Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.

Transition to Abstract Mathematics

Chapter 3: Describing Sets
Part C

March 2022
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Section 3.1: Revision

Can you define and describe the following?

• set
• element
• empty set
• cardinality
• set builder notation
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Section 3.2: Revision

Can you define and describe the following?

• subset
• universal set
• interval of real numbers
• closed/open interval
• set equality
• proper containment
• Venn diagram
• power set
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Section 3.3: Revision

Can you define and describe the following?

• union of sets
• intersection of sets
• disjoint sets
• difference of sets
• complement of sets
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Section 3.4: Indexed unions

Union of three sets, A, B and C:

A ∪ B ∪ C = {x : x ∈ A or x ∈ B or x ∈ C}

Union of n sets, A1 , A2 , . . . , An :
n
[
Ai = {x : x ∈ Ai for some i, 1 ≤ i ≤ n}
i=1

Example. Let Ci = {i − 1, i, i + 1} for i = 3, 4, . . . , 11. Determine

1. 11
S
i=3 Ci
S6
2. i=4 Ci
S
3. C5 C8
Please try these examples yourself before viewing the next
slide.
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Section 3.4: Indexed unions

Union of three sets, A, B and C:

A ∪ B ∪ C = {x : x ∈ A or x ∈ B or x ∈ C}

Union of n sets, A1 , A2 , . . . , An :
n
[
Ai = {x : x ∈ Ai for some i, 1 ≤ i ≤ n}
i=1

Example. Let Ci = {i − 1, i, i + 1} for i = 3, 4, . . . , 11. Determine

1. 11
S
i=3 Ci = {2, 3, 4, . . . , 11, 12}
S6
2. i=4 Ci = {3, 4, 5, 6, 7}
S
3. C5 C8 = {4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Indexed intersections
Intersection of three sets, A, B and C:

A ∩ B ∩ C = {x : x ∈ A and x ∈ B and x ∈ C}

Intersection of n sets, A1 , A2 , . . . , An :
n
\
Ai = {x : x ∈ Ai for all i, 1 ≤ i ≤ n}
i=1

Example. Let Ci = {i − 1, i, i + 1} for i = 3, 2, . . . , 11. Determine

1. 11
T
i=3 Ci
T5
2. i=4 Ci
3. j+2
T
i=j Ci
Don’t forget to write these down yourself before going to the
next slide.
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Indexed intersections

Intersection of three sets, A, B and C:

A ∩ B ∩ C = {x : x ∈ A and x ∈ B and x ∈ C}

Intersection of n sets, A1 , A2 , . . . , An :
n
\
Ai = {x : x ∈ Ai for all i, 1 ≤ i ≤ n}
i=1

Example. Let Ci = {i − 1, i, i + 1} for i = 3, 2, . . . , 11. Determine

1. 11
T
i=3 Ci = ∅
T5
2. i=4 Ci = {4, 5}
3. j+2
T
i=j Ci = {j + 1}
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Indexed collections of sets

{Sα }α∈I
is an indexed collection of sets, indexed by the index set I.
[
Sα = {x : x ∈ Sα for some α ∈ I}
α∈I
\
Sα = {x : x ∈ Sα for all α ∈ I}
α∈I

Example. For each n ∈ N, define An to be the closed interval

[− n1 , 1n ] of real numbers, i.e.
 
1 1
An = x ∈ R : − ≤ x ≤
n n
[ \
Determine An and An . (Try it yourself before moving on.)
n∈N n∈N
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Indexed collections of sets

{Sα }α∈I
is an indexed collection of sets, indexed by the index set I.
[
Sα = {x : x ∈ Sα for some α ∈ I}
α∈I
\
Sα = {x : x ∈ Sα for all α ∈ I}
α∈I

Example. For each n ∈ N, define An to be the closed interval

[− n1 , 1n ] of real numbers, i.e.
 
1 1
An = x ∈ R : − ≤ x ≤
n n
[ \
Determine An = {x ∈ R : −1 ≤ x ≤ 1} and An = {0}.
n∈N n∈N
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Example. For each n ∈ N, define An to be the closed interval

[− 1n , 1n ] of real numbers, i.e.
 
1 1
An = x ∈ R : − ≤ x ≤
n n
[ \
Determine An and An .
n∈N n∈N
First consider An for a few n values:

A1 = {x ∈ R : −1 ≤ x ≤ 1}
 
1 1
A2 = x ∈ R : − ≤ x ≤
2 2
 
1 1
A100 = x ∈ R : − ≤x≤
100 100
[ \
Determine An = {x ∈ R : −1 ≤ x ≤ 1} and An = {0}.
n∈N n∈N
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Indexed collections of sets (cont.)

