Unit (9)

SET

9.1 Sets
Any well -defined list or collection of objects is called a set.
Elements The objects in a set are called the elements or members of the set.

Note. Sets are denoted by using capital letters.

Example A is the set of positive integers less than 10.

Membership symbol

is used to show the membership of an element in a set.

A means 1 belongs to A
7 A means 7 does not belong to A.

Exercise 9.1

1. Given that A is the set of natural numbers less than 10.

State which of the followings are TRUE and which are FALSE.
(a) 3 A (b) 0 A (c) 7 A (d) ½ A (e) 0.5 A
4
(f)  A (g) A (h) + 4 A (i) 23 A (j) 3
8 A
2

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2. Fill in the blanks, given that A is the set of prime numbers less than 20.
(a) 2 ---- A (b) 9 ---- A (c) 1.2 ---- A (d) 7 ---- A
1
(e) 16 ---- A (f) 8 ---- A (g) 0.5 ---- A (h) ---- A
3
(i) 17 ---- A (j) 19 ---- A

3. Description of a set
A set can be described
(i) in words
(ii) by listing (using curly brackets)
(iii) by stating properties which characterise the elements of the set
(set-builder form)

Example (i) A is the set of whole numbers less than 5. (in words)
(ii) A = { 0, 1 , 2, 3, 4 } (by listing)
(iii) A = { x : x is a whole number < 5 } ( set-builder form)

Note:
We read A = { x : ----------- }
A is the the set of all x such that ----------

Exercise. (continued)
3. Write each of the following sets
(i) by listing its elements and
(ii) in set-builder form

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 (a) The set N of natural numbers
(b) The set J of positive integers
(c) The set P of all prime numbers less than 10.
(d) The set S of all square numbers less than 10.
(e) The set B of real numbers which
satisfy the equation x2 = 4

Empty or Null Set

The set which contains no element is an empty set and denoted by 
Example A = {x:x  x} = 
B = { x : x is even and x2 = 9 } = 
C = { } = 
D is the set of teachers who are 2000 years old. D = 
Note { 0 }  are not empty sets.

Subset
If every element of A also belongs to a set B, then A is called a subset of B.

Note A  B does not exclude the possibility that A = B. However, if A  B but

A  B then A is proper subset of B. Some mathematicians use the symbol
 for a subset and the symbol  for a proper subset.
Example B = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 }
A ={3,5}
3 A  3 B
5 A  5 B
 A  B

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Note 1. Every set is a subset of itself.
AA
2. Empty set is a subset of every other set.
   A
3. A = B if and only if A  B and B  A .

4. n (A) denotes the number of elements in A.

Example A = { a, b, c }
 n (A) = 3

5. If n (A) = k, then the number of all possible subsets of A is 2k.

Example Let A = { a, b, c, d }
n (A) = 4
Number of all possible subsets = 24 = 16

Subsets each containing one element

{a},{b},{c},{d}
Subsets each containing two elements
{ a, b } , { a , c }, { a , d } , { b, c} , { b , d } , { c, d }
Subsets each containing three elements
{ b, c, d} , { a, c, d } , { a, b, d } , { a, b, c }
Subset containing four elements
{ a, b , c , d }
Subset containing no element


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Exercise 9.2
1. A = { x : x2 – 5x + 6 = 0 } and B = { 2, 3 } . Is A = B ?

2. A = { x : x is a prime number less than 10} and B = {x : x2 - 7x + 10 = 0}

(a) Is A = B ? (b) B  A

3. A = { a , b , c , d } , B = { x : x2 - 3x + 2 = 0}
Find n (A) + 3n (B).

4. L = { (x, y) : x and y are natural numbers and x + y = 5 } . Write L by listing its

elements.

Venn Diagrams
Diagrams using overlapping circles to show relationships between sets;
developed by an English Mathematician, John Venn (1834 - 1923).

