) Complement. A' is the set that consists of all elements in the universal set U not contained
in A:

A' = {x | x ∈ U and x A}

Example 15: Complement

If U= { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12} and A = { 2, 4}, then A' ={ 6, 8, 10, 12}
 4) Difference. A - B is the set that contains all the elements that are in A but not in B.
The relative complement of B in A:

A − B = {x | x ∈ A and not x B}

Example 16: Difference

a. If A = { 1, 2, 3} and B ={ 3, 4, 5}, then A - B = { 1, 2 }
b. {1, 2} − {1, 2} = { }.
c. {1, 2, 3, 4} − {1, 3} = {2, 4}.
d. If U is the set of integers, E is the set of even integers, and O is the set of odd integers,
then U − E = E′ = O.
5. Symmetric Difference. A △ B is the set that contains all the elements
that are in A∪B but not in A∩B:

A △ B = {x | x ∈ A∪B and not x A∩B }

Example 17: Symmetric Difference

a. If A = { 1, 2, 3} and B ={ 3, 4, 5}, then A △ B = { 1, 2, 4, 5 }
b. The symmetric difference of {7, 8, 9, 10} and {9, 10, 11, 12} is the set {7, 8, 11, 12}.

Venn Diagrams

We are familiar with the use of Venn diagram to illustrate operations and
relationships on sets and a useful tool for solving certain types of problems.
A Venn diagram uses circles (or any simple closed curves) inside a
rectangle to represent relationship among groups of people or objects. Often
these groups are referred to as sets.
For example, the following diagram shows the regions determined by A-B,
B-A, A∩ B, (A∪B)’.

A
A∩ B B-A B
A-B

(A∪B)’
Applications of Sets
Example 18: There are 25 sophomores who have seen Star Gazers, (Part I), 36 who have
seen Star Gazers, (Part II), and 17 who have seen both movies. How many sophomores
saw one movie, but did not see both?
Solution: the rectangle represents all freshmen.
A B
Circle A represents those who saw Part I.
Circle B represents those who saw Part I I. 8 17 19
The overlap represents those who saw both.
Therefore, there are 36-17=19 sophomores who did not see Part I and 25-17=8 sophomores
who did not see Part II. A total of 19 +8 = 27 sophomores saw one movie but did not see
both.