MST 111

2 Types of Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning - is the process of reasoning that arrives at a general conclusion based
on the observation of specific examples.
Deductive Reasoning - is the process of reasoning that arrives at a conclusion based on
previously accepted general statements.

Counterexample
- A counterexample is one specific example that proves the conjecture false.

Sets
- A set is a collection of objects. In our study of sets, we’ll want to restrict our attention to
sets that are well-defined. A set is well-defined if for any given object, we can
objectively decide whether it is or is not in the set. Each object in a set is called an
element or a member of the set.

3 Common Ways to Designate a Set

1. List or Roster Method - The elements of the set are listed between braces, with commas
between the elements. The order in which we list elements isn’t important.
Natural Numbers - Sets are often labeled with capital letters. The Set of Natural Numbers
(Counting Numbers) is defined as N = {1, 2, 3, 4 …}. (When we are designating sets, the three
dots, or ellipsis, mean that the list of elements continues indefinitely in the same pattern.)
The Set of Even Natural Numbers is
E = {2, 4, 6, 8, …}
The Set of Odd Natural Numbers is
O = {1, 3, 5, 7, …}
Set Notation
- The symbol ∈ is used to show that an object is a member or element of a set. For
example, if A is the set of days of the week, we could write Monday ∈ A, and read this as
“Monday is an element of set A.” Likewise, we could write Friday ∈ A. When an object is
not a member of a set, we use the symbol ∉. Since “Icecreamday” is not a day of the
week, we can write Icecreamday ∉ A, and read this as “Icecreamday is not an element
of A.”
2. Descriptive Method
MST 111

Example: Describing a Set Using the Descriptive Method Use the descriptive method to
describe the set B containing 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 in two different ways.
SOLUTION
All of the elements in the set are even natural numbers, and all are less than 14, so B is the set
of even natural numbers less than 14. There are plenty of other ways the set could be
described. Another is the set of natural numbers between 1 and 15 that are divisible by 2.
3. Set-Builder Notation
Set-builder notation uses a variable, braces, and a vertical bar | that is read as “such that.”
For example, the set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} can be written in set-builder notation as
{ x | x ∈ N and x < 7 }
This is read as “the set of elements x such that x is a natural number and x is less than 7.” We
can use any letter or symbol for the variable, but it’s common to use x.
Variable - A variable is a symbol (usually a letter) that can represent different elements of a set.
Empty Set or Null Set - A set with no elements is called an empty set or null set. The symbols
used to represent the null set are { } or ∅.
Cardinal Number - The cardinal number of a set is the number of elements in the set. For a set
A the symbol for the cardinality is n(A), which is read as “n of A.” For example, the set R = {2, 4,
6, 8, 10} has a cardinal number of 5 since it has 5 elements. This could also be stated by saying
the cardinality of set R is 5.
Finite and Infinite Sets - A set is called finite if it has no elements, or has cardinality that is a
natural number. A set that is not finite is called an infinite set.
Equal and Equivalent Sets - Two sets A and B are equal (written A = B) if they have exactly
the same members or elements. Two finite sets A and B are said to be equivalent (written A B)
if they have the same number of elements: that is, n(A) = n(B).

Subsets and Set Operations

Universal Set
The universal set for a given situation, symbolized by U, is the set of all objects that are
reasonable to consider in that situation.
Once we define a universal set in a given setting, we are restricted to considering only elements
from that set. If U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}, then the only elements we can use to define other
sets in this setting are the integers from 1 to 8.