MATHEMATICAL

LANGUANGE AND
SYMBOLS
FOUR BASIC
CONCEPTS
LESSON 2
At the end of this lesson, you should be able
to:
a. identify and discuss the four basic
concepts in mathematical language.
b. explore the general concept of set;
c. differentiate function from relation; and
d. explain the language of binary operations
LANGUAGE OF SETS
• Set theory is the branch of mathematics that studies sets or the
mathematical science of the infinite.
• The study of sets has become a fundamental theory in mathematics
in 1870s which was introduced by Georg Cantor (1845-1918), a
German mathematician.
• A set is a well-defined collection of objects; the objects are called
the elements or members of the set.
• The symbol ∈ is used to denote that an object is an element of a set,
and the symbol ∉ denotes that an object is not an element of a set.
TWO WAYS TO REPRESENT SET
There are two ways to represent sets either by roster method or by
rule method.
Roster method is when the elements of the set are enumerated and
separated by a comma, it is also called tabulation method.
On the other hand, rule method or set-builder notation is used to describe
the elements or members of the set it is also called set builder notation,
symbol is written as {𝑥|𝑃(𝑥)}.

For example, in the notation 𝐸 = {𝑎,𝑒, 𝑖, 𝑜, 𝑢} is written in roster method,

 while 𝐸 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠} is written in a rule method.
EXAMPLES: Some examples of sets

• {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 10}

• {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 1 = 0}
• {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑡}
• {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟, 1 < 𝑥 < 8}
• {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠}
FINITE AND INFINITE SET
• A finite set is a set whose elements are limited or countable, and the
last element can be identified.

Finite Set
𝐴 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 10}
𝐶 = {𝑑, 𝑖, 𝑟,𝑡}
FINITE AND INFINITE SET

• An infinite set is a set whose elements are unlimited or uncountable,

and the last element cannot be specified

Infinite Set
𝐹 = {… , −2, −1,0,1,2, … }
𝐺 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠.}
UNIT, EMPTY AND UNIVERSAL SET
A unit set is a set with only one element, it is also called singleton.

Unit Set
𝐼 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 1 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 3}
𝐽 = {𝑤}
UNIT, EMPTY AND UNIVERSAL SET
On contrary, the unique set with no elements is called the empty set
(or null set), it is denoted by the symbol ∅ or { }.

Empty Set
𝐿 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 2 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 1}
𝑀 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑙𝑎 𝑍𝑜𝑜}
UNIT, EMPTY AND UNIVERSAL SET

In addition, all sets under investigation in any application of set theory

are assumed to be contained in some large fixed set called the universal
set, denoted by the symbol 𝑼.

Universal Set
𝑼 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟, = 4}
𝑼 = {1,2,3, … ,100} 𝑼 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑙𝑎 𝑍𝑜𝑜}
CARDINAL NUMBER
The cardinal number of a set is the number of elements or members
in the set, the cardinality of set A is denoted by n(A).
For example, given set 𝐸 = (𝑎,𝑒, 𝑖, 𝑜, 𝑢), the cardinal number of 𝐸 is 5
or 𝑛(𝐸) = 5 ;
while the set 𝐴 = {𝑥|𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 10}, which can
also be written as {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9} has a cardinal number of 𝐴 is
9 or 𝑛(𝐴) = 9.
SUBSET AND PROPER SUBSET

Subsets. If A and B are sets, then A is called a subset of B, written 𝐴 ⊆

𝐵, if, and only if, every element of A is also an element of B.

Symbolically: 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵 means that for all elements 𝑥, if 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 then 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵

𝐴 ⊄ 𝐵 means that there is at least one element 𝑥 such that 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 and 𝑥 ∉ 𝐵.
SUBSET AND PROPER SUBSET

Proper Subset.
Let A and B be sets.
A is a proper subset of, written 𝐴 ⊂ 𝐵, if and only if, every element of
A is in B but there is at least one element of B that is not in A
PROBLEM
Let A = Z+ , B = {n ∈ Z|0 ≤ n ≤100}, and C = {100, 200, 300, 400, 500}.
Evaluate the truth and falsity of each of the following statements.