Example. Let A ={Jan, Feb, Mar,..., Dec}.
For α ∈ A let Aα consist of α and any other months that start
with the same letter as α.
So AJan = AJul ={Jan, Jun, Jul} and ANov ={Nov}.
1. Determine AAug .
[
2. Determine Aα .
α∈A
\
3. Determine Aα .
α∈A
 
[ 
4. Let B = {Mar, Sep, Oct}. Determine  Aα 
 
 
α∈B
Write down what you think the answers are and then compare
them to the answers on the next page.
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Indexed collections of sets (cont.)

Example. Let A ={Jan, Feb, Mar,..., Dec}.
For α ∈ A let Aα consist of α and any other months that start
with the same letter as α.
So AJan = AJun = AJul {Jan, Jun, Jul} and ANov ={Nov}.
1. Determine AAug = {Apr, Aug}.
[
2. Determine Aα = A.
α∈A
\
3. Determine Aα = ∅.
α∈A
 
[ 
4. Let B = {Mar, Sep, Oct}. Determine  Aα  = 4 since
 
 
[ α∈B
Aα = {Mar, May, Sep, Oct}.
α∈B
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Partitions of sets

Definition. A partition of A is a collection S of subsets of A

satisfying the three properties:
1. X 6= ∅ for every set X ∈ S;
2. for every two sets X, Y ∈ S, either X = Y or X ∩ Y = ∅;
[
3. X = A.
X∈S
Equivalently, a partition of a set A is any collection S of
non-empty and pairwise disjoint subsets of A, the union of
which is A.
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Partitions: examples (1)

Example. The collection

{{d, b, c}, {a}, {g, f }, {e, h}}

is a partition of the set

{a, b, c, d, e, f , g, h}.

but
{{a, d, b, c}, {a}, {g, f }, {e, h}}
is not, nor is

{{d, c}, {a}, {g, f }, {e, h}}.

Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Partitions: examples (2)

Let A = {1, 2, . . . , 14}.

1. Give an example of a partition S of A such that |S| = 6.
2. Give an example of an element T of the partition S in
Part 1. such that |T| = 4.
3. List all those elements B in the partition S in Part 1. such
that |B| = 2.
After you’ve tried it yourself, turn to the next slide to compare
answers.
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Partitions: examples (2)

Let A = {1, 2, . . . , 14}.

1. Give an example of a partition S of A such that |S| = 6.
S = {{1, 2, 3, 4}, {5}, {6, 7}, {8}, {9, 10, 11, 12}, {13, 14}}
2. Give an example of an element T of the partition S in
Part 1. such that |T| = 4. T = {9, 10, 11, 12}
3. List all those elements B in the partition S in Part 1. such
that |B| = 2. {6, 7}, {13, 14}
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Cartesian Products of Sets: Ordered pairs

Sets:

{2, 5} = {5, 2}
versus:
Ordered pairs

(2, 5) 6= (5, 2)
In an ordered pair (x, y), x is the first coordinate and y is the
second coordinate.
Ordered pairs (x, y) and (w, z) are equal iff x = w and y = z.
Notation. (x, y) = (w, z)
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Cartesian products

A × B = {(a, b) : a ∈ A and b ∈ B}
Example. Let A = {α, β, γ} and B = {1, 2}. Determine
1. A × B
2. B × A
3. A × A
4. B × B
5. A × ∅
6. |A × B|. Can you generalize?
Example. What set does the graph of y = x2 + 3 represent?
After you’ve tried these examples yourself, move on to the last
slide.
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Cartesian products

A × B = {(a, b) : a ∈ A and b ∈ B}
Example. Let A = {α, β, γ} and B = {1, 2}. Determine
1. A × B= {(α, 1), (α, 2), (β, 1), (β, 2), (γ, 1), (γ, 2)}
2. B × A= {(1, α), (1, β), (1, γ), (2, α), (2, β), (2, γ)}
3. A × A
= {(α, α), (α, β), (α, γ), (β, α), (β, β), (β, γ), (γ, α), (γ, β), (γ, γ)}
4. B × B= {(1, 1), (1, 2), (2, 1), (2, 2)}
5. A × ∅= ∅
6. |A × B|= 6. Can you generalize?
For any sets S and T, |S × T| = |S| · |T|
Example. What set does the graph of y = x2 + 3 represent?
{(x, y) ∈ R × R : y = x2 + 3}
Section 3.1 Section 3.2 Section 3.3 Section 3.4 Section 3.5 Section 3.6

Conclusion

Now you can complete Chapter 3: Class Exercise C in the

Modules tool in Ulwazi.

Thereafter, try as many of the exercises in your textbook as

possible:
Sections 4 to 6: Pages 79-81, Questions 36-66.

Tomorrow you can try the Chapter 3 Homework Quiz in Ulwazi

You can also try the additional exercises (Pages 81-82,

Questions 67-85) at any time for test/exam practise