Chapter–Sets

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DEFINITION OF SET
A set is well defined collection of distinct objects.
Sets are usually denoted by capital letters
A, B, C, X, Y, Z,.....
Elements of the Set
The elements of the set are denoted by small letters
in the alphabet of English language i.e., a, b, c, x, y,
z,.... If x is an element of a set A, we write x  A (read
as „x belongs to A‟) If x is not an element of A, we
write x  A (read as „x does not belongs to A‟).

For example :
If A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 } then 3  A, 6  A
Examples of sets :
(i) The set of all complex numbers.
(ii) The set of vowels in the alphabet of English
language.
(iii) The set of all natural numbers.
(iv) The set of all triangles in a plane.
(v) The set of all states in India.
(vi) The set of all months in year which has
30 days.
(vii) The set of all stars in space.
Ex.1 Which of the following are sets ?
Justify our answer.
(i) The collection of all months of a year
beginning with the letter J.
(ii) The collection of ten most talented
writers of India.
(iii) A team of eleven best-cricket batsmen
of the world.
(iv) The collection of all boys in your class.
(v) The collection of all natural numbers less
than 100.
Ex.2 Let A={1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} . Insert the appropriate
symbol  or  in the blank spaces :
(i) 5.....A (ii) 8......A

(iii) 0......A (iv) 4......A

(v) 2......A (vi) 10......A

REPRESENTATION OF A SET
There are two methods for representing a set.
(i) Tabulation method or Roster : Under
this method, the elements are enclosed in
curly brackets or braces { } after
separating them by commas.
NOTE
1. The order of writing the elements of a set is
immaterial so {a, b, c}, {b, a, c}, {c, a, b} all
denote the same set.
2. An element of a set is not written more than
once i.e., the set {1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1, 2, 1, 4} is
identical with the set {1, 2, 3, 4}.
For Example
1. If A is the set of prime numbers less than 10,
then A = {2, 3, 5, 7}.

2. If A is the set of all even numbers lying between 2

and 20, then A = {4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18}.
(ii) Set Builder method : In this case we write
down a property or rule P Which gives us all
the element of the set
A = {x P(x)} or A = {x : P(x)}
and read as „A is the set of elements x, such that
x has the property P‟

E.g. A = {x : x  N and x = 2n for n  N}

i.e. A = {2, 4, 6, ....}
E.g. B = {x2 : x  z}
i.e. B = {0, 1, 4, 9, ....}
NOTE
1. “ : ” or “ | ” means such that
2. The other names of this method are property
method, rule method and symbolic method.
Ex.5 write set A in set builder form

(i) If A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}.

(ii) If A is the set of all odd integers lying
between 2 and 51.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SETS
1. Null sets (or Empty set of Void set) :
A set having no element is called a null set or empty
set or void set. It is denoted by f or { }.
KEY POINTS
1.  is unique.
2.  is a subset of every set.
3.  is never written within braces.
4. {} is not the null set.
Examples of Null set
{x : x  N, 4 < x < 5} = 
{x : x  R, x2 + 1 = 0} = 
{x : x2  25, x is even number} = 
2. Singleton or Unit Set : A set having one and
only one element is called singleton or unit set.

For example : {x : x – 3 = 4} is a singleton set.

since x – 3 = 4
x=7
 {x : x – 3 = 4} = {7}
3. Subset : If every element of a set A is also an
element of a set B, then A is called the subset of
B, we write A  B. (read as A is subset of B or A
is contained in B)
Thus A  B  [x  A  x  B]

