NATIONAL ENGINEERING COLLEGE, K.R.NAGAR-628503.

(An Autonomous Institution-Affiliated to Anna University, Chennai)

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES
15CS31C/15IT31C – Discrete Structures/Discrete Mathematics
Question Bank – Sets, Relations and Functions

Part-A

Basic Definitions, Set operations, Laws of set theory

1. Define null set and singleton set.
2. How many different elements does A × B have if A has m elements and B has n elements?
3. Show that for any two sets 𝐴 and 𝐵, 𝐴 − (𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = 𝐴 − 𝐵.
4. Given 𝐴 = {𝑥 ∶ 𝑥 is an integer and 1 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 5}, 𝐵 = {3,4,5,17} and 𝐶 = {1,2,3 … }, find
𝐴 ∩ 𝐵, 𝐴 ∩ 𝐶, 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵 and 𝐴 ∪ 𝐶.
5. Determine whether the first is a subset of the second, the second is a subset of the first, or
neither is a subset of the other from the following “ The set of airline flights from New
York to New Delhi, the set of nonstop airline flights from New York to New Delhi”
6. Let 𝐴 and 𝐵 be any two sets. Then prove that 𝐴 𝐵 if and only if 𝐵 𝑐  𝐴𝑐 .
7. Show that 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵 if and only if 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵 = 𝐴.
8. Show that 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵 and 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵 ⊆ 𝐴.
̅
9. Given that 𝑈 = {1,2,3, … ,10}. 𝐴 = {1,2,3,4,5}, 𝐵 = {1,2,4,8}. Verify whether 𝐴 − 𝐵 = 𝐵̅ − 𝐴.
10. If 𝐴 = ∅ and B= {1,2,3} what are 𝐴 × 𝐵 and 𝐵 × 𝐴.
11. Find the sets A and B, if A – B = {1,3,7,11}; B – A = {2,6,8} and A  B = {4,9} using
Venn diagram.
Partitions, Relations, Properties of relations
12. State any two properties of relations.
13. Define equivalence relation of a nonempty set.
14. Show that the relation 𝑅 = {(0,0), (1,1), (2,2)} on 𝐴 = {0,1,2} is an equivalence relation.
15. Find the equivalence classes of the relation 𝑅 is defined on the integers such that 𝑎𝑅𝑏 if
and only if 3 divides 𝑎 − 𝑏.
16. Determine whether the relation R on A to B aRb if and only if a+b is even is reflexive.
Matrices of relations
17. If the relations 𝑅 and 𝑆 on 𝐴 = {1,2,3,4,5} are given by 𝑅 = {(1,2), (2,2), (3,4)}, 𝑆 =
{(1,3), (2,5), (3,1)(4,2)}, then write the matrix representation of 𝑅, 𝑆, 𝑅 ∪ 𝑆.
18. Let X = {1,2,3,4} and R = { (x,y) / x > y, x, y in X}. Write the relational matrix of 𝑅.
19. Let A={1,2,3} and B={a,b,c}. Let R be a relation defined from A to B and R={(1,a),
(1,b),(2,b),(2,c)}. Find 𝑅 −1 .
20. Let 𝑅 = {(1,2), (3,4), (2,2)} and 𝑆 = {(4,2), (2,5), (3,1), (1,3)}. Find 𝑅 ∘ 𝑆.
Closure of relations
21. Let S={0,1,2,3} and R={(0,1),(1,1),(1,2),(2,0),(2,2),(3,0)}. Find the reflexive closure of R.
22. Find the symmetric closure of the relation R = {(1,2),(2,1),(2,3),(2,4),(3,4)} on
A={1,2,3,4}.
Partial order relation
23. Define partial order on a set.
24. Let A={1,2,3,4} and let R={(1,2),(2,2),(3,4),(4,1)}. Is R antisymmetric?
25. Let 𝑍 + be a set of positive integers. Is (𝑍 + , <) a poset?
Functions, Compositions of functions – Bijective functions
26. Determine whether the function f(x)= x2 from the set of integers to the set of integers is
one-to-one.
27. Show that the function 𝑓: 𝑅 → 𝑅 by 𝑓(𝑥) = |𝑥| is not one-one.
28. Give an example of a function f: A  B where |A|, |B| ≥4, such that f is (i) 1 – 1 but not
onto (ii) onto but not 1 – 1.
29. Let f be function from Z to Z with 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 . Is f invertible?
30. If 𝑓: 𝑅 → 𝑅 is given by 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 7, find the inverse function 𝑓 −1 .

