Connexions module: m15209

Cartesian Product (exercise)

Sunil Kumar Singh

This work is produced by The Connexions Project and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License
Note :

The results of some of the questions (3 - 7) are of generic nature. As such, they can also be

treated as theorems on Cartesian products.

1 Worked out exercises

1.1 Problem 1 : Cartesian product "

then nd Cartesian product set "

Solution :

A B " consists of 6 elements. B A ".

If three of these are (1,2), (2,3) and (3,3),

We need to know two sets A and B in order to evaluate "

BA

". First elements of

ordered pairs of " of set B.

AB

" are elements of set A. Hence, 1,2 and 3 are the elements of set A. On the

other hand, second elements of ordered pairs of AXB are elements of set B. Hence, 2 and 3 are elements Now, it is given that there are total 6 elements in the Cartesian product, which is equal to the product of numbers of elements in two sets i.e. 3 X 2. It means that we have identied all elements of sets A and B.

A = {1, 2, 3} B = {2, 3}
Following the rule for writing Cartesian product in terms of ordered pairs, we have :

B A = {(1, 2) , (1, 3) , (2, 2) , (2, 3) , (3, 2) , (3, 3)}

1.2 Problem 2 : Two sets are given as : A = {1,2} and B = {3,4}. Find the total numbers of subsets of "

AB

". Also write power set of AXB in roaster form. The total numbers of elements in the Cartesian product "

Solution :

AB

" is pq, where p and

q are the numbers of elements in the individual sets A and B respectively. The all possible subsets that can be formed including empty set and the product "

AB

" itself is :

n = 2pq = 22X2 = 24 = 16
Now, the Cartesian product is :
Version
1.2: Aug 27, 2009 8:11 am GMT-5

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Connexions module: m15209

A B = {(1, 3) , (1, 4) , (2, 3) , (2, 4)}

The corresponding power set comprises of empty set, 4 sets with elements comprising of one element plus 6 sets with elements comprising of two elements taken at a time plus 4 sets with elements comprising of three elements taken at a time plus set itself. There are total of 16 subsets. The power set is set of all subsets as its elements :

P (A B) = {, {(1, 3)}, {(1, 4)}, {(2, 3)}, {(2, 4)}, {(1, 3) , (1, 4)}, {(1, 3) , (2, 3)}, {(1, 3) , (2, 4)}, {(1, 4) , (2, 3)}, {(1, 4) , (2, 4)}, {(2, 3) , (2, 4)}, {(1, 3) , (1, 4) , (2, 3)}, {(1, 3) , (1, 4) , (2, 4)}, {(1, 3) , (2, 3) , (2, 4)}, {(1, 4) , (2, 3) , (2, 4)} {(1, 3) , (1, 4) , (2, 3) , (2, 4)}}
It is easy to follow a scheme to write combination in which order is not relevant. We can denote each of the ordered pair with a symbol like :

A B = {a, b, c, d}
As pointed out for generating combination for ordered pair, we can start with the left element and keep changing the last element of the combination till all combinations are exhausted. Here, power set in terms of symbols is :

P (A B) = {, {a}, {b}, {c}, {d}, {(a, b) , {(a, c)}, {(a, d)}, {(b, c) , {(b, d)}, {(c, d)}, {(a, b, c)}, {(a, b, d)}, {(a, c, d)}, {(b, c, d)}, {(a, b, c, d)}}
1.3 Problem 3 : If "

AB

" and "C" is any non-empty set, then prove that :

AC BC
Solution :

Let us rst discuss the logic of the relation here. The elements of set A are common to

set B. Now Cartesian product of set "A" with set C will yield ordered pairs, which are common with the ordered pairs of the Cartesian product "B" with "C". However, as set B is either larger than or equal to, but not smaller than A, it follows that above relation should hold. Now, we prove the relation analytically. Let an arbitrary ordered pair (x,y) belongs to Cartesian product "

AC

".

(x, y) A C
According to denition of Cartesian product,

xA
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and

yC

Connexions module: m15209

But A is subset of B. Hence,

xB

xB
Again, applying denition of Cartesian product,

and

yC

(x, y) B C
This means that :

AC BC
1.4 Problem 4 :

If

AB

and

CD

, then prove that :

AC BD
Solution :

Let an arbitrary ordered pair (x,y) belongs to Cartesian product "

AC

".

(x, y) A C
According to denition of Cartesian product,

xA
But A is subset of B. Hence,

and y C yD
.

xB

. Also, C is subset of D. Hence,

xB
Again, applying denition of Cartesian product,

and

yD

(x, y) CXD
This means that :

AC BD
1.5 Problem 5 : For any given four sets A, B, C and D, prove that :

(A B) (C D) = (A C) (B D)
Solution :

Let an arbitrary ordered pair (x,y) belongs to intersection set 

(A B) (C D) .

Then,

(x, y) (A B) (C D)
Applying denition of intersection,

(x, y) A B
Applying denition of Cartesian product,

and

(x, y) C D

(x A

and

y B)

and

(x C

and

y D)

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Connexions module: m15209

(x A

and

x C)

and

(y B

and

y D)

Applying denition of intersection,

(x A C)
Again, applying denition of Cartesian product,

and

(y B D)

(x, y) (A C) X (B D)
This means that :

(A B) (C D) (A C) (B D)
Similarly, starting from RHS, we can prove that :

(A C) (B D) (A B) (C D)
If sets are subsets of each other, then they are equal. Hence,

(A B) (C D) = (A C) (B D)
1.6 Problem 6 : Let A and B be two non-empty sets. If the numbers of common elements be n between

sets A and B, then nd the common elements between Cartesian products 
Solution :

AB

 and 

BA

.

The common elements between sets A and B is n. This means :

n (A B) = n
We are required to evaluate the expression,

n [(A B) (B A)]
We have earlier seen that four given sets,

(A B) (C D) = (A C) (B D)
If we put C = B and D = A in this equation, then expression on the left hand side of the equation becomes what is required.

(A B) (B A) = (A B) (B A) n [(A B) (B A)] = n [(A B)] n [(B A)] n [(A B) (B A)] = nXn = n2

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Connexions module: m15209

1.7 Problem 7 : Let A, B and C be three sets. Then prove that :

AX (B C ) = (A B) (A C)
Solution :

From rst De-morgan's theorem, we know that :

(B C) = B C
Applying to the LHS, we have :

A (B C ) = A [(B ) (C ) ]
Now, component of complement set is set itself. Hence,

A (B C ) = A (B C)
Applying distributive property of product operator over intersection operator, we have :

A (B C ) = (A B) (A C)
1.8 Problem 8 :

Let A, B and C be three sets. Then prove that :

AX (B C ) = (A B) (A C)
Solution :

From second De-morgan's theorem, we know that :

(B C) = B C
Applying to the LHS, we have :

A (B C ) = A [(B ) (C ) ]
Now, component of complement set is set itself. Hence,

A (B C ) = A (B C)
Applying distributive property of product operator over union operator, we have :

A (B C ) = (A B) (A C)

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