National Higher School of Mathematics

Preparatory Cycle Academic Year : 2021/2022

First Year Course : Algebra 1
Homework No1

Exercise 1.
Say if the following assertions are true or false and write their negation.
1. ∀x, y ∈ R, ∃n ∈ N, nx > y.
2. ∀x ∈ R∗+ , ∀y ∈ R, ∃n ∈ N, nx > y.
3. ∀x ∈ R, ∃m ∈ Z, m ≤ x < m + 1.
4. ∀a, b ∈ Z, a + ab + b = 0 ⇐⇒ a = b = 0.
5. ∀x ∈ R∗+ , ∀y ∈ R, ∃n ∈ Z, 0 ≤ y − nx < x.
6. ∃x ∈ R, (x3 + 3 = 0 ∧ x + 3 = 0).
7. (∃x ∈ R, x3 + 3 = 0) ∧ (∃x ∈ R, x + 3 = 0).
8. ∀x ∈ Z, ∃y ∈ Z, ∀z ∈ Z, z = x − y.
9. ∃x ∈ Z, ∀y ∈ Z, ∀z ∈ Z, z = x − y.
Exercise 2.
Let f : R → R be a map 1 . Using the language of the predicates write the following sentences and then give
their negation :
1. f is positive.
2. f is the zero function.
3. f is even 2 .
4. f is odd 3 .
5. f is decreasing.
6. f is strictly monotonic 4 .
Exercise 3.
Using the proof by contraposition 5 or the proof by contradiction 6 show that :
√
1. ∀n ∈ N, (n 6= 0) =⇒ ( n2 + 1 ∈ / N).
2. ∀x ∈ R, (x = 0) ⇐⇒ (∀ε > 0, |x| < ε).
√ √ p
3. 2 ∈ / Q (Indication : put 2 = ∈ Q with PGCD(p, q) = 1).
q
√ √ √ √
4. 2 + 3 ∈ / Q (Indication : put 2 + 3 = r ∈ Q).
ln(2)
5. ∈
/ Q.
ln(3)

1. En français : application
2. En français : pair
3. En français : impair
4. En français : monotone
5. En français : contraposée
6. En français : Absurde

1
Exercise 4.
Let E be a set and let A, B, C be subsets of E.
1. If we have C ⊂ A ∪ B, can we say that C ⊂ A or C ⊂ B ?
2. What can we say about the sets A and B if A ∩ B = A ∪ B. Justify your answer.
3. Show that :
(a) A ∪ B = B ∩ C =⇒ A ⊂ B ⊂ C.
(b) (A ∩ B = A ∩ C ∧ A ∪ B = A ∪ C) =⇒ B = C.
(c) A ⊂ C ⇐⇒ A ∪ (B ∩ C) = (A ∪ B) ∩ C.
(d) (A ∩ B = A ∩ C) ⇐⇒ (A ∩ B = A ∩ C).
4. Simplify the following expressions :
(a) (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∪ B).
(b) (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ B).
(c) (A ∪ B) \ (A ∪ C).
Exercise 5.
Let A, B be subsets of a set E. Solve for X the equations : A ∩ X = B and A ∪ X = B.
Exercise 6.
Let A, B, C be subsets of a set E. Show that :
1. (A \ B) \ C = A \ (B ∪ C) = (A \ B) ∩ (A \ C).
2. A \ (B ∩ C) = (A \ B) ∪ (A \ C).
3. (A ∪ B) \ C = (A \ C) ∪ (B \ C).
4. A ∩ (B \ C) = (A ∩ B) \ (A ∩ C).
5. A∆B 7 = (A ∪ B) \ (A ∩ B).
6. (A ∩ B)∆(A ∩ C) = A ∩ (B∆C).
Exercise 7.
Let E, F, G, H be non-empty sets. Show that :
1. ((A ⊂ E) ∧ (B ⊂ F )) ⇐⇒ A × B ⊂ E × F .
2. (E × G) ∪ (F × G) = (E ∪ F ) × G.
3. (E × F ) ∩ (G × H) = (E ∩ G) × (F ∩ H).
Exercise 8.
The police have three suspects for the murder of Mr. Merouane : Mr. Toufik, Mr. Nabil, and Mr. Hamoud.
Toufik, Nabil, and Hamoud each declare that they did not kill Merouane. Toufik also states that Merouane
was a friend of Nabil and that Hamoud disliked him. Nabil also states that he did not know Merouane and
that he was out of town the day Merouane was killed. Hamoud also states that he saw both Toufik and
Nabil with Merouane the day of the killing and that either Toufik or Nabil must have killed him. Can you
determine who the murderer was if
1. one of the three men is guilty, the two innocent men are telling the truth, but the statements of the
guilty man may or may not be true ?
2. innocent men do not lie ?

7. The symmetric difference : A∆B = (A \ B) ∪ (B \ A)