B
A  B
A

Universal set
The set containing all the elements under consideration is called the universal
set and denoted by U or S or E or .

Venn diagram for the universal set.

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Intersection of two sets
The intersection of two sets A and B is the set of elements which belong to
both A and B.
A B = { x : x  A and x  B }

A B is shaded
A B

Note: 1. ( A B ) A

( A B) B
2. A B = B A
3. (A B) C = A (B C)
4. A A = A
5. A   = 
6. A S = A

Union of two sets

The union of two sets A and B is the set of elements which belong either, to
A or to B, or to both A and B.
A  B = { x : x A or x B }
A  B is shaded

A B

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Note 1. A  A B
B  A B
2. AB = B A
3. ( A  B )  C = A  ( B  C)
4. A  A =A
5. A  =A
6. A S =S

Exercise 9.3
1. If A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 } , B = { 1, 2, 3 } and C = { 3, 4, 5 }
find (a) A B (b) A  C (c) B C (d) A  B
(e) (A B)  C (f) (A  C ) B.

2. Let A = { a , b , c , d } , B = { a, e, i, o, u } and C = { a, c }
(a) Find A B, A C, B C
(b) Show that ( AB) C = A ( B C )

3. If P = The set of prime numbers less than 12 and E is the set of positive
even integers less than 12, write down the sets P and E. Find P 

4. A is the set of the first five odd numbers and B is the set of the first five prime
numbers. Write down A and B. Find A B and A  B.

5. Let X = The set of + even numbers less than 9.

Y = The set of + odd numbers less than 9.
Z = The set of numbers between 1 and 10,
which are divisible by 3.
(a) List the sets X, Y and Z.
(b) Find X Y, X Z and Y Z.
(c) Show these intersections by using Venn diagrams.

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9.2 Sets Operation

Difference:
Difference of two sets A and B ( A \ B) is the set whose elements, are those
of A but are not in B.

A B
A \ B is shaded

A \ B = { x : x A and x B}

Note 1. A\A = 
2. A \ = A

A B
B \ A is shaded

B \ A = { x : x B and x A }

Example
Find the set A \ B and B \ A in the following.
(a) A = { 0, 1, 2, 3 }, B = { 2, 3, 4 }
(b) A = { a, b, c }, B = { p, q, r }
(c) A = { 3, 4, 5 }, B = { 2, 4, 5 }
(d) A = { x : x2 = 4 , x R}, B = { x : x2 - 3x + 2 = 0}
(e) A = { 0, 1, 2, 3, }, B = { 2, 3, 4 }

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Solution
(a) A = { 0, 1, 2, 3 } B = { 2, 3, 4 }
A \ B = { 0, 1, 2, 3 } \ { 2, 3, 4 } = { 0, 1} 
B \ A = { 2, 3, 4 } \ { 0, 1, 2, 3 } = { 4 } 

(b) A = { a , b, c } , B = { p, q, r }
A \ B = { a, b, c } \ { p, q, r } = { a, b , c } #
B \ A = { p, q, r } \ ( a, b, c } = { p, q, r } #

Complement of a set A
Complement of a set A is the set of elements which are not in A, but in the
universal set and it is denoted by A/ or Ac.

S A/
A/ or Ac is shaded
A
A/ = { x : x A, x S }

Note 1. S \A = A/
2. S \ A/ = A
3. A  A/ = S
4. A A/ = 

Example Let S = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 }
A = { 1, 3, 5 }, B = { 2, 4, 6 } and
C = { 2, 3, 5, 7 }, Find A/ , B/ and C/

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Solution:
S = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}
A = { 1, 3, 5 }
A/ = S \ A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 } \ { 1, 3, 5 }
A / = { 2, 4, 6, 7 } 
B = { 2, 4, 6 }
B/ = S \ B = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 } \ { 2, 4, 6 }
B/ = { 1, 3 , 5, 7 } 
C = { 2, 3, 5, 7 }
C/ = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 } \ { 2, 3, 5, 7 }
C/ = { 1, 4, 6 } 

