Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science

Lecture Outline
November 27, 2018

Properties of Relations
Let R be a relation defined on set A. We say that R is

• reflexive, if for all x ∈ A, (x, x) ∈ R.

• irreflexive, if for all x ∈ A, (x, x) 6∈ R.

• symmetric, if for all x, y ∈ A, (x, y) ∈ R =⇒ (y, x) ∈ R.

• antisymmetric, if for all x, y ∈ A, x R y and y R x =⇒ x = y.

• transitive, if for all x, y, z ∈ A, x R y and y R z =⇒ x R z.

Note that the terms symmetric and antisymmetric are not opposites. A relation may be
both symmetric and antisymmetric or can neither be symmetric nor be antisymmetric.

Example. What are the properties of the following relations?

R1 : equality relation on Z.
R2 : “is a sibling of” relation on the set of all people.
R3 : “ ≤ ” relation on Z.
R4 : “ < ” relation on Z.
R5 : “|” relation on Z+ .
R6 : “|” relation on Z.
R7 : “ ⊆ ” relation on the power set of a set S.
R8 : {(x, y) ∈ R2 : |x − y| < }, where  = 0.001

Solution.

Reflexive : R1 , R3 , R5 , R7 , R8
Irreflexive : R2 , R4
Symmetric : R1 , R2 , R8
Antisymmetric : R1 , R3 , R4 , R5 , R7
Transitive : R1 , R3 , R4 , R5 , R6 , R7

Note that R6 is not reflexive because (0, 0) 6∈ R6 ; it is not antisymmetric because for any
integer a, a| − a and −a|a, but a 6= −a. R2 is not transitive because x and z could be the
same person. Observe that R6 is an example of a relation that is neither symmetric nor
antisymmetric. R1 is an example of a relation that is symmetric and antisymmetric.