8 Obedience Handout: Sets
Introduction to Sets
Definition: A set is a collection of distinct objects, considered as an object in its own right.
The objects in a set are called elements or members.
Notation: Sets are usually represented by capital letters (e.g., A, B, C) and elements are listed
in curly braces, e.g., A = {1, 2, 3, 4}.
Types of Sets
1. Finite and Infinite Sets
- Finite Set: Contains a limited number of elements, e.g., A = {2, 4, 6, 8}.
- Infinite Set: Has unlimited elements, e.g., the set of all natural numbers N = {1, 2, 3, ...}.
2. Equal Sets
- Sets that contain exactly the same elements, regardless of order, e.g., A = {1, 2, 3} and B =
{3, 2, 1} are equal.
3. Empty Set (Null Set)
- A set with no elements, denoted by {} or ∅.
Key Set Operations
1. Union ( ∪ )
- Combines all elements from two or more sets.
- Example: If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {3, 4, 5}, then A ∪ B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}.
2. Intersection ( ∩ )
- Finds common elements between sets.
- Example: If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {3, 4, 5}, then A ∩ B = {3}.
3. Difference ( - )
- The set of elements in one set but not in another.
- Example: If A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {2, 3, 4}, then A - B = {1}.
4. Complement
- Elements not in the given set but in the universal set U.
- Example: If U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} and A = {2, 3}, then A' = {1, 4, 5}.
Venn Diagrams
A visual way to represent sets and their relationships.
Example: Draw two overlapping circles to represent A and B:
- The overlapping area represents A ∩ B.
- The area in both circles combined represents A ∪ B.
Practice Problems
1. Identify Sets and Elements
- Write the elements in set A = {x | x is a vowel in the English alphabet}.
2. Find Union and Intersection
- Given A = {1, 2, 3, 4} and B = {3, 4, 5, 6}:
- Find A ∪ B
- Find A ∩ B
3. Venn Diagram Interpretation
- If U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}, A = {2, 4, 6, 8}, and B = {1, 2, 3, 4}:
- Draw a Venn diagram and shade A ∩ B.
- Identify the elements in A - B.
4. Complements and Difference
- Find A' if U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} and A = {1, 3, 5}.
Tips for Remembering Set Notation and Operations
Union ( ∪ ): Combines all elements (think "U" for "Unite").
Intersection ( ∩ ): Only common elements (think "I" for "Intersect").
Complement: What is not in the set.
Empty Set: Remember it as having no members.
