1.

2 The Language of Sets

1.2 The Language of Sets 1 / 10

The Language of Sets

Fact
A set can be viewed, intuitively, as a collection of objects.

1.2 The Language of Sets 2 / 10

The Language of Sets

Fact
A set can be viewed, intuitively, as a collection of objects.
If S is a set, the notation x ∈ S means that x is an element of S.

1.2 The Language of Sets 2 / 10

The Language of Sets

Fact
A set can be viewed, intuitively, as a collection of objects.
If S is a set, the notation x ∈ S means that x is an element of S.
The notation x ∈
/ S means that x is not an element of S.

1.2 The Language of Sets 2 / 10

The Language of Sets

Fact
A set can be viewed, intuitively, as a collection of objects.
If S is a set, the notation x ∈ S means that x is an element of S.
The notation x ∈
/ S means that x is not an element of S.
A set can be specified using the set-roster notation: {1, 2, 3, 4} or
{0, 1, . . . , 100}.

1.2 The Language of Sets 2 / 10

The Language of Sets

Fact
A set can be viewed, intuitively, as a collection of objects.
If S is a set, the notation x ∈ S means that x is an element of S.
The notation x ∈
/ S means that x is not an element of S.
A set can be specified using the set-roster notation: {1, 2, 3, 4} or
{0, 1, . . . , 100}.
Another way to specify a set uses what is called the set-builder
notation: the set of elements x in S such that P(x) is true

{ x ∈ S | P(x)}.

1.2 The Language of Sets 2 / 10

Examples

Examples

1.2 The Language of Sets 3 / 10

Examples

Examples
Let A = {1, 3, 5}, B = {5, 1, 3}, and C = {1, 1, 5, 3, 5, 3, 3}. What are
the elements of A, B, and C? How are A, B, and C related?

1.2 The Language of Sets 3 / 10

Examples

Examples
Let A = {1, 3, 5}, B = {5, 1, 3}, and C = {1, 1, 5, 3, 5, 3, 3}. What are
the elements of A, B, and C? How are A, B, and C related?
Is {0} = 0?

1.2 The Language of Sets 3 / 10

Examples

Examples
Let A = {1, 3, 5}, B = {5, 1, 3}, and C = {1, 1, 5, 3, 5, 3, 3}. What are
the elements of A, B, and C? How are A, B, and C related?
Is {0} = 0?
How many elements are in the set {0, {0}}?

1.2 The Language of Sets 3 / 10

Examples

Examples
Let A = {1, 3, 5}, B = {5, 1, 3}, and C = {1, 1, 5, 3, 5, 3, 3}. What are
the elements of A, B, and C? How are A, B, and C related?
Is {0} = 0?
How many elements are in the set {0, {0}}?
For each nonnegative integer n, let Un = {n, −n}. Find U1 , U2 , and
U0 .

1.2 The Language of Sets 3 / 10

Important Sets

Fact
Certain sets of numbers are so frequently referred to that they are given
special symbolic names.
R is the set of all real numbers.
Z is the set of integers.
Q is the set of all rational numbers.

1.2 The Language of Sets 4 / 10

Discrete Math vs Continuous Math

Fact
The real number line is called continuous because it is imagined to
have no holes.
Because the integers are all separated from each other, the set of
integers is called discrete.
The name discrete mathematics comes from the distinction between
continuous and discrete mathematical objects.

1.2 The Language of Sets 5 / 10

Examples: Using the Set-Builder Notation

Example
Describe each of the following sets:
{x ∈ R | − 1 < x < 6}
{x ∈ Z | − 1 < x < 6}
{x ∈ Z+ | − 1 < x < 6}

1.2 The Language of Sets 6 / 10

Subsets

Definition
If A and B are sets, then A is called a subset of B, written A ⊆ B, if, and
only if, every element of A is also an element of B.

1.2 The Language of Sets 7 / 10

Subsets

Definition
If A and B are sets, then A is called a subset of B, written A ⊆ B, if, and
only if, every element of A is also an element of B.

Fact
A set A is not a subset of a set B if there is at least one element of A that
is not an element of B. We write A * B in this case.

1.2 The Language of Sets 7 / 10

Examples

Example
Which of the following are true statements?
1 2 ∈ {1, 2, 3}
2 {2} ∈ {1, 2, 3}
3 2 ⊆ {1, 2, 3}
4 {2} ⊆ {1, 2, 3}
5 {2} ⊆ {{1}, {2}}
6 {2} ∈ {{1}, {2}}

1.2 The Language of Sets 8 / 10

Cartesian Products

Definition

1.2 The Language of Sets 9 / 10

Cartesian Products

Definition
Given elements a and b, the symbol (a, b) denotes the ordered pair
consisting of a and b together with the specification that a is the first
element of the pair and b is the second element.

1.2 The Language of Sets 9 / 10

Cartesian Products

Definition
Given elements a and b, the symbol (a, b) denotes the ordered pair
consisting of a and b together with the specification that a is the first
element of the pair and b is the second element.
Two ordered pairs (a, b) and (c, d) are equal if, and only if, a = c and
b = d.

1.2 The Language of Sets 9 / 10

Cartesian Products

Definition
Given elements a and b, the symbol (a, b) denotes the ordered pair
consisting of a and b together with the specification that a is the first
element of the pair and b is the second element.
Two ordered pairs (a, b) and (c, d) are equal if, and only if, a = c and
b = d.
If A and B are sets, we write A × B for the set of ordered pairs (a, b)
with a ∈ A and b ∈ B.

1.2 The Language of Sets 9 / 10

Examples

Examples

1.2 The Language of Sets 10 / 10

Examples

Examples
1 Is (1, 2) = (2, 1)?

1.2 The Language of Sets 10 / 10

Examples

Examples
1 Is (1, 2) = (2, 1)?
√
2 Is (2, 39 ) = ( 4, 13 )?

1.2 The Language of Sets 10 / 10

Examples

Examples
1 Is (1, 2) = (2, 1)?
√
2 Is (2, 39 ) = ( 4, 13 )?
3 If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {a, b, c, d}, find A × B.

1.2 The Language of Sets 10 / 10