Key points
(i) Every set is a subset of itself
i.e., A  A
(ii) If A  B, B  C, then A  C
Ex.7 If A = {2, 3, 4} and B = {5, 4, 3, 2, 1} then
A  B. true/false ?
Ex.8 The sets {a}, {b}, {a, b}, {b, c} are the subsets of
the set {a, b, c}. Is it true or not ?.
4. Total number of Subsets : If a set A has n
elements, then the number of subsets of A = 2n
Ex. 9 Write the letters of the word ALLAHABAD in
set form and find the number of subsets in it
and write all subsets.
5. Equal set : Two sets A and B are said to be
equal if every element of A is an element of B,
and every element of B is an element of A. If A
and B are equal, we write A = B.
It is clear that A  B and B  A  A = B
Ex.10 The sets {1, 2, 5} and {5, 2, 1} are equal or not .
Ex.11 {1, 2, 3} = {x : x3 – 6x2 + 11x – 6 = 0}. Is it true
or not ?
6. Power set : The set of all the subsets of a given
set A is said to be the power set A and is
denoted by P(A) or 2A.
symbolically, P(A) = {x : x  A}
thus x  P(A)  x  A
KEY POINTS
 and A are both elements of A.
If A = , then P() = {}, a singleton but  is a
null set.
If A = {a} then P(A) = {, {a}}
For example
If A = {a, b, c} then
P(A) or 2A = {, {a}, {b}, {c}, {a, b}, {b, c}, {c, a},
{a, b, c}}
Also, n(P(A)) or n(2A) = 23 = 8
7. Super set : The statement A  B can be
rewritten as B  A, then B is called the super
set of A and is written as B  A.
8. Proper subset : A set A is said to be proper
subset of a set B if every element of A is an
element of B and B has at least one element
which is not an element of A and is denoted by
A  B (read as “A is a proper subset of B”).
For example
If A = {1, 2, 4} and B = {5, 1, 2, 4, 3}.
Then, A  B since 3, 5  A
If A = {a, b, c} and B = {c, b, a} then A  B (since
B does not contain any element which is not in A)
9. Finite and Infinite Sets : A set in which the
process of counting of elements comes to an
end is called a finite set, otherwise it is called
in infinite set.‟
Ex.12 Each one of the following sets is a finite
set :
(i) Set of universities in India

(ii) Set of Gold medalist students in Civil

Branch, see A in A.M.I.E. (India).

(iii) Set of Natural numbers less than 500.

Ex.13 Each one of the following is an infinite set.
(i) Set of all integers.
(ii) Set of all points in a plane.
(iii) {x : x  R, 1 < x < 2}
(iv) Set of all concentric circles with center as
origin.
10. Universal set : All the sets under consideration are
likely to be subsets of a set is called the
universal set and its denoted by W or S or U.

for example
1. The set of all letters in alphabet of
English language U = {a, b, c,.....,x, y, z} is
the universal set of vowels in alphabet of
English language i.e., A = {a, e, i, o, u}.
2. The set of all integers I = {0, ± 1, ± 2, ±
3,.....} is the universal set of all even
integers i.e., {0, ± 2, ± 4, ± 6,.....}
OPERATION ON SET
Union of Sets
The union of two sets A and B is the set of all
those elements which are either in A or in B or in
both.
This set is denoted by A  B or A + B
(read as „A union B‟ or „A cup B‟ or „A join B‟).
symbolically, A  B = {x : x  A or x  B}
or A  B = {x : x  A  x  B}
clearly, x  A  B  x  A or x  B
U

A B

AB
Some properties of the Operation of Union
(i) A  B = B  A (Commutative law)
(ii) (A  B)  C = A  (B  C) (Associative law)
(iii) A   = A (Law of identity
element,  is the
identity of )
(iv) A  A = A (Idempotent law)
(v) U  A = U (Law of U)
Ex.14 If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {4, 5, 6} then find
AB
NOTE
The union of a finite number of sets A1, A2, A3,.....,
An is represented by A1  A2  A3 ..... An or

symbolically = {x : x  Ai for at least one i}

For example
If A = {1, 2, 3}, B = {2, 3, 4, 5}, C = {7, 8}.
Then, A  B  C = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8}
Intersection of sets : The intersection of two sets A
and B is the set of all elements which are common in
A and B. This set is denoted by A  B or AB (read as
„A intersection B‟ or „A cap B‟ or „A meet B‟).
Symbolically A  B = {x : x  A and x  B}
or A  B = {x : x  A  x  B}
Clearly, x  A  B  x  A or x  B

