OPERATION

S
ON
SETS
Objectives
identify the union, intersection, and
complements of sets; and
find the difference of sets.
SETS
Sets - Sets are groups or collections
of different objects that share a
common characteristic. Each object
found in a set is called an element
or a member of a set.
Examples of a well-defined sets
1. Set of colors of the rainbow
2. Set of distinct letters in the word HUMILITY
3. Set of subjects in Grade 7
A B

INTERSECTION OF SETS
The intersection of sets A and B, written
A B , is the set containing the
elements that are in both A and B. The
word ‘and’ suggests the intersection of
the two sets. When A and B have no
common elements, then A B = { }
Example 1
The students who love swimming S = {Jun, Ben, Arthur, Simon} and
those who love football are F = {Carlos, Miguel, Jun, Ben}. Find S F.

S = {Jun, Ben, Arthur, Simon}

F = {Carlos, Miguel, Jun, Ben}

S F = {Jun, Ben}
Example 2
Given the following sets: A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} and B = {1, 3, 7 ,8}.
Find A  B.

A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
B = {1, 3, 7 ,8}

A  B = { 1, 3}
Example 3
Given the following sets: G = { red, orange, 2, 4, 6, 8, blue} and H = {1,
2, red, 3, 7 ,8}. Find G  H.

G = { red, orange, 2, 4, 6, 8, blue}

H = {1, 2, red, 3, 7 ,8}

G  H = { red, 2, 8}
A B

UNION OF SETS
The union of sets A and B, written A  B, is the
set of all elements that are in A, or in B, or in
both A and B. The word ‘or’ suggests union. To
find the union of two given sets A and B is a set
which consists of all the elements of A and all
the elements of B such that no element is
repeated.
Example 1
Given the following sets: A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} and B = {1, 3, 7 ,8}. Find
A B.

A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
B = {1, 3, 7 ,8}

A B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}
Example 2
The students who love swimming S = {Jun, Ben, Arthur, Simon} and
those who love football are F = {Carlos, Miguel, Jun, Ben}. Find S F .

S = {Jun, Ben, Arthur, Simon}

F = {Carlos, Miguel, Jun, Ben}

S F = {Jun, Ben, Arthur, Simon,

Carlos, Miguel}
A B

DIFFERENCE OF TWO SETS

The difference of set B from set A,
denoted as A - B, is the set of
elements in A, but not in B. That is
remove all the elements of set B
from set A.
Example 1
Let A = {apple, mango, banana} and B = {orange, pineapple, mango}.
Find 1. A - B 2. B - A

1. A – B = {apple, banana}
A = {apple, mango, banana}
B = {orange, pineapple, mango}

2. B – A = {orange, pineapple}
B = {orange, pineapple, mango}
A = {apple, mango, banana}
A B

COMPLEMENTS OF A SET
Both the intersection of two sets and the union of
two sets are called binary operations. In each case,
two sets are involved in the pairing and the
operation produces a single set.

There is one more operation on sets and this is the

complement of a set. Complementation is the only
unary set operation we will encounter.
Cont….
The complement of a set A, written A’ , is the set
of elements in the universal set that are not in A.

Universal set, or simply the universe, denoted by

U, contains all elements considered in a given
situation.
Example
Find the complement of each set. U = {1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10}
1.B = {1,2,3} U = {1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10}

B’ = {5, 8, 10}

2.C = {1,3,5,8,10} U = {1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10}

C’ = {2}
Remember!
A. The complement of the universe is an empty set. U’
={}

B. The complement of an empty set is the universe. { }’

=U

C. For a set A, the difference U - A, where U is the

universe, is called the complement of A.