Exercise 9.4
1. Let S = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } and
A = { 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 } , B = { 2, 4, 6, 8 }
Find (a) A/ (b) B/ (c) A/ B/ (d) A  B
(e) (A  B)/ (f) A/  B/ (g) A B (h) (A B)/

2. Let S = { a, b, c, d, e } , A = { a, c, e } and B = { a, b, d}. Using these sets,

show that (a) (A B)/ = A/  B/
(b) (A  B)/ = A/ B/

3. Let E = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, } , A = { 0, 1 } and B = { 1, 2, 4 }.
Show that (A  B)/ = A/ B/ and A \ B = A B/.

4. Let S = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 } be the universal set and let A = { 1, 3, 5, 7} and

B = { x : x2 - 5x + 6 = 0 } .
Verify (i) (A  B)/ = A/ B/
(ii) (A B)/ = A/  B/

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5. Let S = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12}, A = {x : x is an integer, 0<x<6} and
B = {x : x is a positive integer less then 13 and x is a multiple of 3}.
List the members of A and B. Then find (i) A  B (ii)AB (iii) A \ B
(iv) A/  B/ (v) A/B/ (vi) (A  B)/ and (vii) (A B)/

6. Let S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}, A = { 1, 2, 3, 4}, B= {2, 4, 6, 8} and

C= {3, 4, 5, 6}. Find (i) A/ (ii) A C (iii) (A C)/ (iv) A  B (v) B \ C

7. Let S = { a, b, c, d, e}, A = { a , b, d } and B = { b, d, e}.

Find (i) A  B (ii) B/ (iii) A/ B (iv) A/ B/ (v) (A B)/

8. The following diagram shows the intersection of three sets A, B and C. Copy
five diagrams similar to that one. B
A
(a) In the first diagram, shade the
region showing B C.
(b) In the second diagram, A (B C)
(c) In the remaining three, shade the
sets A B, AC and
(AB)(AC) respectively. C

9. Repeat the above for the sets B C, A(B C) , A B , A C and
(AB) (AC). Then show that A (BC) = (A B)(AC).
Study the Venn diagram and find
(a) n(AB) (b) n(BC) 5 B
3
(c) n(AC)/ (d) n(AB)/ 7
10
8 4 11
(e) n(A/ C/) (f) n(B/ C/) 6
A 2
9
12 C

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10. Refer to the Venn diagram in no. ( 9 ) and list the elements of each of the
following sets.
(a) A B C
(b) A B C
(c) (A B)  C
(d) A (B  C)
(e) (A B) C/
(f) A/ (B C)

11. Draw four diagrams similar to the one on the right and shade the regions
that represent the following sets on separate diagrams.
(a) A B C
A B
(b) (A B) C

(c) A (B C)

(d) A (B C)

12. Refer to No (11 ) and draw another four similar diagrams. Shade the regions

that represent the following sets on separate diagrams.

(a) (A B) C/ (b) (B C) A/

(c) A (B C)/ (d) A/ B/ C/

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13. Which of the following sets are finite?
(i) The months of the year
(ii) {1, 2, 3, ...., 99, 100}
(iii) The number of people living on the earth.
(iv) The set of rational numbers.
(v) The set of real numbers.

14. Let A = be the set of even integers between 1 and 9 and

B = { x : x3 - 8x2 + 12x = 0}. Find A B.

15. Let A = {x : x is an even positive integer less than 13} and

B = { x : x is a positive integer less than 20 and x is divisible by 3}.

Find A  B.

16. Given that A = {x : x < 5 and x is a whole number} and

B = {x : –3 < x < 2 and x is an integer}. Write down the sets A and B. Find

AB and AB and illustrate the solution sets on real number line.

