MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Study Session Two: The Venn Diagram

Introduction
The various set operations can be illustrated using diagrams called Venn diagrams. The Venn
diagram was initiated by a British mathematician, John Venn (1834-1883). Consequently, the
diagrams were named after him. Basically, the universal set is represented by points in and on a
rectangle while subsets are represented by points in and on a sphere or circle inside the rectangle.

Learning Outcomes for Study Session Two

When you have studied this session, you should be able to:
2.1. Identify and define various types of set operations with their applications.
2.2. Illustrate set operations using Venn diagrams.
2.3. Make use of Venn diagrams.
2.4. Relate the solutions in set to real life problems.

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2.1 Set Operations

Example 2.1:

Let A and B be two non-empty sets in the universal set. Represent the following on a Venn
diagram.

(i) A  B (ii) A  B (iii) (A  B)C (iv) B – A (v) (B – A)C (vi) A  B = 

(vii) A – B (viii) (A – B)C

Solution

We shall use the shaded portion in our diagram to represent the required region in the Venn
diagram.

(i) (ii)
A B A B

AB A B

(iii) (iv)
A B A B

(A  B)C B–A

(v) (vi)
A B A B

(B – A)C = A  B
c A B 

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

(vii) A B (viii)

AC  B A–B

Example 2.2:

Let A, B and C be three non-empty sets in the universal set. Represent the following on a Venn
diagram.

(i) ABC (ii) A B C

(iii) (A  B  C)C (iv) A  B  CC

Solution

ABC A B C

(ii)
A B

(iii) (iv)
A B B
A

C
C

(A  B  C)C A  B  CC

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2.1.1 Power Set

The set which contains all its possible subsets, including the empty set and the particular set is
called the power set. The number of subsets of power set or a non-empty set A is denoted by
n{P(A)} = 2 n , where n is the number of elements of the set A, which means that the power set has
2 n subsets.

Example 2.3:

Let A = {a, b, c}. What is the power set of A?

Solution

n
First, we get the number of subsets of A, i.e., P(A) = 2 . Since A has 3 elements, then the number
3
of subsets is P(A) = 2 = 8, which tells us that A has 8 subsets and they are given as

P(A) = {  , {a}, {b}, {c}, {a, b}, {a, c}, {b, c}, {a, b, c}}

2.1.2 Algebra of Set

We shall consider the laws which are satisfied by set operations.
These laws include:
1. Idempotent laws
Given any set A, then
(i) AA = A (ii) A A = A
2. Commutative laws
(i) A  B = B  A (ii) A B = BA
3. Associative laws:
(i) A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C
(ii) A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C
4. Distributive laws
If A, B, and C are any three sets, then
A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C)
A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C)

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

5. Identity laws
(i) A  = A (ii) A  = 
(iii) AU = U (iv) A U = A
6. Complement laws
If A is any set, then,
(i) A  AC = U (ii) A  AC =  (iii) (AC)C = A
(iv) UC =  (v) (A  B)C = AC  BC
7. De Morgan’s laws
If A and B are any two sets, then
(i) (A  B)C = AC  BC
(A  B)C = AC  BC

The above laws can be proved as follows:

1. (i) Show that A  A = A

Solution

A AA

Conversely, let x  A  A, then x  A or x  A. Clearly, x  A, hence,

AAA

Therefore, A  A = A

(ii) Show that A  A = A

From the definition of the intersection of sets, A  A  A.

Conversely, let x  A  A. Then, x  A and x  A. So, x  A

Hence, A  A  A.

Therefore, A  A = A

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

2. Show that A  B = B  A

Solution

Let x  A  B. Then, x  A or x  B. This implies that x  B or x  A.

Therefore, x  B  A

So, ABBA (1)

Conversely, let y  A  B. Then, y  B or y  A. This implies y  A or y  B.

