Lecture: Basic Concepts of Sets

To know the basic concepts of sets let us understand from our day to day life we often speak or hear
about different types of collections, as follows:
(i) a collection of pens
(ii) a collection of dolls
(iii) a collection of books, etc.

Or types of groups made for different activity such as:

(i) a group of boys playing cricket

(ii) a group of girls playing tennis
(iii) a group of friends going for movie, etc.

In mathematics, a collection of particular things or group of particular objects is called a set. The
theory of sets as developed George Cantor is being used in all branches of mathematics nowadays.
According to him ‘A set is a well defined collection of distinct objects of our perception or of our
thought, to be conceived as a whole’.

The examples of the basic concepts of sets are:

(i) a set of barangay in calauan;

(ii) a set of the rules for the academic contest;
(iii) a set of integers with prescribed conditions;
(iv) a set of books in the library;

The basic concepts of sets is a well-defined collection of objects which are called members of the
set or elements of the set. Objects belongs to the set must be well-distinguished.

Definition of set:

A set is a collection of well-defined objects. Well-defined means, it must be absolutely clear that
which object belongs to the set and which does not.

Examples :
‘The collection of positive numbers less than 10’ is a set, because, given any numbers, we can always find out whether
that number belongs to the collection or not.

The collection of good students in your class’ is not a set as in this case no definite rule is supplied by
the help of which you can determine whether a particular student of your class is good or not.

The collection of first five months of a year’ is a set,

The collection of rich man in your town’ is not a set.

SET OPERATIONS

C U P I D – COMPLEMENT, UNION. PRODUCT, INTERSECTION, DIFFERENCE

The Intersection of two sets is the overlap of the sets; what they both have in common.
Example : If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {1, 2, 4, 5} , then A B = {1, 2} .
If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {4, 5} , then A B =Ø

The Union of two sets consists of all elements in A or B or both with no repetition.

Example 1: If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {4, 5} , then A U B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

The difference of sets A from B , denoted by A - B . An elements in set A which do not belong to Set B.
Examples:I f A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {1, 2, 4, 5} , then A - B = {3} .
If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {4, 5} , then A - B = {1, 2, 3} .

The Complement: For a set A, the difference U - A , where U is the universe, is called the complement
of A and it is denoted by A prime. A prime is the set of everything that is not in A.

U = { x | x is a letter in the alphabet }

A = { x | x is a consonant }

A’ = { x | x is not a consonant }

Note: A Subset is a set that is contained in the Universal set.

Example

1. If A = {1, 3, 5}, B = {3, 5, 6} and C = {1, 3, 7}

(i) Verify that A ∪ (B ∩ C) = (A ∪ B) ∩ (A ∪ C)

(ii) Verify A ∩ (B ∪ C) = (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ C)
Find A’?
Find B’?
Find C’?

The Cartesian product is the product of An ordered pair associated with each other. Denoted by A x B

Cartesian product- a Cartesian product of 2 sets A and B is a set containing ordered pairs from A and
B. or read as A cross B.

A= { 1,2,3} B= { c,d}

A x B = { (1,c),( 1,d), (3,c), (2,c),(2,d),(3.d)}

Venn Diagrams

Venn diagrams are useful in solving simple logical problems. In Venn diagrams, the Universal Set ξ is
represented by a rectangle and all other sets under consideration by circles within the rectangle.
Venn diagrams iis use to illustrate various operations (union, intersection, difference).

Venn diagrams in different situations

• If a set A is a subset of set B, then the circle representing set A is drawn inside the circle representing
set B.
• If set A and set B have some elements in common, draw two circles which are overlapping.

A= { 3,4,5,7} B= { 2,4,5,8} A union B= { 4.5}

If set A and set B are disjoint in the universal set , draw the Venn diagram.

Examples:

2. U= set of whole numbers from 1 to 15

A= set of multiples of 3 = { 3,6,9,12,15}

B= set of primes { 2,3,5,7,11,13}

C= set of odd numbers { 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15}

Draw the placement of elements using the Venn Diagram.