Set language and notation

1 Operation on sets and Venn diagram

Symbol Symbol name Definition Venn diagram

ξ Universal set Contains every element

ξ
involved in a problem

A⋂ B Intersection Objects that belong to

set A and set B ξ

A∪B Union Objects that belong to ξ

set A or set B

A⊂B Subset A is a subset of B

ξ

The number of subset of a

set with n elements = 2n

A’ Complement of All the elements from

a set universal set but not from ξ
set A

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Examples.
1. Given ξ = { High school 1 students }
B = { Boys }
S = { Students who wear spectacles}
The Venn diagram below shows the number of elements in each set

B S

Find
(a) n(B) (b) n (S) (c ) n ( B ’)

(d) n( A∩ B ¿ (e) n( A ∪ B ¿ (f) n( A’ ∩ B ¿

(g) n( A ∩ B‘) (h) n (ξ ¿

2. On the diagrams below, shade the set where

(a) ξ = X ∪ Y ∪ Z (b) ξ = P ∪ Q ∪ R
(i) Y∩ Z (ii) (X’ ∩ Z ¿ ∪Y (i) P ∩ Q (ii) P ∩ (Q’∪ R)

X
(i)
Y Z

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(c ) (i) ξ = A ∪ B (ii) ξ = P ∪ Q ∪ R
shade the set B’ shade the set ( P ∪ R ¿ ∩Q

(ii)

(d) ξ = P ∪ Q ∪ R (e) ξ = P ∪ Q ∪ R
(i) P ∩Q (ii) P ∩(Q∪ R)' (i) P ∩ R (ii) P ∩ (Q ∪ R’)

(i)
(ii)
(i)

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(f ) ξ = L ∪ M ∪ N (g) ξ = A ∪ B∪ C
(i) (L ∪ N) ' (ii) ( L ∪ M ) ∩ N (i) ( A ∩ B)' (ii) ( A ∩ B ) ∪ ( B ∩C )

(i) (i)

(ii)
(ii)

3. List all the subsets for the following sets

(a) P = { a , b , c} .

(b) S = { factors of 5} .

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4. Draw a Venn diagram to represent each of the following pairs of sets

(a) M = { o, m , e, g , a} N = { o , m , g}

(b) P = { Quadrilaterals } Q = { Rectangles }

( c) R = { factors of 4 } S = { factors of 8 }

5. If n(ξ ) = 30 , n(A) = 14, n(B) = 17 and n( A ∩ B ¿=¿ 4

(a) Draw a Venn diagram showing this information .

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 (b) Find
(i) n(A’) (ii) n( A ∪ B) (iii) n(A ∪B)’

6. The Venn diagram shows the number of

elements in the universal set, ξ , set K, set L K L
and set M.
Given n(L) = n( K ∪ M ¿’,
0
7 6 2x
find n(ξ ) 1
x
5
2x 2 M

7. The Venn diagram shows the number of P Q

quiz participants in set P and set Q. Given
that the universal set, ξ = P ∪ Q,
set P = { Mathematics quiz participants} and x+3 x 2x
set Q = { Science quiz participants}
If the number of participants who participate in
only one quiz is 21, find the total number of
participants.

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8. The Venn diagram shows the number of
elements in set M , set S and set P. Given
that the universal set, ξ = M ∪ S ∪ P .
Given n( M∪S) = n(P), find the value of x.

[ 18 ]

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9. The Venn diagram shows the number of elements in sets C , M and T where
C = { Students who like to drink coffee} , M = { Students who like to drink Milo}
and T = { Students who like to drink tea}

Find the number of students who like to drink

(a) coffee only

(b) Milo only

(c ) coffee, tea and Milo

(d) coffee and tea only

(e ) neither one

10. The Venn diagram shows the number of elements

in sets ξ , B , S and W where
ξ = { Students in a school} B W
B = { boys in the school}
S = { students with single parent} 250 32 10
W = { Students who walk to the school} 0
8 18 12

Find 300 20
S
(a) n(ξ ¿

(b) n(B)

(c ) n( w)

(d) n( W’)

(e) n( B∩W ¿

(f) n(B ∪ W ¿

(g) n( B∩W ¿ ’

(h) n( B∩W ∩ S ¿

(i) n [ (B∪ W ¿ ∩ S ¿

(j) n( S’ ∩W )

(k) n( B∪ W ∪ S ¿’

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