Therefore, y  A  B

Hence, B  A  A  B . (2)

By (1) and (2), we have,

AB = BA

3. If A, B, and C are any sets, show that

(i) A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C (Associative law)

Solution

Let x  A  (B  C). Then, x  A or x  B  C  x  B or x  C

So, x  A or x  B or x  C  x  A  B or x  C

Therefore, x  (A  B)  C

Hence, A  (B  C)  (A  B)  C (1)

Conversely, let y  (A  B)  C, then y  A  B or y  C

Thus, y  A or y  B or y  C

Therefore, y  A  (B  C)

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Hence, (A  B)  C  A  (B  C) (2)

By (1) and (2), A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C

4. If A, B, and C are any three sets, show that

A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C)

Solution

Let x  A  (B  C).This implies that x  A and x  B  C

Now, x  B  C implies x  B or x  C or x  both B and C.

If x  B, then x  A  B

If x  C, then x  A  C

This implies x  A  B or x  A  C

That is, x  (A  C)  (A  C)

So, A  (B  C)  (A  B)  (A  C) (1)

Conversely, x  (A  B)  (A  C)

This implies that x  A  B or x  A  C

That is, x  A and x  B or x  A and x  C

This implies x  A and x  B or x  C

which implies x  A  (B  C)

Hence, (A  B)  (A  C)  A  (B  C) (2)

By (1) and (2),

A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C)

5. If A and B are two sets, show that (A  B)C = AC  BC

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

(De Morgan’s law)

Solution

Let x  (A  B)C. Then, by definition of complement, x  A  B

implies x  A or x  B

which implies x  A and x  B

This implies x  AC and x  BC

Thus, x  AC  BC

Hence, (A  B)C  AC  BC (1)

Conversely, let x  AC  BC, then by definition of intersection, x  AC and x  BC.

This implies x  A and x  B

Thus, x  A or x  B

Which implies x  A  B

This implies x  (A  B)C

Therefore, AC  BC  (A  B)C (2)

By (1) and (2), (A  B)C = AC  BC

2.1.3 Cardinality of Sets

The cardinality of a set A is the number of elements in the set. It is often denoted by n (A).

Example 2.4:

Let A = {a, b, 1, 2, 3}. What is the cardinality of A?

Solution

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Since the cardinality is the number of elements in A, we count the elements and we have, n (A) = 5

Example 2.5:

Let B = {3, 5, 7}. What is the cardinality of B?

Solution

n (B) = 3

2.2 Application of Set theory

To this point we have learnt the fundamentals of set theory. Now we shall study the interpretation
of each concept in real life situation. This is rather achieved by considering practical examples.

Example 2.6:

Use Venn diagram to represent the following sets:

𝒰 = {1, 3, 5, 7, 11, x, y, z}

A = {9, 11, 3, x, y}

B = {5, 7, 9, y, z}

C = {1, 7, 11, x, y, z}

Solution

Observe that A  𝒰, B  𝒰 and C  𝒰. So we have,

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Example 2.7:

If n (X) = 30, n (Y) = 8 and n (X  Y) = 38, find n (X  Y) and show it on a Venn diagram.

Solution

n (X  Y) = n (X) + n (Y) – n (X  Y)

 n (X  Y) = n (X) + n (Y) - n (X  Y)

= 30 + 8 – 38 =0

Example 2.8:

Out of 500 health workers investigated, 400 had HIV and 220 had malaria; 70 had both HIV and
malaria. Is this data correct?

Solution

Let U be the set of all health workers that were investigated.

Let A be the set of those workers who had HIV.

Let B be the set of those workers who had malaria.

Thus, A  B is the set of workers who had both HIV and malaria.

Then, n (U) = 500, n (A) = 400, n (B) = 220 and n (A  B) = 70

Therefore, n (A  B) = n (A) – n (B) + n (A  B) = 400 + 220 – 70

Since we were not told that some workers had neither HIV nor malaria, then,

AC  BC =  or n (AC  BC) = 0

And since n (U) = n (A  B) + n (A  B)C = n (A  B) + n (AC  BC) = n (A  B) + 0

But 500  550 and since this value exceeds the total number of workers investigated, the given data
is not correct.
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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Example 2.9

In the Ministry of Finance, there are 300 employees, out of which 180 are men, 176 are university
graduates, 167 are married persons, 84 are male university graduates, 115 are married university
graduates, 69 are married men, 27 are married male university graduates. Find the number of single
women who are not university graduates.

