Sets

Sachkirat Singh XI-A Maths

 Introduction
Sets are used to define the concepts of relations
and functions. The study of geometry, sequences,
probability, etc. requires the knowledge of sets.

The theory of sets was developed by German

mathematician Georg Cantor (1845-1918). He
first encountered sets while working on “problems
on trigonometric series”. In this Chapter, we
discuss some basic definitions and operations
involving sets.
Important Symbols
N : the set of all natural numbers
Z : the set of all integers
Q : the set of all rational numbers
R : the set of real numbers
Z+: the set of positive integers
Q+: the set of positive rational
numbers
R+: the set of positive real numbers.
Definition: A well defined collection of distinct objects is called a set.

REPRESENTATION OF SETS:

1. Roster or Tabular Method: In this method all the elements of the set are listed, the elements
being separated by commas and placed within braces {}.

For example: The set of a natural numbers less than 5 is written as {1,2,3,4).

2. Set builder form or Rule Method: In set builder form all the elements of a set
possess a single common property which is not possessed by any elements out side the set.

For example :
V= {x:x is a vowel in English alphabets}
 TYPES OF SETS
1. Empty set : A set, which does not contain any elements is called the empty set or null set or void set. It is
denoted by Φ or { }.

2. Singleton set : A set, consisting of a single elements is called a singleton set.

7. Subset : If every elements of A is an element of overline B . then overline A is called a subset of B. ( i.e. A
subsets B)

8. Proper subset : If A subsets B and A ne B then A is called a proper subset of B, written as A subset B.

9. Universal set : If all the set under consideration are subsets of a large set U, then U is known as universal set.
And it is denoted by rectangle in Venn - diagram.

10. Power set : The collection of all subsets of a set A is called the power set, and it is denoted by P(A) The no.
of elements of P(A) is 2 ^ n where n is the no of elements of A.

11. Venn Diagram : The geometrical figure illustrating universal set, subsets and their operations is known as
Venn - Diagram.

12. Union of sets : The union of two sets A and B is the set containing all the elements of A or B, and it is
written as A cup B.

13. Intersection of sets : The intersection of two sets A and B is the set of common elements of A and B,
denoted by A cap B.
3. Finite set : A set which is empty or consists of a definite number of elements is called a finite set.

4. Infinite set : A set which is not finite is called an infinite set.

5. Equivalent set : Two finite sets A and B are equivalent, if their cardinal numbers are same
i.e. n(A)=n(B)

6. Equal sets : Two sets are said to be equal if they have exactly the same elements.
14. Disjoint sets: Two sets A and B are said to be disjoint, if A cap B = phi .

15. Difference of sets: Set (4-B) is the set of those elements of A which do not belong to B.

16. Symmetric difference: Symmetric difference of two sets A and B= (A - B) cup(B-A) and is written as AAB.

17. Complement of a set: A' = U - A