17. Given that A = { x : x 6 and x R} and B = {x : x 2 and x R}. Find AB
and AB, illustrating them on number line.

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 Unit (10)

Basic Concept of Probability

Probability is associated with games of chance such as tossing a coin and

rolling a die.
For example, suppose we have a die with 6 sides numbered 1 to 6 and that
we want to know the chance of getting a 3. Since there are six possible outcomes
we regard each outcome as equally likely to occour and we say that the outcome 3
1
has a chance 1 out of 6 (or) the probability .
6
If there are ‘y’ equally likely outcomes of a certain experiment and ‘x’ of them
are favourable to an event E, then the probability of E is defined as :

x
P (E) =
y

The probability can be defined in words as:

The number of favourableoutcomes

The probability of a favourable outcome =
The number of possibleoutcomes

x
Note: 1. P (E) =
y

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 yx y x
2. P(not E) =  
y y y
x
= 1 –
y
= 1 – P (E)
 P (not E) = 1 – P (E)

3. P (sure event) = 1
P (impossible event) = 0

 0  P(E)  1

Example
A letter is chosen at random from the letter of the word MYANMAR. What is
the probability that it is (a) a vowel (b) a consonant.
Solution The set of all possible outcomes = { M1, Y, A1, N, M2, A2, R}
The set of vowels = { A1 , A2 }
2
 P (a vowel) =
7
The set of consonants = { M1, M2, N, R, Y}

5
 P (a consonant) =
7

Example If a whole number from 1 to 20 both inclusive is selected, and if each

number has equal chance of being selected, what is the probability
that the number will be:
(a) an even (b) greater than 15 (c) less than or equal to 5
(d) greater than 20 (e) a prime number.

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Solution

The set of all possible outcomes = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,

14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20}

(a) The set of even numbers = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20}
10 1
 P (The numbers will be even) = =
20 2
(b) The set of numbers greater than 15 = { 16, 17, 18, 19, 20}
5 1
 P (The numbers will be greater than 15) = 
20 4
(c) The set of numbers less than or equal to 5 = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
5 1
 P (The required number) = 
20 4
(d) The set of numbers greater than 20 = ( impossible)
0
 P (The required number) = = 0
20
(e) The set of prime numbers = { 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19}
8 2
 P (The required number ) = 
20 5

Exercise
1. A box contains 10 white balls and 20 black balls. If a ball is drawn, what is
the probability that it is (a) white (b) black?

2. A letter is chosen at random from the letters of the word “YANGON”. What is
the probability that it is: (a) a vowel (b) a consonant?

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3. What is the probability that on rolling a die the number that turns up will be
(a) odd (b) less than 3 (c) 6 (d) prime?

4. The names of 25 boys and 10 girls in a class are written on similar pieces
of paper, and placed in a cup. If one is drawn out at random, what is the
probability that it is the name of (a) a boy (b) a girl?

5. If a whole number from 1 to 10 both inclusive is selected and if each mem-

ber has an equal chance of being selected what is the probability that the
number will be (a) an odd number (b) less than 1 (c) a multiple of 3.

6. When a die is rolled what is the probability that the die shows
(a) a 4 (b) a multiple of 3 (c) a factor of 6 (d) a 7.

7. A bag contains 6 red balls and 14 black balls.

(a) If a ball is drawn at random , find the probability of getting a red ball.
(b) If it is red and another is then drawn, what is the probability that it will
be red also?
1
8. Probability for an event E is P(E). If P(E) = P(not E), find P (E).
6
9. In a box there are 10 red pencils and x blue pencils. If a pencil is chosen at
2
random the probability that it will be blue is . Find the value of x and
3
hence the probability of choosing a red pencil.

10. A symmetrical triangular pyramid (tetrahedron) has the numbers 1, 2, 3,

and 4 painted on its faces. Find the probability that when it is tossed it will
land so that (a) the 2 face is downwards (b) the sum of the numbers on the
three faces is even.

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