Part B
Laws of Set Theory
1. If 𝐴, 𝐵 and 𝐶 are sets, prove, both analytically and graphically,
𝐴 ∩ (𝐵 − 𝐶) = (𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) − (𝐴 ∩ 𝐶)
2. If 𝐴, 𝐵 and 𝐶 are sets, prove , both analytically and graphically, that 𝐴 − (𝐵 ∪ 𝐶) =
(𝐴 − 𝐵) ∩ (𝐴 − 𝐶) .
3. Using Venn diagram prove the following
(a) A (B C) = (A B) (A C) b) (A B) ⨁C = A (B C)
4. State and prove Demorgan's law of set theory
5. If 𝐴, 𝐵 and 𝐶 are sets, prove that 𝐴 × (𝐵 ∩ 𝐶) = (𝐴 × 𝐵) ∩ (𝐴 × 𝐶).
6. If A, B and C are any three sets and 𝐴 ∪ 𝐶 = 𝐵 ∪ 𝐶 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴 ∩ 𝐶 = 𝐵 ∩ 𝐶, then prove
that A is equal to B.
Partitions, Relations Properties of Relations
1 0 1
7. Examine if the relation 𝑅 represented by 𝑀𝑅 = [0 1 0]
1 0 1
is an equivalence relation.
8. Let A, B, C and D be sets. Suppose R is a relation from A to B, S is a relation from B to
C and T is a relation from C to D. Then prove that (𝑇 ∘ 𝑆) ∘ 𝑅 = 𝑇 ∘ (𝑆 ∘ 𝑅).
9. Let A,B and C be sets. R is a relation from A to B and S is a relation from B to C. Then
prove that (𝑆 ∘ 𝑅)−1 = 𝑅 −1 ∘ 𝑆 −1 .
10. Prove that the relation “congruence modulo m” over the set of positive integers is an
equivalence relation.
11. If R is the relation on the set of positive integers such that (a,b) ∈ R if and only if ab is a
perfect square, show that R is an equivalence relation.
12. Determine whether the relation R on the set of all integers is reflexive, symmetric, anti
symmetric and/ or transitive, where aRb if and only if (i) a≠b (ii) ab≥ 0
(iii) ab≥ 1, (iv) a is a multiple of b.
Matrices of relations
13. If R is a relation on A={1,2,3} such that (𝑎, 𝑏) ∈ 𝑅 𝑖𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑓 a+b is even, find the
relational matrix 𝑀𝑅. Also find the relational matrices 𝑅 −1 , 𝑅̅ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅 2 .
14. If the relations R = {(1,1),(1,3),(2,1),(3,2)} and S={(2,1),(2,3)(3,2)} defined on A
={1,2,3}, find the matrices that represent (a) R S (b) R ∩ S (c) R○S (d) S○R.
15. Two equivalence relations 𝑅 and 𝑆 are given by their relation matrices 𝑀𝑅 and 𝑀𝑆 as
follows.
 1 1 0 1 1 0
𝑀𝑅 = [1 1 0] and 𝑀𝑆 = [1 1 1] Show that 𝑅 ∘ 𝑆 is not an equivalence relation
0 0 1 0 1 1
0 1 0
16. If R and S are relations on a set A represented by the matrices 𝑀𝑅 = (1 1 1) and
1 0 0
0 1 0
𝑀𝑆 = (0 1 1), find the matrices that represent
1 1 1
(𝑎)𝑅 ∪ 𝑆 (𝑏)𝑅 ∩ 𝑆 (𝑐)𝑅 ∘ 𝑆 (𝑑)𝑆 ∘ 𝑅 (𝑒)𝑅 ⊕ 𝑆.
Closure of relations
17. Let A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and R = {(1, 2), (2, 3), (3, 3), (3, 4), (4, 2)}. Find the transitive closure of
R.
18. Let S={0,1,2,3} and ={(0,1),(1,1),(1,2),(2,0),(2,2),(3,0)}. Find the reflexive closure,
symmetric closure and transitive closure of R.
19. Find the reflexive, symmetric and transitive closure of the relation R =
{(1,2),(2,3),(3,4),(2,1)} on A={1,2,3,4}.
20. Let A={1,2,3,4,5} and R={(1,1),(1,2),(2,1),(2,2),(3,3),(3,4),(4,3),(4,4),(5,5)} and
S={(1,1),(2,2),(3,3),(4,4),(4,5),(5,4),(5,5)}. Find the transitive closure of RS.
Partial order relation
21. Show that the relation R on N defined by aRb iff a divides b is a partial order
relation on N
22. Let S be a non empty set and P(A) be the power set of A. The relation R is defined by
(A,B)  R iff A  B. Show that R is a partial order relation.
23. Let X={1,2,3,4,5,6} and
P={(1,1),(2,2),(3,3),(4,4),(5,5),(6,6),(6,1),(6,4),(1,4)(6,5),(3,4),(6,2)}.
Show that P is a partial order relation on X.
Functions, Composition of Functions, Bijective Functions
24. Let 𝑓: 𝑋 → 𝑌 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔: 𝑌 → 𝑍 be both one-one and onto functions. Then prove that
(𝑔 ∘ 𝑓)−1 = 𝑓 −1 ∘ 𝑔−1 .
25. Prove that if 𝑓: 𝑋 → 𝑌 is invertible with inverse function 𝑓 −1 : 𝑌 → 𝑋 then 𝑓 −1 ∘ 𝑓 = 𝐼𝑋
and ∘ 𝑓 −1 = 𝐼𝑌 .
26. The inverse of an one-one and onto function is one-one and onto.
2𝑥 − 1, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 > 0
27. If f: Z  N is defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = { , prove that f is 1-1 and onto.
−2𝑥, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 0
28. If 𝑓: 𝐴 → 𝐵, 𝑔: 𝐵 → 𝐶, ℎ: 𝐶 → 𝐷 are functions then prove that ℎ°(𝑔°𝑓) = (ℎ°𝑔)°𝑓
29. Let f(x) = x+2, g(x) = x-2 and h(x)=3x for x R, where R is the set of real numbers. Find
g ∘ f f ∘ g, , f ∘ f, g ∘ g, h ∘ g and f ∘ g ∘ h
30. Let 𝑋 = {1,2,3} and 𝑓, 𝑔 and ℎ be functions from 𝑋 to 𝑋 given by𝑓 =
{(1,2), (2,3), (3,1)}, 𝑔 = {(1,2), (2,1), (3,3)}, ℎ = {(1,1), (2,2), (3,1)}. Find 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔, 𝑔 ∘
𝑓, 𝑓 ∘ 𝑔 ∘ ℎ.
31. Let f:RR and g: RR, where R is the set of real numbers . Find fog, gof where f(x) =
x2 – 2 and g(x) = x +4. State whether these functions are injective, surjective and bijective.
 GATE Questions

