GEC3

MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN

WORLD
CHAPTER 2: MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Set theory is a branch of mathematics that studies set of mathematical
science of the infinite. It has become fundamental theory in
mathematics in 1870s which was introduced by a German
mathematician, Georg Cantor (1845-1918).
A set is a well-defined collection of objects; the objects are called
elements or members of the set. The symbol ∈ is used to denote that
an object is an element of a set, and the symbol ∉ denotes that an
object is not an element of a set. Sets are usually represented by
uppercase letters like S. A lowercase letter near the end of the
alphabet like x, y or z represents an element of the set of real numbers.
Example:
A= {x|x is a positive integer less than 10}
A={1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
There are two ways to represent sets either by roster method or by
rule method.
Roster method (tabulation method) is when elements of the sets are
enumerated and separated by comma.
Rule method (set builder notation) used to describe the elements or
members of the set and is written as {x|P(x)}.
Example:
E = {a,e,i,o,u} roster method
E = {x|x is a collection of vowel letters) rule method
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
A finite set is a set whose elements are limited or
countable, and the last element can be identified.
A = {x|x is a positive integer less than 10}
C= {d,i, r,t}
A infinite set is a set whose elements are unlimited or
uncountable, and the last element cannot be specified.
F = {…,-2,-1,0,1,2,…}
G={x|x is a set of whole numbers}
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
A unit set (singleton set) is a set with only one element.
I={x|x is a whole number greater than 1 but less than 3}
J={w}
The unique set with no elements and usually denoted by
the symbol { } or ∅ is called empty set (null set).
L={x|x is an integer less than two but greater than 1}
M={x|x is a number panda in Manila Zoo
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
All set under investigation in any application of set theory are assumed
to be contained in some large fixed set called the universal set
denoted by the symbol U.
U = x x is a positive integer, 𝑥 2 = 4
U = 1,2,3, … , 100
U = {x|x is an animal in Manila Zoo}
Cardinal number of set is the number of elements or members in the
set, the cardinality of set A is denoted by n(A).
E={a,e,i,o,u} n(E)=5
A={x|x is a positive integer less than 10} n(A)= 9
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
If A and B are sets, A is called a subset of B, written A ⊆ B, if and only if,
every element if A is also an element of B.
Given A= {c,d,e}, B={a,b,c,d,e} and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
then A ⊆ B, since all elements of A is in B.
A is a proper subset of B, written A⊂B, if and only if, every element of A
is in B but there is at least one element in B that is not on A.
Given A= {c,d,e}, B={a,b,c,d,e}, C={e,a,c,b,d} and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
then A ⊆ B, C ⊆ B, since all elements of A is in B and C is in B
but, A⊂B whereas C⊄B as C and B are with the same elements
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
A equals B, written as A=B, if and only if, every element of A
is in B and every element of B is in A.
Given A= {c,d,e}, B={a,b,c,d,e}, C={e,a,c,b,d}
and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
then A ⊆ B, C ⊆ B, since all elements of A is in B and C is in B
but, A≠B whereas C=B as C and B are with the same
elements.
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Given set S, the power set of S denoted by ℘(𝑆), is
the collection (or sets) of all subsets of S.
Given A = {e,f} ℘ 𝐴 = 2𝑛 = 4
thus ℘ 𝐴 has 4 elements, ℘ 𝐴 = {{e},{f},{e,f},{∅}}
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Operations on Sets
The union of A and B, denoted A∪B, is the set of all elements
x in U such that x is in A or x is in B.
The intersection of A and B, denoted A∩B, is the set of all
elements x in U such that x is in A and x is in B.
Given A= {a,b,c}, B={c,d,e} and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
Then, A∪B = {a,b,c,d,e}
A∩B ={c}
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Operations on Sets
The complement ( or absolute complement) of A,
denoted A’, is the set of all elements x in U such that
x is not in A.
Given A= {a,b,c} and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
Then, A’= {d,e,f,g}
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Operations on Sets
The difference of A and B (or relative complement of
B with respect to A), denoted A – B, is the set of all
elements x in U such that x is in A and x is not in B.
Given A= {a,b,c}, B={c,d,e} and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
Then, A – B= {a,b}
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Operations on Sets
If set A and B are two set, their symmetric difference
as the set consisting of all elements that belong to A
or to B, but not in both A and B, denoted A ⊕ B.
Given A= {a,b,c}, B={c,d,e} and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
Then, A ⊕ B= {a,b,d,e}
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Operations on Sets
Two sets are called disjoint ( or non-intersecting) if
and only if, they have no elements in common.
Given A= {a,b,c} and B= {d,e} and U ={a,b,c,d,e,f,g}
Then, A ∩ B= { } or ∅
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS: LANGUAGE OF
SETS
Operations on Sets
The Cartesian product of sets A and B, written 𝐴 × 𝐵,
𝐴 × 𝐵 = {(𝑎, 𝑏)|𝑎 ∈ 𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 ∈ 𝐵}
Given A= {2,3,5} and B= {7,8}
Then, A×B= {(2,7),(2,8), (3,7),(3,8),(5,7),(5,8)}
we pair each element in A with each element of B.
ACTIVITY 3
A. List the elements of the following sets.
1. A={y|y an integer, -1≤y<4}
2. E ={x|x a letter in the word volleyball}
3. K={m|m is a set of continents of the world}
B. Write the following sets in roster method.
1. B={x|x is the letter in the word heart}
2. C={x|x ∈ integers between 1 and 10}
3. E is the set of months with 31 days.
C. Write the following sets in rule method.
1. E={autumn,winter,summer,fall}
2. H={Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday}
3. A={2,4,6,8,…}
ACTIVITY 3
D. Identify whether the following are Finite, Infinite or Empty Set.
1. The set of the first seven whole numbers.
2. The set of letters in the word empty.
3. The set of fractions in integers.
4. The set of parallel lines to the y-axis.
5. The set of even prime numbers
6. The set numbers in Fibonacci sequence.
E. If U = {a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k}; A={a,b,c,e,f}; B={b,c,d,e}; C={f,g,h}; and D= {a,e,g,i}.
1. n(A) 5. ℘ 𝐴
2. n(B) 6. ℘ 𝐵
3. n(C) 7. ℘ 𝐶
4. n(D) 8. ℘ 𝐷
ACTIVITY 4
If U = {a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k}; A={a,b,c,e,f}; B={b,c,d,e}; C={f,g,h}; and D=
{a,e,g,i}. List the elements of the following sets.
1. A ∩ B 9. A ∩ C’
2. A’ ∪ D 10. A – U
3. A ∩ U 11. D ∪ C
4. (C ∪ B)’ 12. (A ∩ C)-B
5. (D ∩ B) ∪ A 13. (A ⊕ B)’
6. A ⊕ B 14. (A – B) ∩ C
7. C ⊕ D 15. A x A
8. A – C 16. A x B