Solution

Let 𝒰 be the set of employees; A, the set of men; B, the set of married persons;

C, the set of university graduates

Then, A  B is the set of married men

A  C is the set of male university graduates

B  C is the set of married university graduates

A  B  C is the set of married male university graduates.

Now, n (𝒰) = 300, n (A) = 180, n (B) = 167, n (C) = 176,

n (A  B) = 69, n (A  C) = 84, n (B  C) = 115, n (A  B  C) = 27. n (AC  BC  CC) = ?

This information can be represented in a Venn diagram as shown below:

n (A  B  C)

AC = female BC = single persons

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CC = not a university graduate

Then, (i) n (A  B) = n (A  B  CC) + n (A  B  C)

 n (A  B  CC) = n (A  B) – n (A  B  C) = 69 – 27 = 22

which is the number of married male employees who are not university graduates

(ii) n (B  C) = n (B  C  AC) + n (A  B  C)

 n (B  C  AC) = n (B  C) – n (A  B  C)

= 115 – 27 = 88

This gives the number of married female university graduates.

(iii) n (A  C) = n (A  C  BC) + n (A  B  C)

 n (A  C  BC) = n (A  C) – n (A  B  C)

= 84 – 27 = 57

This gives the number of male single university graduates.

(iv) n (A) = n (A  BC  CC) + n (A  B  CC) +

n (A  BC  C) + n (A  B  C)

180 = n (A  BC  CC) + 42 + 57 + 27

n (A  BC  CC) = 180 – 126 = 54

This gives the number of male, single and non-university graduates.

We are expected to find the number of single women who are not university graduates. That is, n
(A  BC  CC)

Now, n (𝒰) = n (A  B  C) + n (A  B  C)C

= n (A  B  C) + n (AC  BC  CC) (De Morgan’s law)

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But n (A  B  C) = n (A) + n (B) + n (C) – n (A  B) – n (A  C) – n (B  C) + n (A  B  C)

= 180 + 167 + 176 – 69 – 84 – 115 + 27 = 282

So, n (𝒰) = 282 + n (AC  BC  CC)  n (AC  BC  CC) = n (𝒰) – 282 = 300 – 282 = 18

Therefore, the number of single women who are not university graduates is 18.

Example 2.10:

In a business class containing 40 students, a student can either take Economics or Accounting or
both. If 20 students take Economics, 26 students take Accounting and 4 do not take either subject,
find (i) how many take both Economics and Accounting (ii) how many take Economics only.

Solution

Let the students who take both be X. Let 𝒰 be the set of all students in the class; E, the set of all
students who take Economics; A, the set of all students who take Accounting

Then, n (𝒰) = 40, n (E) = 20, n (A) = 26, n (E  A)C = 4

Representing this information on a Venn diagram, we have,

Now, n (𝒰) = n (E  A) + n (E  A)C

= n (E) + n (A) – n (E  A) + n (E  A)C

40 = 20 - x+ 26 –x +4+x = 50 - x

Therefore, x = 50 – 40 = 10 students

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(ii) Economics only means those that take Economics but not Accounting. That is,

n (E  AC) = n (E) – n (E  A) = 20 – X = 20 – 10 = 10 students

Now that you have read the examples above, you can attempt the following In-Text Question
(ITQ)

 In a survey of 200 workers, 130 drink Coca-cola and 100 drink Fanta. How many workers
drink both Coca-cola and Fanta if only 5 workers drink neither Coca-cola nor Fanta. How
many workers drink at least one of Coca-cola and Fanta.

 Let C represent Coca-cola and F represent Fanta. Let X represent workers who drink both
Coca-cola and Fanta. Then, n (U) = 200, n (C) = 130, n (F) = 100 and n (C  F)C = 5.

