Summary Notes on Binary Relations

1 Relations 1. Reflexivity

Definition 1.1 (Relations). A relation R on a set S 2. Symmetry

is a subset of S × S. 3. Transitivity
Definition 1.2 (Relations). Let A and B be sets. A We usually denote an equivalence relation by ∼ .
relation from A to B is a subset R of A × B. We read
(a, b) ∈ R as a is related to b and write aRb. Definition 3.2 (Pairwise Disjointness). A collection
A relation R from a set A to itself (that is, R ⊆ A×A) P of non-empty subsets of a set X is called pairwise
is referred to as a relation on A. disjoint if ∀A, B ∈ P, either A = B or A ∩ B = {}.
Definition 3.3 (Partition of a set). A partition of a
Recall: A × B = {(a, b)|a ∈ A, b ∈ B} set X is a collection of non-empty pairwise disjoint
subsets of X called cells or blocks, whose union is all
Definition 1.3 (Inverse Relation). Let R be a relation of X.
from A to B. The inverse relation of R denoted by
Definition 3.4 (Equivalence classes). Let ∼ be an
R−1 , is the relation from B to A defined by: if aRb the
equivalence relation on a set X. Let a ∈ X. The equiva-
bR−1 a that is R−1 = {(b, a) ∈ B × A|(a, b) ∈ R}.
lence class of a(that is the equivalence class containing
a), denoted by [a] or ā, is defined by [a] = {x ∈ X|x ∼
a}.
2 Properties of Relations
Lemma 3.5. If ∼ is an equivalence relation on the
Definition 2.1 (Reflexivity). A relation R on a set A set X, then x ∼ y ⇔ [x] = [y].
is called reflexive if ∀a ∈ A, aRa. That is (a, a) ∈ R.
Theorem 3.6. Let X be a non-empty set. If ∼ is an
Definition 2.2 (symmetry). A relation R on a set equivalence relation on X, then the equivalence classes
A is symmetric if ∀a, b ∈ A, aRa =⇒ bRa. That is form a partition P of X. Conversely, a partition P of
(a, b) ∈ R =⇒ (a, b) ∈ R. X gives rise to an equivalence relation on X whose
Definition 2.3 (Antisymmetry). A relation R on a equivalence classes are the cells in P.
set A is antisymmetric if ∀a, b ∈ A, aRb and bRa =⇒
a = b.
4 Ordering Relation
Recall: To prove that two sets A and B are Definition 4.1 (Partial Ordering Relation or Partial
equal, one must establish the set inclusions A ⊆ Order). A relation R on a set A is called a partial
B and B ⊆ A. ordering relation or partial order if it satisfies:

Remark 2.4. An antisymmetry is not the same as not • Reflexivity

symmetric. For instance, consider the relation R = • Antisymmetry
{(1, 2), (2, 3), (3, 3), (2, 1)} on the set A = {1, 2, 3}. R
is not symmetric since 2R3 but (3, 2) ∈ / R. R is not • Transitivity
antisymmetric since 1R2 and 2R1 but 1 ̸= 2. We shall denote partial order by ≤ and if a ≤ b but
Definition 2.5 (Transitivity). A relation R on a set a ̸= b we use a < b.
A is transitive if ∀a, b, c ∈ A, aRb and bRc =⇒ aRc. Definition 4.2 (Partially Ordered Set or Poset). A
non-empty set P with a partial order ≤ defined on it
is called a partially ordered set or poset, denoted by
3 Equivalence Relation (P, ≤).
Definition 3.1 (Equivalence Relation). A relation R Definition 4.3 (Comparable Elements). If (A, ≤) is a
on a set A is called an equivalence relation if it satisfies poset, elements a and b of A are said to be comparable
if and only if either a ≤ b or b ≤ a. If a ≰ b and
b ≰ a, then a and b are not comparable.
Definition 4.4 (Total Order). If ≤ is a partial order
on a set A and every two elements of A are comparable,
then ≤ is called a total order. The pair (A, ≤) is called
a totally ordered set.

5 Hasse Diagram
Definition 5.1 (Hasse Diagram). A Hasse diagram is
a diagramatic representation of a partially ordered set.
In the Hasse diagram of a poset (A, ≤),
• a dot (or vertex) is associated with each element
of A.
• if a ≤ b, then the dot for b is positioned higher
than the dot for a.
• if a < b and ∄c ∈ A such that a < b < c, then a
line is drawn from a to b. In this case we say that
the element b covers a. An element m is said to
cover an element n ∈ A if n ≤ m and there is no
element x ∈ A such that n ≤ x ≤ m.
Definition 5.2 (Maximum/ Minimum Element). An
element a of a poset (A, ≤) is maximum if and only if
b ≤ a for all b ∈ A. It is a minimum if and only if
a ≤ b for all b ∈ A.
Definition 5.3 (Maximal/ Minimal Elelment). An el-
ement a of a poset (A, ≤) is maximal if and only if,
if b ∈ A and a ≤ b, then b = a. It is minimal if and
only if, if b ∈ A and b ≤ a, then b = a.