MBA-502

Business Mathematics
Course Instructor: Dr. A.S.A.Noor
Set Theory
Chapter 1
Definition: Any collection of some well-defined objects is called a set. The sets
are usually denoted by the capital letters A, B, C etc; while the objects of the sets
are denoted by small letters a, b, c etc. These objects are known as members or
elements of the set. Second bracket {- - - - -} always used as set notation.

Some examples:

1. A={1, 3, 7, 12, 15}

2. B={2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, ……...}
3. C={a book, a table, a chair, a student}
4. D={1, 3, 5, 7, 9, ……..}
5. E={a, e, i, o, u}

The ways of representation given above are known as Tabular form. If Number of
elements in a set is finite, then it is called a finite set; otherwise it is an infinite set.

Example 1, 3 and 5 are finite sets, while ex 2 and 4 are infinite sets. If x is an
element of a set A, Then we write . Here is the membership notation and
we read “ x belongs to A” or x is a member of A.

In set theory we also use other type of notation, known as “Set builder form”. If the
members satisfy certain properties or characteristics, then we can represent this
type of sets.

Ex.

6. F=* | + i.e, set of all rivers in Bangladesh.

7. G= { x | x is a student of EWU} i.e, set of all students of EWU.
8. ℝ={x | x is a real number} i.e, set of all real numbers.
9. H= { | satisfies the equation x2+1=0}.
10. K= { | is a solution of x2-5x+6=0}.

Ans. K={2, 3}

We read the notation “{ x|” or “{x: ” as set of all x such that. If x is not a member
of the set A, we denote is by .
Subset of a set-

Let A and B be two sets. A is called a subset of B (we write A ⊆ B) if A is a part

of B. In other words, A ⊆ B if and only if x A implies x B. i.e, every member of
A is a member of B. If A is a subset of B then we also say that A is contained in B.
In Venn diagram:

If A⊆B, then A can be a part or full of B. So, every set is a subset of itself, which
is the largest subset of the set. Two sets A and B are called equal if they contain
same elements. Mathematically, A=B  A ⊆ B and B ⊆ A.

Superset: If A is a subset of B, Then B is called a superset of A, denoted by B⊇A.

We also called B contents A.

Empty set or Null set or Void set:

A set which contains no element is called an empty set or Null set or Void set. It is
denoted by Ø or {}.

Example:

1. A= set of all people in the world who are older than 200 years.
2. B={x ℝ | x2+1=0}.

Remark: Empty set is the subset of every set.

Universal set:

In any application of the theory of sets, all the sets under investigation will likely
be subsets of a fixed set. We call this set the set the Universal set or Mother set.
We denote this by U.

Example:

1. In human population studies, the universal set consists of all the people in
world.
2. In any study on students at EWU, the universal set consists of all the
students of EWU.

Set operation
Intersection of two sets.

Let A and B be two sets. Intersection of A and B is the common part of A and B,
denoted by A B. In venn-diagram.

Mathematically, A B={ | }

Ex 1: A={ 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 } B={ 5, 7, 9, 11 }

A B={ 5, 7, 9}.

Ex 2: A={ 2, 3, 4, 5 } B={ 1, 6, 7 }

A B=Ø or {}
Properties: A B = B A

A (B C) = (A B) C

A Ø=Ø; A U=A

A A=A

A⊆ B  A B = A

Union of set

Let A and B be two sets. The union of sets A and B is the set of all the entries
which are either in A or in B or in both. i.e, all the entries which are somewhere in
A or B. We denote it by A B.

Mathematically, A B ={ x | x A or x B }.

Venn-Diagram:

Ex. A = { a, b, c, d, e }, B = {c, e, f, g, h }

Here A B ={ c, e }

A B ={ a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h }
Some properties: A B=B A

A (B C) = (A B) C

A Ø = A; A U = U

A A=A

A⊆ B  A B = B.

Disjoint sets

Two sets A and B are called disjoint if A B = Ø.

Here A B = Ø

Ex. A = { 1, 2, 3, 4 } B ={ 5, 6, 7 }

Then A B = Ø. So sets are disjoint.

Powerset

Let A be a set. Then the class or set of all subsets of A is called the power set of A,
denoted by 2A .

Ex. A= { 1, 2, 3 }

Its subsets are Ø, {1}, {2}, {3}, {1,2}, {1,3}, {2,3}, {1,2,3} .

2A = { Ø, {1}, {2}, {3}, {1,2}, {1,3}, {2,3}, {1,2,3} }.

Difference of two sets A and B.

Difference of two sets A and B is denoted by A B

And A B = { x |x B}

Ex. A = { 1, 2, 3, 4 ,5 }, B = { 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 }

Then A B = { 1, 2 }

In venn-diagram:

Clearly, A B = A A B

Complement of set

Complement of A is denoted by Ac or ,

= Ac = { x | x A } or = U A.

Properties: ,

Defn: n(A) = number of elements in A.

If
 A B

Then clearly, ( ) ( ) ( ).

Two Formulas:

For sets A, B, C

1. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ).
3. ( ) ( ) ( ) ⊆ .
Hence for any two sets A and B,
( ) ( ( )) ( ) ( )

One table: For any two sets A and B,

( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
Exercise 1

1.
(ii) A= { 1, 2, 3, 5 }
B= { 0, 1, 3, 4, 6 }
( ) * +
C= { 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11 }
* +
( ) * +

(viii) * +
( ) * +
( ) * +.

(x) * +
( ) * +
( ) * +
D= { 0, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 }
* )
(( ) ) * +

2.
(i) A = {1,2,3,5} , B = {0,1,3,4,6}

⸫ n(A) = 4, n(B) = 5

A B = {1,3}

⸫ n(A B) = 2

A B = {0,1,2,3,4,5,6}

⸫ n(A B) = 7

n(A) + n(B) - n(A B) = 4+5-2 = 7

⸫ n(A B) = n(A) + n(B) - n(A B) (verified).

 (iv) C = {3,4,6,7,10,11}

⸫ n(C) = 6

A B = {0,1,2,3,4,5,6}

⸫C (A B) = {3,4,6}

⸫ n(C (A B)) = 3

= {0,4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12}

= {2,5,7,8,9,10,11,12}

⸫ = {7,8,9,10,11,12}

⸫C = {7,10,11}

⸫ n(C )=3

⸫ n(C (A B)) + n(C ) = 3+3 = 6 = n(C)

(verified).

3. (i) Let x ( )
 x (A B)

 x A and x B

 x and x

 x

⸫( ) ⊆

Conversely,

Let x

 x and x
  x A and x B

 x (A B)

 x ( )

so, ⊆( )

Therefore, ( ) = .

3. (iv)

Let x ( )

 x and x ( )

 x and ( x or x )

 (x and x B) or ( x A and x )

 x A B or x A C

 x (A B) (A C)

so, ( ) ⊆ (A B) (A C)

Conversely,

Let x (A B) (A C)

 x A B or x A C

 (x and x B) or ( x A and x )

 x and ( x or x )

 x and x ( )
  x ( )

so, (A B) (A C) ⊆ ( )

Therefore, ( ) = (A B) (A C).

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