a. B⊆A
b. C is a proper subset of A
c. C and B have at least one element in common
d. C⊆B
e. C⊆C
OPERATIONS ON SETS
• Union of Sets. For two given sets A and B, A∪B (read as A union B) is
the set of distinct elements that belong to set A and B or both.
• The number of elements in A ∪ B is given by n(A∪B) = n(A) + n(B) −
n(A∩B), where n(X) is the number of elements in set X.
• To understand this set operation of the union of sets better, let us
consider an example:
If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {4, 5, 6, 7},
then the union of A and B is given by A ∪ B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}.
OPERATIONS ON SETS
• Intersection of Sets. For two given sets A and B, A∩B (read as A
intersection B) is the set of common elements that belong to set A
and B.
• The number of elements in A∩B is given by n(A∩B) = n(A)+n(B)
−n(A∪B), where n(X) is the number of elements in set X.
• To understand this set operation of the intersection of sets better, let
us consider an example:
If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {3, 4, 5, 7},
then the intersection of A and B is given by A ∩ B = {3, 4}.
OPERATIONS ON SETS
• Set Difference. The set operation difference between sets implies
subtracting the elements from a set which is similar to the concept of
the difference between numbers.
• The difference between sets A and B denoted as A − B lists all the
elements that are in set A but not in set B.
• To understand this set operation of set difference better, let us
consider an example:
If A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {3, 4, 5, 7},
then the difference between sets A and B is given by A - B = {1, 2}.
OPERATIONS ON SETS
• Complement of Sets. The complement of a set A denoted as A′ or Ac
(read as A complement) is defined as the set of all the elements in
the given universal set(U) that are not present in set A.
• To understand this set operation of complement of sets better, let us
consider an example:
If U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9} and A = {1, 2, 3, 4},
then the complement of set A is given by A' = {5, 6, 7, 8, 9}.
Given the following
U = { x| x is all the letters in the alphabet} A = {x| x is vowels}
B = { x| x is consonants} C = { x| x is the last 3 letters in the alphabet}

Find:
1. B∩C
2. A∩B
3. (C∪B)
4. B – C
At the end of this lesson, you should be able
to:
a. identify and discuss the four basic
concepts in mathematical language.
b. explore the general concept of set;
c. differentiate function from relation; and
d. explain the language of binary operations
 LANGUAGE OF
FUNCTIONS AND
RELATIONS
THE RELATION
• A relation is a set of ordered pairs.
• If x and y are elements of these sets and if a relation exists between x
and y, then we say that x corresponds to y or that y depends on x and
is represented as the ordered pair of (x, y).
• A relation from set A to set B is defined to be any subset of A×B. If R is
a relation from A to B and (a, b)∈R, then we say that "a is related to b
" and it is denoted as a 𝑹.
THE RELATION
• Example:
Let 𝐴 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑} be the set of car brands,
and 𝐵 = {𝑠,𝑡, 𝑢, 𝑣} be the set of countries of the car manufacturer.

Then 𝐴 × 𝐵 gives all possible pairings of the elements of A and B,

let the relation R from A to B be given by 𝑅 = {(𝑎, 𝑠), (𝑎, 𝑏), (𝑎, 𝑢), (𝑎, 𝑣),
(𝑏, 𝑠), (𝑏,𝑡), (𝑏, 𝑢), (𝑏, 𝑣), (𝑐, 𝑠), (𝑐,𝑡), (𝑐, 𝑢), (𝑏, 𝑣), (𝑑, 𝑠), (𝑑,𝑡), (𝑑, 𝑢), (𝑑, 𝑣)
THE FUNCTION
• A function is a relation in which, for each value of the first component
of the ordered pairs, there is exactly one value of the second
component.

• The set X is called the domain of the function. For each element of x
in X, the corresponding element y in Y is called the value of the
function at x, or the image of x. The set of all images of the elements
of the domain is called the range of the function.
Now let us determine whether each of the
following relations is a function.

𝐴 = {(1,3), (2,4), (4,6)}

𝐵 = {(−2,7), (−1,3), (0,1), (1,5), (2,5)}

𝐶 = {(3,0), (3,2), (7,4), (9,1)}

LANGUAGE OF BINARY
OPERATION
• We first define what binary operation is. Let G be a set. A binary operation on
G is a function that assigns each ordered pair of elements of G. Symbolically, a
★ b= G, for all 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ 𝐺.

• A group is a set of elements, with one operation, that satisfies the following
properties:
(i) the set is closed with respect to the operation,
(ii) the operation satisfies the associative property,
(iii) there is an identity element, and
(iv) each element has an inverse.

• In other word, a group is an ordered pair (G, ★) where G is a set and is a

binary operation on G satisfying the four properties.
1. Closure property. If any two elements are combined using the
operation, the result must be an element of the set. 𝑎 ★ 𝑏 = 𝑐 ∈ 𝐺,
for all 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ 𝐺.
2. Associative property. (𝑎 ★ 𝑏) 𝑐 = 𝑎★ (𝑏★𝑐), for all 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ 𝐺.

3. Identity property. There exists an element 𝑒 in 𝐺, such that for all 𝑎

∈ 𝐺 for all 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ 𝐺.
4. Inverse property. For each 𝑎 ∈ 𝐺 there is an element 𝑎 −1 𝑜𝑓 𝐺, such
that 𝑎★𝑎 −1 = 𝑎 −1★ 𝑎 = 𝑒
Example
1. Determine whether the set of all non-negative integers under addition is a group.
- Closure property
- Associative property
- Identity property
- Inverse property
2. Determine whether the set of all non-negative integers under multiplication is a
group.
- Closure property
- Associative property
- Identity property
- Inverse property
• FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, WATCH THES VIDEOS FROM
YOUTUBE:
• Operations in sets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI7h8_7Cj_E

• Relation and Function

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zca-AY4-LA