Name: _______________________________ • Set D is the set of a natural earth

satellite
Section: ______________________________
3. The Set Builder Notation
Date: ________________________________
It is a method that lists the rules that
Lesson: Describing a Sets
determine whether an object is an element of
We use capital letters such as A, B, C, D, and the set rather than the actual elements.
E to denote sets and lowercase letters as a, b,
Examples:
c, d, and e to denote the elements of a set. It
is also a common practice to list the elements • A = {x | x is a counting number less than
of a set in braces, { }, and separate these 5} read as “the set of all x’s such that x
elements by commas. Thus, A = {5, 10, 15, is a counting number less than 5.”
20} means “A set consisting of the elements • B = { x | x is a letter in the word
5, 10, 15, 20.” To indicate 5 is an element of “Philippines”}
Set A, we write “5 ϵ A” and read “5 is an • C = { x | x is a positive multiples of 5}
element of A” or “5 is a member of A.” The • D = { x | x is a natural satellite of the
symbol ϵ is read “is an element of” or “is a earth}
member of” and the notation ϵ is read “is not
an element of.” A set with no element is an
empty set or null set. The symbol for empty Let’s Do It! __________
set is Φ or { }.
Direction: Write the following sets into Verbal
If a set contain many elements, we often use Description and Set Builder Notation.
three dots, …, called ellipsis, to indicate there
are elements in the set that have not been 1. A = {a, e, i, o, u}
written down.
2. M = {3, 6, 9,…, 30}
Examples:
3. E = {Monday, Tuesday,…, Sunday}
• N = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …} 4. T = {January, February, March, . . .,
• W = {0, 1, 2, 3, …} December}
There are three ways in which we can describe
a set.
Verbal Description
1. The Roster Notation or Listing Method
1.
This is a method describing a set by
listing each element of the set inside the
symbol { }. In listing the elements of the set, 2.
each distinct is listed once and the order of the
elements does not matter.
Examples: 3.

• A = {1, 2, 3, 4}
• B = {p, h, i, l, n, e, s} 4.
• C = {5, 10, 15, …}
• D = {moon}
2. The Verbal Description Method Set Builder Notation

It is a method of describing a set in 1.

words.
Examples: 2.
• Set A is the set of counting number less
than 5.
• Set B is the set of letters in the word 3.
“Philippines”.
• Set C is the set of positive multiples of
5. 4.