Chapter 1

Basic
Algebra

Section 1.1: Sets

Course of Math104 Basic

Basic Sciences Department, Engineering Sciences Department
Track
Course of MATH 111 1
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Definition and Notations

Definition: A set is a collection of objects. It’s a box containing some
objects, which are called its elements or members. For example,
 Set of the letters in English Alphabet.
 Set of people in this classroom .
 Set of everything in this classroom.
 Set of even numbers.

Roster (list) Notation: Set Builder Notation: The elements

A set is described by listing all its
elements enclosed between braces
{ } and separated by commas.
For example,
 A = {1, 2, 3, 4}.
 B = {Ibrahim, Omar, Zayed}.
 C = { a, b, c, … , x, y, z}.
 D = {2,4,6,8,10,12, … }.
of the set are described by listing
their properties but in a more
symbolic way. For example,
{𝑥 ∣ 𝑥 is a whole number and 𝑥 > 5},
which is read as “the set of all 𝑥’s
such that 𝑥 is a whole number and 𝑥
is greater than 5”. The vertical bar is
read as “such that”.
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Example 1: Using Roster Notation

Write each of the following sets in roster notation.
a) The set of digits
{𝟎, 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, 𝟓, 𝟔, 𝟕, 𝟖, 𝟗}.
b) The set of whole numbers.
{𝟎, 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, … }
c) The set of whole numbers greater than 5
{𝟔, 𝟕, 𝟖, … }.
d) The set of natural numbers less than or equal 5.
{𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, 𝟓}

Note: Membership of an element

 If an object 𝒂 is an element of a set 𝑺, then we write 𝒂 ∈ 𝑺.
This is read as “𝒂 is an element of 𝑺” or “ 𝒂 belongs to 𝑺”.
 If 𝒂 is not an element of 𝑺, then we write 𝒂 ∉ 𝑺.
Example: 𝟏 ∈ {𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒} but 𝟖 ∉ {𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒}.

Types of Sets
Equal Sets: Two sets 𝑆 and 𝑇 are
equal if they have the same
elements. This is written as 𝑺 = 𝑻,
which is read as “𝑆 is equal to 𝑇”, “𝑆
equals 𝑇” or “𝑆 is 𝑇”.
• If 𝑺 and 𝑻 are not equal, then we
write 𝑺 ≠ 𝑻.
For example,
1,2,3 = 2,3,1 = 3,2,1
1,2,3 ≠ 2,3
Empty Set: The symbol ∅
represents the empty set, which is
the set that has no elements.
In other words, ∅={ }.
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Singleton Set: A singleton set is a
set that contains only one element.
If 𝒂 is an object, then 𝒂 is called
the singleton set of 𝑎.
Subset of a Set: A set 𝑺 is a
subset of a set 𝑻, written as 𝑺 ⊆ 𝑻,
if every element of 𝑺 is also an
element of 𝑻.
Note: Sets can be shown as above.
They are called Venn diagrams.
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Example 3: Finding Subset of a Set

List all subsets of the set {1,2,3}.
The subsets of {𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑} are:
∅, 𝟏 , {𝟐}, {𝟑}, {𝟏, 𝟐}, {𝟏, 𝟑}, {𝟐, 𝟑} and {𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑}.

Try & Check

List all the subsets of {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑} containing 𝑎.

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Set Operations
Intersection of Sets: The intersection of two
sets 𝑆 and 𝑇 is the set 𝑺 ∩ 𝑻 “𝑆 intersection 𝑇”
given by: 𝑺 ∩ 𝑻 = 𝒙 𝒙 ∈ 𝑺 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒙 ∈ 𝑻 .
For example, {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}∩{0, 2, 4}={2, 4}.

Disjoint Sets: If 𝑆 and 𝑇 have no elements in

common, then 𝑺 ∩ 𝑻 = ∅.
In this case, 𝑆 and 𝑇 are disjoint. For example, the
set of even whole numbers and the set of odd
whole numbers are disjoint.

Union of Sets: The union of sets 𝑆 and 𝑇, is the

set 𝑺 ∪ 𝑻 given by: 𝑺 ∪ 𝑻 = 𝒙 𝒙 ∈ 𝑺 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 ∈ 𝑻 .
𝑆 ∪ 𝑇 is the set of elements which belong to 𝑆 or to
𝑇 or to both.
For example, 0, 1, 2, 4 ∪ 1, 3 = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 .
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Example 4: Performing Set Operation

Let 𝐴 = {1, 2, 3, 4} and 𝐵 = {4,5}.
a) Find 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵 and 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵.
b) Is 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵? Is 𝐵 ⊆ 𝐴?
Solution: a) 𝐴 ∩ B = {4}, 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵 = {1, 2, 3,4,5},
b) 𝐴 ⊈ 𝐵 since 1 ∈ 𝐴 whereas 1 ∉ 𝐵.
𝐵 ⊈ 𝐴 because 5 ∈ 𝐵 whereas 5 ∉ 𝐴.

Try & Check

Consider the two sets 𝐴 = {1,3,5,7} and 𝐵 = {2, 4, 6, 8}.
Find 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵 and 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵.
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Review of Notations
∅, { } Empty set
{𝟎, 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, … } Set of Whole Numbers
{ 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, … } Set of Natural Numbers
=, ≠ “equals”, “does not equal”
>, <, ≤, ≥ ”greater than”, “less than”, “greater than or
equal to”, “less than or equal to”
∈, ∉ “belongs to”, “does not belong to”
𝑺∩𝑻 S intersection T
𝑺∪𝑻 S union T
S⊆T “S is a subset of T”