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Discrete Algebra
Discrete Algebra
Structures
RaviJ
DISCLAIMER
This presentation is prepared with
current understanding of author which
is nowhere near expertise. It is more of
an amateur’s attempt to gain intuitive
insight into otherwise dense subject
and reader is requested consider it in
same spirit.
About this presentation…
• What it is…..
– Present a common sense view of Discrete Mathematical
Structures (now onwards DMS)
– Make continuity and progressive richness present in the
structures explicit
– Link up the DMS to conceptual thought processes
• What it is not…
– Introduction or First course (101) on DMS. Reader should
be familiar with DMS definitions and terminologies. If not,
other materials should be referred for the same
– Rigor. Neither any theorems are stated nor any proofs are
given. Emphasis is on examples, that too one or two per
concept.
What is DMS?
• DMS are structures which vary in “steps”
rather than smoothly like variables. Integers
and graphs can be said of such “discrete”
transforms. DMS exclude mathematical
studies like Calculus and Analysis
• Some structures we discuss include: Sets,
Relations, Functions, Graphs, Posets, Lattices,
Boolean Algebra and Groups.
Why DMS?
• Let us put it this way,
– If Analytical Geometry formalizes the idea of “Space”
– If Calculus describes the study of one parameter w.r.t another
parameter (especially w.r.t time)
– If Statistics and Probability together equip us to summarize a
set of data and predict what to expect next
– DMS will teach us to model and manipulate different concepts
and relations between them (it will be interesting to compare
relations in statistical sense and the same in DMS sense)
• No wonder that DMS becomes very relevant in Computer
Science since many data, computation and other concepts
need to be modeled and relations between them should be
manipulated
• Now let us study each structure one by one….
SETS
An Idea of inside vs outside
Sets
• Set has many concepts and operations associated with it, but
most fundamental is membership
• It specifies whether a given element is a member of a set or
not
• Thus, in a very primary sense idea of “inside” and “outside”
and naturally “boundary” are borne!
Venn Diagram – A diagram for
visualizing sets
Universal
Set U Set A
X
a, b
Z
Y
Set B
c, d
Elements of Set U
RELATIONS
Pair
• An element of a set associated with another
No Pair
Birds in Pairs
Many pairs
Relation
• Relation is the logic by which an element of set is associated with another
element of the same set
• A relation creates many pairs in a set
• If flying-type is defined on our set of birds every birds that can fly and that
can-not fly will be paired-up within themselves as shown below
Birds in Pairs
Relation
• Relation basically connects some or all
elements of a set • Note that all relations may
not be same
• Some are connected by
shape
• Some are connected by
color
• Some are not related with
others at all
Equivalence Relation
• Equivalence Relation is a Relation that is
– Reflexive (an element is related to itself)
– Symmetric( if element a is related to b, b will be
related to a)
– Transitive (if element a is related b, b is related to c
then a is related to c)
• Equivalence Relation strikes the set on which it is
defined and partitions it into different clusters
• Every element of the set will be in exactly only
one (neither less nor more) cluster
Equivalence Relation
Equivalence Relation: Of Similar
Color divides into four different
Equivalence Relation: Of Similar Shape clusters.
divides into three clusters.