1. Let R be the relation on the set of positive integers such that aRb if and only if a and b are distinct
and have a common divisor other than 1. Which one of the following statements about R is True?

R is symmetric and reflexive but not transitive

A
B R is reflexive but not symmetric and not transitive
C R is transitive but not reflexive and not symmetric
D R is symmetric but not reflexive and not transitive
2. The cardinality of the power set of {0, 1, 2 . . ., 10} is _________.
A 1024
B 1023
C 2048
D 2043
3. The number of onto functions (surjective functions) from set X = {1, 2, 3, 4} to set Y =
{a, b, c} is ________________

A 36
B 64
C 81
D 72
4. Consider the binary relation R = {(x, y), (x, z), (z, x), (z, y)} on the set {x, y, z}. Which one of the
following is TRUE?
(A) R is symmetric but NOT antisymmetric
(B) R is NOT symmetric but antisymmetric
(C) R is both symmetric and antisymmetric
(D) R is neither symmetric nor antisymmetric

5. A binary relation R on N x N is defined as follows:

(a, b) R (c, d) if a <= c or b <= d.
Consider the following propositions:
P: R is reflexive
Q: R is transitive
Which one of the following statements is TRUE?
(A) Both P and Q are true.
(B) P is true and Q is false.
(C) P is false and Q is true.
(D) Both P and Q are false.