LIGAO COMMUNITY COLLEGE

GUILID, LIGAO CITY

G4 MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

BSED – SOCIAL STUDIES/VALUES EDUCATION
AY 2022-2023/FIRST SEMESTER

Nature of Mathematics: Sets, Functions, Relations,

Binary Operations

Overview

The concept of sets is used for the foundation of various topics in mathematics like functions and
relations which will also be discussed in this module.

We use the idea of sets in everyday life as we look for the common properties or characteristics
among objects. Whether we realize it or not, we are classifying objects many times each day in our lives
such as a set of fruits that our mother bought from the market, set of sweets from candy store, a collection
of gadgets and shoes that we have in our house.

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 .

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session, the learners are expected to:

1. Define sets, functions, and relations.
2. Perform simple operations on sets.

Discussion and
Self-Assessment
Activities(SAA)

SET
The collection of well-defined distinct objects is known as a
Father of Set Theory
set. ‘Well-defined’ refers to a specific property which makes it
easy to identify whether the given object belongs to the set or not. The word well defined
was used by the
On the other hand, the word ‘distinct’ means that the objects of a
German Mathematician
set must be all different. George Cantor (1845 -
1918 A.D) to define a
To deeply understand the concept of set, we must first set.
know the different notations involved in the topic. The following
table shows some of the commonly used notations or symbols in
sets.

N → the set of natural numbers ={1,2,3,…} Q → the set of rational numbers

W → the set of whole numbers ={0,1,2,3,…}

R → the set of real numbers
Z or I → the set of integers ={…,-2,-1,0,1,2,…}
C → the set of complex numbers
Z+ → the set of positive integers
∈ → ‘belongs to’; ‘an element of’
Z- → the set of negative integers
∉ → ‘does not belong to’; ‘not an element of

Each object in the set is called an element or member and is represented by the symbol ∈ and is
read as ‘belongs to’, ‘is an element of’ and ‘is a member of’. Suppose 𝑋 = {𝑎, 𝑒, 𝑖, 𝑜, 𝑢}, then we can say that
𝑎 ∈ X, e ∈ X, 𝑖 ∈ X etc. Take note, we use capital letters to denote the name of the set, and small letters to
denote elements. All elements in the set are enclosed in curly brackets { }, or also known as set brackets
or simply braces. Some sets make use of ellipsis (…) to indicate that the elements continue for infinity
(infinite sets). Let’s have 𝑌 = {1,2,3,4,5, … } as an example. But we can also use ellipsis in sets with fixed
number of elements (finite sets), say 𝑍 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑, … , 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧}.

There are two methods to represent a set, namely Roster Method (Tabular Form) and Rule
Method (Set-Builder Form). Let us distinguish the two forms.

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 ROSTER METHOD
- a set is represented by listing all its -
elements, separated by commas
and enclosed in curly brackets.
Examples:
•
If A be the set of vowels in the
English alphabet then, 𝑨 =
{𝒂, 𝒆, 𝒊, 𝟎, 𝒖}.
•
If B be the set of natural numbers less
than 5, then 𝑩 = {𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒}
Note: To write a set in Roster form,
elements are not to be repeated, that is,
all elements are taken as distinct. For
example, if A be the set of letters used in
the word economics, then A = {e, c, o,
n, m, s}.
i,
Examples:
Write the following in Roster Method.
• 𝐿 = {𝑥/𝑥 ∈ 𝑊, 𝑥 < 4}
𝑳 = {𝟎, 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑}
• 𝐽 = {𝑥/𝑥 ∈ 𝑁, 10 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 18}
𝑱 = {𝟏𝟎, 𝟏𝟏, 𝟏𝟐, 𝟏𝟑, 𝟏𝟒, 𝟏𝟓, 𝟏𝟔, 𝟏𝟕, 𝟏𝟖}
What are the
different types
of sets?
Singleton set is also known as unit set which has exactly one
is the set containing all elements of interest in a particular situation and is denoted 𝓤.
Lastly, sets with no common element are disjoint.
EQUAL SET
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RULE METHOD
elements in a set are not listed,
instead, represented by some
common property.
Examples:
• If C be the set of vowels in the English
alphabet then, C= {𝒙/
𝒙 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒗𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒍𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒕}
.
• If D be the set of natural numbers less
than 5, then 𝑫 = {𝒙/𝒙 ∈ 𝑵, 𝟏 ≤ 𝒙 < 𝟓}
Note: The symbol ‘/’ is read as
‘Such that’. In some other books, the
symbol used is ‘:’
Examples:
Write the following in Rule Method.
• 𝐾 = {−2, −1,0,1,2}
𝑲 = {𝑥/𝑥 ∈ 𝑍, −2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2}
• 𝐶 = {2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005}
𝑪 = {𝒙/𝒙 ∈ 𝑵, 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎 ≤ 𝒙 ≤ 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟓}
Aside from the previously mentioned finite set and
infinite set, there are other types or classifications of sets:
singleton set, null set, universal set, and disjoint set.
element. Example is E= {3}. Null set or
empty set contains no element which is
denoted by { } or ∅. And the universal set
Do the words equal
and equivalent
mean the same?
EQUIVALENT SET
 Two sets are said to be
equal if they contain the same
elements.
That is, the elements are
identical.
Examples:
• If R={a,b,c}, S={c,a,b}, then
R=S
• If T={1,2,3,4},
V={1,2,2,3,3,4), then T=V.
Two sets are said to be
equivalent if they contain the
same number of elements
(cardinal number).
Here, the elements may
differ.
Examples:
• If V={1,3,5,7}, W={2,4,6,8},
then V and W are equivalent
since they have the same
number of elements

