Set Theory Symbols

List of set symbols of set theory and probability.

Table of set theory symbols

Meaning /
Symbol Symbol Name Example
definition

a collection of A = {3,7,9,14},
{} set
elements B = {9,14,28}

| such that so that A = {x | x∈ , x<0}

objects that belong

A⋂B intersection
to set A and set B
A ⋂ B = {9,14}

objects that belong

A⋃B union
to set A or set B
A ⋃ B = {3,7,9,14,28}

A is a subset of B.
A⊆B subset set A is included in {9,14,28} ⊆ {9,14,28}
set B.

A is a subset of B,
proper subset / strict
A⊂B subset
but A is not equal to {9,14} ⊂ {9,14,28}
B.

set A is not a subset

A⊄B not subset
of set B
{9,66} ⊄ {9,14,28}

A is a superset of B.
A⊇B superset
set A includes set B
{9,14,28} ⊇ {9,14,28}

A is a superset of B,
proper superset /
A⊃B strict superset
but B is not equal to {9,14,28} ⊃ {9,14}
A.

set A is not a
A⊅B not superset
superset of set B
{9,14,28} ⊅ {9,66}

2A power set all subsets of A

power set all subsets of A

A=B equality both sets have the A={3,9,14},

 Meaning /
Symbol Symbol Name Example
definition

same members B={3,9,14},

A=B
all the objects that
c
A complement do not belong to set
A

all the objects that

A' complement do not belong to set
A

A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong
A\B relative complement
to A and not to B
B = {1,2,3},
A \ B = {9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong
A-B relative complement
to A and not to B
B = {1,2,3},
A - B = {9,14}

objects that belong A = {3,9,14},

A∆B symmetric difference to A or B but not to B = {1,2,3},
their intersection A ∆ B = {1,2,9,14}

objects that belong A = {3,9,14},

A⊖B symmetric difference to A or B but not to B = {1,2,3},
their intersection A ⊖ B = {1,2,9,14}
element of,
a∈A belongs to
set membership A={3,9,14}, 3 ∈ A

x∉A not element of no set membership A={3,9,14}, 1 ∉ A

collection of 2
(a,b) ordered pair
elements

set of all ordered

A×B cartesian product
pairs from A and B

the number of
|A| cardinality
elements of set A
A={3,9,14}, |A|=3
 Meaning /
Symbol Symbol Name Example
definition

the number of
#A cardinality
elements of set A
A={3,9,14}, #A=3

infinite cardinality of
aleph-null
natural numbers set

cardinality of
aleph-one countable ordinal
numbers set

Ø empty set Ø = {} A=Ø

set of all possible

universal set
values

natural numbers /
0 whole numbers set 0 = {0,1,2,3,4,...} 0 ∈ 0
(with zero)

natural numbers /
1 whole numbers set 1 = {1,2,3,4,5,...} 6 ∈ 1
(without zero)

= {...-3,-2,-
integer numbers set -6 ∈
1,0,1,2,3,...}

=
rational numbers set {x | x=a/b, a,b∈ 2/6 ∈
and b≠0}
= {x | -∞
real numbers set 6.343434 ∈
< x <∞}
= {z | z=a+bi, -
complex numbers
set
∞<a<∞, - 6+2i ∈
∞<b<∞}