BASIC CONCEPTS IN MATHEMATICS

(Set part 1)

Basic Concept of Set

 A set is an undefined term in mathematics. It can be described as “a well-defined
collection of distinct objects”. Sets are conventionally named with capital letters.
The elements in a set are enclosed using braces to denote that the elements are
only limited to the objects enclosed by braces.
 Set membership: If x is an element of a set A, then we write x  A; otherwise, x
A.

Example: A = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}

On the above example, set A is limited only to elements

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,and 9

We can also say, the number 1 is an element of set S, number 2

is an element of set A…OR the numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and 9 are
members of set A

But we cannot say, 0 is an element of set A. Zero (0) is not

included in the list of elements of set A

Take this illustration:

A Set A contains
1 6 2 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
8 7 4 0 is not in the group. 0 is
9 3 5 0 not a member of set A

 Types of sets:
Empty set – a set with no element, denoted by Ǿ or {}
Universal set – the set of all elements we are concerned of, denoted by U
Finite set – has countable number of elements
Infinite set – has uncountable number of set.

Consider the illustrations:

A Set A contains no element.

Set A is called Empty Set
1 3 2 5

U
B 5 Set U contains all
elements including those
2 1 8 contained in set B. Set U
is called Universal Set
3 0
 C = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9} Set C is Finite set, since set C
has countable number of elements

D = {…, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2,…} Set D is an Infinite set, since set D

has uncountable number of
elements

 There are two ways of naming a set

1. Roster method – listing down all elements of the set, enclosing them by braces and
separating each of them by a comma.
– Hence, each element of the set should only be written once and the
order the elements is written is not important (or does not matter).
– This method is usually used in describing the sample space with
finite number of sample points
– For instance { a, b, c, d, e}, { 1, 2, 3,…99, 100}.

2. Set Builder Notation – introducing a variable to represent an arbitrary element of the set
describing this variable such that the description fits to all elements
of the set.
– describing the set of sample space through description or statement
– this method is commonly employed in describing sample space
with large or infinite number of sample points.
– For instance, {x/x is a vowel in the English alphabet}, {x/x is a
natural/counting number less than or equal to 100}.

Venn Diagram
Venn Diagram is a pictorial representation of sets devised by English
mathematician John Venn. It is an effective way of illustrating set, set operations and set
membership.

Set operations:

1. union – given a finite number of sets, the union of those sets is the set of all
elements that can be found in one of the sets. In set-builder notation, given two
sets A and B, we write.

A U B = {x/ xA or xB}

2. intersection – given a finite number of sets, the intersection of these sets is the set
of all elements common to all sets. In set builder notation, given two sets A and B,
we write

A  B={x/ xA and x B}

3. complement – given a set A, the complement of A, denoted by A’, is the set of all
elements in the universal set U that can not be found in A, or A’={x U/xA}; and
B’={x U/xA}

A’={x U/xA} B’={x U/xA}

4. subtraction (or complement relative to another set) – given two sets A and B, the
complement of A relative to B, written as B-A, is the set of all elements in B that
are not in A, or B – A={xB/xA}, while A – B = {xA/xB}

A – B = {xA/xB} B – A={xB/xA}

5. Symmetric Difference
 A ▫ B={x/ x(B-A) or x (A-B)}

A ▫ B={x/ x(B-A) or x (A-B)}

Example 1. Considering the following sets:

U = {1,2,3,4}
A = {1,2}
B = {1,3}

4 2 1 3

Draw the Venn Diagram representing the given set.

AB=
AUB=
A–B=
A’ =

 Solution for A  B. The common element to set A and set B is 1.

Hence, A  B = {1}
Look at the given illustration. Shade the region corresponding to region 1.

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 Solution for A U B. The elements to set A = {1,2} and set B = {1,3}, the elements present
for set A if to combine to set B are 1,2, and 3
Hence, A U B = {1,2,3}
Look at the given illustration. Shade the regions corresponding to regions 1,2 and 3.
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 Solution for A - B. The elements of set A = {1,2} and set B = {1,3}.

From set A, remove the element of set B.
Hence, A - B = {1,2}-{1}
= {2}
Look at the given illustration. Shade the region corresponding to region 2.

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 Solution for A’. The elements of set A = {1,2} and set U = {1,2,3,4}.
From set U, remove the element of set B
Hence, A’ = U – A = {1,2,3,4}-{1,2}
= {3,4}
Look at the given illustration. Shade the regions corresponding to regions 3 and 4.

4 2 1 3