SUBSET

Let set A be the set of all students under the College of Education in LICOMCO this academic year
and let set B be the set of all students of BSED1- Math. In this example, each element of set B is also an
element of set A. Such a set B is said to be a subset of set A and is written as 𝑩 ⊆ 𝑨.

Let’s consider the following sets: M= {1,2,3,4,5,…} and N= {…,-2,-1,0,1,2,…}. Here, we can see that
each element in set M is also an element in set N, therefore 𝑴 ⊆ 𝑵. Here is another example: O=
{1,2,3,4,…,17,18,19,20} and P= {2,4,6,8,10}, therefore 𝑷 ⊆ 𝑶.

VENN DIAGRAM

The relationship among sets can be illustrated in Venn Diagrams (named after English logician
John Venn). In this diagram, the universal set is represented by a rectangular region.

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 CARTESIAN PRODUCT OF SETS
Consider 𝐴 = {1,3} and 𝐵 = {2,4,6}. The set of all ordered pairs of elements of A and B is
{(1,2), (1,4), (1,6), (3,2), (3,4), (3,6)}.This set is denoted by 𝑨 𝒙 𝑩 and is called the cartesian product
of sets A and B. In symbols 𝑨 𝒙 𝑩 = {(1,2), (1,4), (1,6), (3,2), (3,4), (3,6)}.

On the other hand, 𝑩 𝒙 𝑨 = {(2,1), (2,3), (4,1), (4,3), (6,1), (6,3)}.

Clearly, 𝑨 𝒙 𝑩 ≠ 𝑩 𝒙 𝑨.

RELATIONS

Consider the following: A= {Arjo, Gab, Paolo, Oyo} and B= {Ria, Kiana, Danica}. Let’s assume that
Ria has one brother Arjo, Kiana has two brothers Gab and Paolo and Danica has one brother Oyo. If we
define relation R ‘is a brother of’ between the members of A and B, then Arjo R Ria, Gab R Kiana, Paolo
R Kiana and Oyo R Danica. These can be written in the form of ordered pairs: (Arjo, Ria), (Gab, Kiana),
(Paolo, Kiana) and (Oyo, Danica). In short, we have a set R with those ordered pairs.
𝑹 = {(𝑨𝒓𝒋𝒐, 𝑹𝒊𝒂), (𝑮𝒂𝒃, 𝑲𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒂), (𝑷𝒂𝒐𝒍𝒐, 𝑲𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒂), (𝑶𝒚𝒐, 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂)}
From here, 𝑹 ⊆ 𝑨 𝒙 𝑩, that is, 𝑹 = {(𝒂, 𝒃)/ 𝒂 ∈ 𝑨, 𝒃 ∈ 𝑩 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝑹𝒃}.

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 If R is a relation between two sets then the set of its first elements of all the ordered pairs of R is
called domain and set of 2nd elements of all the ordered pairs of R is called range, of the given relation.