Representing this information on a Venn diagram, we have,

n (C  F)C = C5
(i) n (𝒰) = n (C  F) + n (C  F)
= n (C) + n (F) – n (C  F) + n (C  F)C
= 130 + 100 – x + 5
 x = 235 – 200= 35
So, 35 workers drank both Coca-cola and Fanta.
(ii) At least one of Coca-cola or Fanta means either the workers drank Coca-cola but not Fanta
or Fanta, but not Coca-cola or both. That is, we want to find
n (C  FC) + n (CC  F) + n (C  F)= 130 – x + 100 – x +x= 130 – 35 + 100 – 35 + 5
= 195

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Alternatively:
The statement: At least one of Coca-cola or Fanta means all the workers that drank Coca-cola or
Fanta. That is C  F.
n (C  F) = n (C) + n (F) – n (C  F) = 130 + 100 – x = 130 + 100 – 35 = 195

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Summary of Study Session One

In study session two, you have learnt that:
1. The set of all the subsets of a set X is called the power set of X, denoted by P(X)
2. If a set has n elements, the number of subsets is in the power set of X is 2 n
3. Venn diagram is a pictorial representation of set
4. n (A  B) = n (A) + n (B) – n (A  B)
5. n (A  B  C) = n (A) + n (B) + n (C) – n (A  B) –
n (A  C) – n (B  C) + n (A  B  C)

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Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs) for Study Session 1

Having completed this study session, you can measure how well you have achieved its Learning
Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your answers with the Notes on the Self-
Assessment Questions at the end of this Module.

SAQ 2.1
 A panel of 10 interviewers was to interview two candidates A and B to decide who was
suitable for a job. 7 said A was suitable, 5 said B was suitable while 2 said neither A nor B
was suitable. (i) How many said both A and B were suitable. (ii) How many said A alone
was suitable.

 In a survey of 200 housewives, it was discovered that 8 had read magazine A, 100 had read
magazine B and 96 had read magazine C. It was further discovered that 24 had read A and
B, 36 had read B and C while 26 had read A and C. Find
i. The number of housewives that had read all three magazines.
ii. The number of housewives that had read at least two magazines.
iii. The number of housewives that had read only one magazine.

SAQ 2.2
 In a class of 50 students for a second semester examination, 30 students offer Mathematics,
23 offer Biology while 15 offer Physics. 10 offer Mathematics and Biology, 5 offer Biology
and Physics and 6 offer Mathematics and Physics. 2 students do not offer any of the three
subjects.
i. Draw the Venn diagram to illustrate this information.
ii. How many students offer all three subjects?
iii. How many students offer any combination of two subjects only?

 In a class of 40 students, 25 speak Hausa, 16 speak Igbo, 21 speak Yoruba and each of the
students speaks at least one of these languages. If 8 speak Hausa and Igbo, 11 speak Hausa
and Yoruba and 6 speak Igbo and Yoruba,

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

i. draw a Venn diagram to illustrate this information.

ii. how many students speak all the three languages?

 In a class of 36 students, 29 study Mathematics and 20 study Chemistry. If 5 students do

neither, how many students study Chemistry but not Mathematics?

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Notes on SAQs for Study Session 2

SAQ 2.1
 (a). 4 interviewers (b). 3 interviewers
 (a). 6 housewives (b). 68 housewives (c). 126 housewives.

SAQ 2.2
 1 student offers all three subjects. 18 students offer any combination of two subjects only
 13
 18

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 MTH 101: General Mathematics I

Suggested Materials for Further Studies

1. Nwagbogwu, D. C. and Akinfenwa, O. A. (2008). Fundamentals of Mathematics, S-S
Stephen’s Nig. Ltd., Lagos, Nigeria.

2. www.oneaccess.com.ng/results_by_category.php?CategoryID

3. Matthews, K. R. (1998). Elementary Linear Algebra, Department of Mathematics,

University of Queensland.

4. www.math.fsu.edu/~dli/matthews.pdf

5. Anthony Barcellos, (1992). Calculus and Analytic Geometry, Fifth edition, Volume 1,
American River College, Sacramento, California.

6. www.amazon.com › ... › Science & Mathematics › Mathematics › Calculus

7. James Stewart, (1999). Calculus (Early Transcendentals), Fourth Edition, McMaster

University, U.S.A.

8. www.mybookezz.com/steward-calculus-fourth-edition/

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