SETS

This section aims to:

1. Define sets
2. Describe a set by roster and rule method
3. Discuss the relationships between sets
4. Identify the different kinds of sets
5. Represents sets using a Venn diagram
6. Perform the operations on set

A set is a well-defined collection of

distinct objects.
Two Ways of Describing a Set

1. The Tabular or Roster Form

is a method of describing a set
where the elements are
separated by commas and
enclosed by braces.
2. The Rule form is xa/ ... method
which makes use of the
description
This is read
as such that.

Illustrations
:
Roster

Rule
{1,2,3} ={x/x is a natural no. Less
x
0 1 2 3 than
4}
, , ,

5
5 5 5 5
={ /x is a whole number
less
than
4}
{0, 3, 6,9} = {k/k is a multiple of 3
{2,4,6}
=&{x/x
between -1
12} is an even integer
between 0 & 8}

Kinds of Sets
1. Empty or Null Set a set which
contains no element
2. Equal Sets sets A and B are equal,
denoted A=B, if they have the same
elements. Ex. A= {1,2,3} B={2,3,1}
are equal sets
3. Equivalent Sets sets A and B are
equivalent, denoted by A~B, if they
have the same number of elements.
The sets C={a,b,c} and D={4,5,6} are
equivalent sets. Equal sets are
equivalent, but not vice versa.

Kinds of Sets
5. Infinite Sets A set is infinite if the
counting of elements has no end. The
sets of integers Z or positive integers N
(or natural numbers), negative integers
Z, and nonnegative integers (whole
numbers ) are infinite sets. Z ={...,-2,1,0,1,2,...} Z = {-1,-2,-3,...}
W={0,1,2,3,...}
The set of positive
odd integers Zo = {1,3,5,...}and
positive even integers
6. Universal Sets is the totality of
elements under consideration. If
A={1,2,3} and B={3,4,5, then the

Kinds of Sets
7. Joint Sets - sets that have common
elements. The sets A={4,5,6} and
B={6,10,11} are joint sets, since 6 is
common to both A and B.
8. Disjoint Set Two sets are disjoint if
they have no common element. The set
E={a,b,c} and F={e,f,g} are disjoint
sets. The positive odd integers Zo
={1,3,5,} and the nonnegative even
integers Ze = {0,2,4,} are disjoint
sets. Also, the negative integers Z={1,-2,-3,} and the nonnegative integers
W={0,1,2,} are disjoint sets.

Kinds of Sets
8. Subsets Set A is a subset of AB Bdenoted
Bifx A
, then
by
, if every element of AAbelongs
to
B.
xB
In symbol,
B
B
B

A x

A Bthen
If A={1,2,3} and B={1,2,3,4}

Aside from the definition, if there is at

least one element found in B but not in
Ba proper subset of B
A, then AA is
denoted by
. There are two
improper subsets of any given set, the
empty set and the set itself. The power
set P of A, denoted by P(A) is defined as
The
following
generalizations
are
the set
of all subsets
of A.
consequences of the definition:
Aitself,
a. Every set is a subsetAof
b. An empty set is always a subset of
every set, i.e A
c. The sets {} and {0} are not empty,
since each contains one element.

 but {0}. The

0 {0},
For example,
elements 0 and are two different
symbols. The set {} has one element
designated by the symbol , a symbol not
considered
an empty
set in this
Example: as
Suppose
A={c,d}
particular
example.
B={a,b,c,d,e}
and C={e,a,c,b,d} then

A and C are both subsets of B; but A is a

proper subset of B, whereas C is not a
proper subset of B. It can be seen in Fig
1 that only A is a proper subset of B and
not C because B and C are with the U
C
same Belements.
A
A
c d
a b e

Given the following sets:

A={0,1,2}
B={2,0,1}
D={3}

C={0}

In each pair of sets, state the relationship

on the space provided whether they are
equal, equivalent, or one is a proper
subset of the other.
1.
2.
3.
4.

A__B
C__{10}
C__E
C__A