From our previous given relation, the Domain={Arjo, Gab, Paolo, Oyo} and the Range= {Ria, Kiana,
Danica}.
Example:
Given: 𝐴 = {3,4,5,6,7,8} and 𝐵 = {2,3}
R is a relation from A to B defined by 𝑹 = {(𝒂, 𝒃)/𝒂 ∈ 𝑨, 𝒃 ∈ 𝑩 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒃}.
Find a) R, b) Domain and c) Range.
(Here, R ‘is divisible by’)
a) R= {(3,3),(4,2),(6,2),(6,3),(8,2) *** 3 is divisible by 3,4 is divisible by 2… b)
Domain= {3,4,6,8}
c) Range= {2,3}

FUNCTIONS

Consider the relation f={(l,1), (o,3),(v,5),(e,7)}. We see that each element in set A has a unique
image in set B. This relation is defined as a function from A to B (𝒇: 𝑨 → 𝑩). We can also note that, in a
function, no two ordered pairs have the same first element.

Set A Set B
FUNCTION
l 1 √ each element in
set A has a unique
o 3 image in set B
v 5 √ each element in
set A is paired only
e 7 once to an element
in set B

CLASSIFICATIONS OF FUNCTIONS

ONE-TO-ONE FUNCTION MANY-TO-ONE FUNCTION

REMINDER:
ONE -TO- MANY

A one -to-many relation can occur,

BUT, it is NOT A FUNCTION.

BINARY OPERATIONS

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 A binary operation on a set is a calculation involving two elements of the set to produce another
element of the set. The most widely known binary operations are those learned in elementary school:
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division on various sets of numbers.
Consider the following example:

What is 5 Φ 4? Simply, substitute the values of a and b to the right- hand side of the equation:
5 Φ 4= 3(5) + 4. Therefore 5 Φ 4 = 19.

Sometimes, binary operations are displayed in a table which shows how the operation is to be
performed.

Example:

What is 3 * 4?

By getting the
intersection of 3
on the left- hand
column and 4 on
the top row, the
answer is 3.

Summary/Key
Points

Set is defined as a well-defined collection of objects. In representing a set in Roster form (Tabular
Form), all elements are written but in set builder form (Rule Method), a set is represented by the common
property. A finite set is a set in which the elements can be counted and if the elements cannot be counted,
it is infinite. If each element of set A is also an element of set B then A is called the subset of B. There are
the basic operations on sets. Given two sets A and B, (a) A-B is a set of those elements which are in A but
not in B; (b) complement of a set A is a set of those elements which are in the universal set but not in A; (c)
intersection of two sets is a set of those elements when belong to both the sets; and (d) union of two sets is
a set of those elements which belong to either of the two sets. Cartesian product of two sets A and B is the
set of all ordered pairs of the elements of A and B. Relation is a subset of A×B where A and B are sets.
Function is a relation wherein every element in set A has a unique image in set B and no two ordered pairs
have the same first terms. A binary operation is simply a rule for combining two values to create a new
value.

Assessment

I. Consider: 𝓤 = {𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, 𝟓}, 𝑨 = {3, 4, 5} 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑩 = {1, 3, 5}. Find the following:
1) 𝐴⋂𝐵 2) 𝐵⋃𝐴 3) 𝐴′

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 II. Given 𝐴 = {2,3,5} 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑}. Find the following:
4) 𝐴 𝑥 𝐵 5) 𝐵 𝑥 𝐴
III. For numbers 6-7, determine if each relation represents a function or not. Write F (Function) or NF (Not
Function)

6) 7)

For nos. 8 – 10. Let A {1, 3, 5} and B {2, 4, 6}. Which of the relations L, M, and N defined below are
functions?

8.) L = {(1,6), (3,2), (3,4), (5,6)}

9.) For all (x, y) ∈ A x B, (x, y) ∈ S means y = x + 1.

10.) N is defined by the arrow diagram.

1 2

3 4

5 6

VIII. References

Retrieved from:

Villano, M.L., et. al., (2012). 21st Century Mathematics: A Vision for a Better Future. Quezon
City(Philippines): Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

https://faculty.psau.edu.sa/filedownload/doc-11-pdf-07532bb8bd0171f0fa684ff1f4f7debf-original.pdf

https://www.mathsisfun.com/sets/sets-introduction.html https://images-na.ssl-

images-amazon.com/images/G/31/img15/books/tiles/9352036042_chemistry.pdf

https://mathbitsnotebook.com/Algebra1/RealNumbers/RNBinary.html

https://math.libretexts.org/Courses/Mount_Royal_University/MATH_2150%3A_Higher_Arithmetic/1%3A__Binary
_operations/1.1%3A_Binary_operations

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