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What we are trying to prove (WRONG):

If 𝑨 ⊆ 𝑩 and 𝑨 ∩ 𝑪 = ∅ then 𝑩 ∩ 𝑪 = ∅.

Corrected statement:
If 𝑨 ⊆ 𝑩 and 𝑩 ∩ 𝑪 = ∅ then 𝑨 ∩ 𝑪 = ∅.

Proof (by contradiction):


We will assume that:
[1] 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵
[2] 𝐵 ∩ 𝐶 = ∅

We want to show that 𝑨 ∩ 𝑪 = ∅.

STATEMENT REASON

[3] 𝐴 ∩ 𝐶 ≠ ∅ Preliminary Assumption

[4] 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 ∩ 𝐶 Definition of Null Set [3]

[5] 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 ∧ 𝑥 ∈ 𝐶 Definition of Intersection [4]

[6] 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 Simplification [5]

[7] 𝑥 ∉ 𝐵 ∩ 𝐶 Definition of Null Set [2]

[8] 𝑥 ∈ (𝐵 ∩ 𝐶)𝑐 Definition of Complement [7]

[9] 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵𝑐 ∪ 𝐶 𝑐 De Morgan’s Law [8]

[10] 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵𝑐 ∨ 𝑥 ∈ 𝐶 𝑐 Definition of Union [9]

[11] 𝑥 ∉ 𝐵 ∨ 𝑥 ∉ 𝐶 Definition of Complement [10]

[12] 𝑥 ∈ 𝐶 Simplification [5]

[13] 𝑥 ∉ 𝐵 Disjunctive Syllogism [11, 12]

[14] 𝐴 ⊈ 𝐵 Definition of Subset [Look at #6 and #13]

[15] (𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵) ∧ (𝐴 ⊈ 𝐵) Conjunction [1, 14] – Contradiction!

[16] 𝐴 ∩ 𝐶 = ∅ Proof by Contradiction [3 – 15]

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