Set theory lecture-1
Set
Definition
A set is a well defined Collection of objects (or elements).
By well-defined collection, we mean that given an object we can clearly determine whether the object is in the collection or not.
Example
The collection of all vowels of the English alphabet. {a,e,i,o,u} This is a set.
The collection of eleven best cricketers in the world. This is not a set.
Notation
We shall usually denote sets by capital letters, e.g; A,B,C,X,Y etc.
We denote the elements by small letters like a,b,c,x,y,z,etc.
Notation: We write “a∈A” (read as “a belongs to A” or “a is an element of A”) to say a is an element of the set A.
e.g. Let A be the set of all even natural numbers. Then 2∈A but 3∉A.
Representation of sets
Two ways:
1.Roster or Tabular Form:
All elements of the set are listed with in {} and separated by commas.
The set A consisting of all even natural numbers less than or equal to 10 will be represented by A={2,4,6,8,10}.
The set of all odd natural numbers can be represented by {1,3,5,7,9…}.
2. Set-builder form
The set is described by the characteristics property possessed by all the elements of the set.
e.g. The set A={2,4,6,8,10} is represented in set-builder form as A={n:n is a natural number divisible by 2 and n≤10}.
Some notations of sets
Empty set
The set containing no elements.
Notation $: \phi,\{\}$.
The empty set is also called the “null set” or the “void set”.
e.g. $A=\{n \in \mathbb{N}: 1<n<2\}$
This set is empty because there is no natural number strictly between $1 \& 2$.
Finite & infinite sets
A set is called a finite set if it contains only finitely many elements; otherwise it is called an infinite set.
e.g.
Equal sets
Two sets A and B are said to be equal if they contain exactly the same elements.
Note that while representing a set the order of the elements is not important.
For example: If A={1,2,3} & B={2,3,1}. Then A = B.
Subsets
We say that a set $A$ is a Subset of $X($ denoted by $A \subseteq X)$ if every elements of $A$ is also an element of $X$. $A \subseteq X$ if $a \in A $$\Rightarrow$$ a \in X$
Note that:
$\mathbb{N} \subseteq \mathbb{Z} \subseteq \mathbb{Q} \subseteq \mathbb{R} \subseteq \mathbb{C}$.
Two sets $A$ and $B$ are equal if and only if $A \subseteq B$ and $B \subseteq A$. $A=B<=>A \subseteq B$ and $B \subseteq A$
Power sets
Given a set A, the power set of A is the collection of all subsets of A.
Notation: P(A) denotes the power set of A, so P(A)={B:B⊆A}
Let A={1,2,3} Then P(A)={φ,{1},{2},{3},{1,2},{2,3},{1,3},{1,2,3}}. Here the number of elements in P(A)=8=23.
For a set A, we denote by |A| the number of elements in A
Cardinality of power set
If |A|=n, then |P(A)|=2n. Why?
If B is any subset of A, then any particular elements of A is either in B or not in B. There are n elements and for each we get a subset by specifying whether it is in B or not. $\Rightarrow$|P(A)|=2n.
Operation on sets
(1) $\underline{\text{Union:}}$ Given two sets A & B, the union of A & B (denoted by A∪B) consist of all the elements which are either in A or in B (includes elements which are in both A & B as well).
A∪B={$x$: $x$∈A or $x$∈B}
e.g. A={1,2,3}, B={2,3,4,5} A∪B={1,2,3,4,5}
Note that while representing a set we do not repeat the elements.
(2) $\underline{\text{Intersection:}}$
A∩B = {$x$:$x$∈A and $x$∈B} all elements which are common to A & B.
e.g. A={1,2,3}, B={2,3,4,5} A∩B={2,3}
If A∩B = φ then we say that A & B are disjoint
(3) $\underline{\text{Set difference:}}$
Notation: A\B or A$-$B
A\B = {$x$ : $x$∈A and $x$∉B}
e.g. A = {1,2,3}, B = {2,3,4,5} A\B = {1} , B\A = {4,5}
Note
Singleton set
Set containing only one element.
e.g.{1},{0},{a}
Complement of a set
Let ∪ be an universal set & A be a subset of ∪. The complement of A in U is A’ = U\A .
Complement of A consist of all elements which are not in A.
e.g:-
Thank you