A B

AB
Some Properties of Operation of Intersection
(i) A  B = B  A (Commutative law).
(ii) (A  B)  C = A  (B  C) (Associative law).
(iii)   B = , U  A = A (Law of  and U).
(iv) A  A = A (Idempotent law)
(v) A  ( B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C)
(Distributive law)
For example
If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {3, 4, 5, 6} then A  B = {3}
Ex.15 Let A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10} and
B = {2, 3, 5, 7}. Find A  B and hence show that
A  B = B.
NOTE
The intersection of a finite number of sets A1, A2,
A3,.....An represented by A1  A2  A3 ..... An or
symbolically = {x : x  Ai for all i}
For example
If A = {1, 2, 3} ; B = {2, 3, 4} and C = {3, 4, 5} then
A  B  C = {3}
Disjoint Sets : If the two sets A and B have no
common element i.e., A  B =  then the two sets A
and B are called disjoint or mutually exclusive
events.‟
For example
If A = {a, b, c} and B = {1, 2, 3} then A  B = 
Hence A and B are disjoint sets.
Difference of sets : If A and B be two given sets, then
the set of all those elements of A which do not belong
to B is called difference of sets A and B. It is written
as A – B. It is also denoted by A ~ B or A \ B or CA B
(Complement of B in A).
symbolically, A – B = {x : x  A and x  B}
clearly, x  A – B  x  A and x  B.
KEY POINTS
A – B  B – A.
The sets A – B, B – A and A  B are disjoint sets.
A – B  A and B – A  B
A –  = A and A – A = 
For example
If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {4, 5, 6, 7} then
A – B = {1, 2, 3}
Complement set : Let U be the universal set and A be
a set such that A  U. Then, the complement of
A with respect to U is denoted by A' or AC or C(A) or
U – A.
Symbolically,
A' or AC or C(A) = {x = x  U and x  A}
Clearly, x  A'  x  A.
KEY POINTS
U' =  and ' = U
A  A' = U and A  A' = 
Some properties of Complement Sets
(i) Complement laws :
(a) A  A' = U (b) A  A' = 
(ii) De Morgan‟s law :
(a) (A  B)' = A'  B' (b) (A  B)' = A'  B'
(iii) Law of double complementation: (A')' = A
(iv) Laws of empty set and universal set ' = U
and U' = .
For example
Let U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7} and A = {1, 3, 5, 7}.
Then, A' = U – A = {2, 4, 6}
Ex.16 Let U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}, A = {2, 3} and
B = {3, 4, 5}.
Find A', B' , A' B' , A  B and hence show
that (A  B)' = A'  B'.
Problems on Union and Intersection of Two Sets

Let A and B be finite sets. If A  B = , then

(i) n (A  B) = n (A) + n (B) .....(i)
In general, if A and B are finite sets, then
(ii) n (A  B) = n(A) + n(B) – n(A  B) .....(ii)
(iii) If A, B and C are finite sets, then
n (A  B  C) = n(A) + n(B) + n (C) – n(A  B)
– n(B  C) – n(A  C) + n (A  B  C) .....(iii)
Ex.17 In a school there are 20 teachers who teach
mathematics or physics. Of these, 12 teach
mathematics and 4 teach both physics and
mathematics. How many teach physics ?
Ex.18 In a survey of 400 students in a school, 100
were listed as taking apple juice, 150 as taking
orange juice and 75 were listed as taking both
apple as well as orange juice. Find how many
students were taking neither apple juice nor
orange juice.
Ex.19 There are 200 individuals with a skin disorder,
220 has been exposed to the chemical C1, 50 to
chemical C2 , and 30 to both the chemicals C1
and C2. find the number individuals exposed to
(i) Chemical C1 but not chemical C2,
(ii) Chemical C2 but not chemical C1
(iii) Chemical C1 or chemical C2
 EXERCISE 1

1. If A and B are two sets, then A  (A  B)' is

equal to-
(A) A (B) B
(C)  (D) none of these
2. If A is any set, then-
(A) A  A' =  (B) A  A' = U
(C) A  A' = U (D) none of these
3. If A, B be any two sets, then (A  B)' is equal
to-
(A) A'  B' (B) A'  B'
(C) A  B (D) A  B
4. If A and B be any two sets, then (A  B)' is
equal to-
(A) A'  B' (B) A'  B'
(C) A  B (D) A  B
5. Let U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}, A={1, 2, 5},
B = {6, 7} then A  B' is-
(A) B' (B) A
(C) A' (D) B.
6. If A and B are two sets, then A  B = A  B iff-
(A) A  B (B) B  A
(C) A = B (D) none of these
7. Let A and B be two sets in the universal set.
Then A – B equals-
(A) A  B' (B) A'  B
(C) A  B (D) none of these
8. Two sets A, B are disjoint iff-
(A) A  B =  (B) A  B  
(C) A  B =  (D) A – B = A
9. Which of the following is a null set ?
(A) {0}
(B) {x : x > 0 or x < 0}
(C) {x : x2 = 4 or x = 3}
(D) {x : x2 + 1 = 0, x  R}
10. If A  B, then A  B is equal to-
(A) A (B) B
(C) A' (D) B'
11. If A and B are any two sets, then A  (A  B) is
equal to-
(A) A (B) B
(C) A' (D) B'
12. If A and B are not disjoint, then n(A  B) is
equal to-
(A) n(A) + n(B)
(B) n(A) + n(B) – n(A  B)
(C) n(A) + n(B) + n(A  B)
(D) n(A).n(B)
13. Let A and B be two sets such that n(A) = 70,
n(B) = 60 and n(A  B) = 110. Then n(A  B) is
equal to-
(A) 240 (B) 20
(C) 100 (D) 120
14. Which set is the subset of all given sets ?
(A) {1, 2, 3, 4, ....} (B) {1}
(C) {0} (D) { }
15.

(A) 0  Q (B) 1  Q

(C) 2  Q (D)  Q
16. A = {x : x  x} represents-
(A) {0} (B) { }
(C) {1} (D) {x}
17. Which of the following statements is true ?
(A) 3  {1, 3, 5} (B) 3  {1, 3, 5}
(C) {3}  {1, 3, 5} (D) {3, 5}  {1, 3, 5}
18. Which of the following is a null set ?
(A) A = {x : x > 1 and x < 1]
(B) B = {x : x + 3 = 3}
(C) C = {}
(D) D = {x : x  1 and x  1}
19. P(A) = P(B) 
(A) A  B (B) B  A
(C) A = B (D) none of these
Previous Year Question
1. The set S : {1, 2, 3, ...., 12} is to be partitioned
into three sets A, B, C of equal size. Thus
A  B  C = S, A  B = B  C = A  C = . The
number of ways to partition S is-
[AIEEE - 2007]
(A) 12!/3!(4!)3 (B) 12!/3!(3!)4
(C) 12!/(4!)3 (D) 12!/(3!)4
2. If A, B and C are three sets such that
A  B = A  C and A  B = A  C, then :-
[AIEEE - 2009]
(A) B = C (B) A  B = 
(C) A = B (D) A = C
3. Let X = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}. The number of different
ordered pairs (Y, Z) that can be formed such
that Y  X, Z  X and Y  Z is empty, is :
[AIEEE - 2012]
(A) 53 (B) 52
(C) 35 (D) 25
4. Let A B be two sets containing two and four
elements respectively. Then the number of
subsets of the set A × B, each having at 3 or
more elements:
[JEE MAIN - 2013]
(A) 256 (B) 220
(C) 219 (D) 211
5. If X = {4n – 3n – 1 : n  N} and Y = {9 (n – 1) :
n  N}, where N is the set of natural numbers,
then X  Y is equal to
[JEE MAIN - 2014]
(A) N (B) Y – X
(C) X (D) Y
6. Let A B be two sets containing four and two
elements respectively. Then the number of
subsets of the set A × B, each having at least
three elements is:
[JEE MAIN - 2015]
(A) 256 (B) 275
(C) 510 (D) 219
7. Two sets A and B are as under :
A  {a, b  R × R : |a  5| < 1 and |b  5| < 1}
B  {a, b  R × R : 4a  62  9 b  52  36}
Then :
(A) neither A  B nor B  A
(B) B  A
(C) A  B
(D) A  B   (an empty set)
[JEE MAIN - 2018]