Sets –Chapter 1

Learning objectives:
To define and represent sets in
different forms.
To define different types of sets
Daily life examples
Kitchen is the most relevant example of sets. Our mother always keeps the
kitchen well arranged. The plates are kept separate from bowls and cups. Sets
of similar utensils are kept separately.

Every school or company have different sets of

rules which have to follow by every student and
employee. There are disciplinary rules, rules for
leave, hostel rules, Timing rules, and many others.
Hence, all different types of rules are separated
from others.
Collection of the names of the freedom fighters of India.
Family of all natural numbers/whole numbers/
odd numbers/even numbers/rational
numbers/integers/real numbers.
A group of possible outcomes of a dice roll or a coin toss.
Collection of crucial data gathered by ISRO from
MOM(Mars orbital Mission)
A collection of day/night temperatures.

Definition: A set is a well-defined collection of distinct

objects. Well-defined collection means that there exists a
rule with the help of which it is possible to tell whether a
given object belongs or does not belong to given
collection. Generally sets are denoted by capital letters A,
B, C, X, Y, Z etc.
Examples from Mathematics:
Set of even numbers: {..., -4, -2, 0, 2, 4, ...}
Set of odd numbers: {..., -3, -1, 1, 3, ...}
Set of prime numbers:{2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13,
17, ...}
Positive multiples of 3 that are less than
10: {3, 6, 9}
Which of the following are sets ? Justify your answer.
(i) The collection of all the months of a year beginning with the
letter J.
(ii) The collection of ten most talented writers of India.
(iii) A team of eleven best-cricket batsmen of the world.
(iv) The collection of all boys in your class.
(v) The collection of all natural numbers less than 100.
(vi) A collection of novels written by the writer Munshi Prem Chand.
(vii)The collection of all even integers.
(viii) The collection of questions in this Chapter.
(ix) A collection of most dangerous animals of the world.
Representation of set:
Roster Form
In this form, all the elements are enclosed within braces {} and they are separated
by commas (,).
For example, a collection of all the numbers found on a dice N = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.
Properties of roster form: –
1)The order in which the elements are listed in the Roster form for any Set is
immaterial. For example, V = {a, e, i, o, u} is same as V = {u, o, e, a, i}
2)The dots at the end of the last element of any Set represent its infinite form and
indefinite nature.
For example, group of odd natural numbers = {1, 3, 5, …}
3)In this form of representation, the elements are generally not repeated.
For example, the group of letters forming the word POOL = {P, O, L}
More examples for Roster form of representation are:
A = {3, 6, 9, 12}
F = {2, 4, 8, 16, 32}
H = {1, 4, 9, 16, …, 100}
L = {5, 25, 125, 625}
Y = {1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, …}
Set Builder Form
In this form, all the elements possess a single common property which is NOT
featured by any other element outside the Set.

For example, a group of vowels in English alphabetical series.

The representation is done as follows. Let V be the collection of all English vowels,
then – V = {x: x is a vowel in English alphabetical series.}

Properties of Roster form: –

Colon (:) is a mandatory symbol for this type of representation.
After the colon sign, we write the common characteristic property possessed by ALL
the elements belonging to that Set and enclose it within braces.
If the Set doesn’t follow a pattern, its Set builder form cannot be written.
More examples for Set builder form of representation for a Set: –
D = {x: x is an integer and – 3 < x < 19}

O = {y: y is a natural number greater than 5}

I = {f: f is a two – digit prime number less than 1000}

R = {s: s is a natural number such that sum of its digits is 4}

X = {m: m is a positive integer < 40}

Q3 Write the following sets in roster form:
(i) A = {x : x is an integer and –3 ≤ x < 7}
(ii) B = {x : x is a natural number less than 6}
(iii) C = {x : x is a two-digit natural number such that the sum of its digits is 8}

(iv) D = {x : x is a prime number which is divisor of 60}

(v) E = The set of all letters in the word TRIGONOMETRY
(vi) F = The set of all letters in the word BETTER
Q4.Write the following sets in the set-builder form :
(i) {3, 6, 9, 12}
(ii) {2,4,8,16,32}
(iii) {5, 25, 125, 625}
(iv) {2, 4, 6, . . .}
(v) {1,4,9, . . .,100}
 Q5List all the elements of the following sets :
(i) A = {x : x is an odd natural number}
(ii) B = {x : x is an integer,
(iii) C = {x : x is an integer, ≤ 4}
(iv) D = {x : x is a letter in the word “LOYAL”}
(v) E = {x : x is a month of a year not having 31 days}
(vi) F = {x : x is a consonant in the English alphabet which
precedes k }.
Q:Write the solution set of the equation
in the roster form.

Q write the set

in the roster form

Q Write the set A=.

Ans : is always an odd number for all positive integral values of x.In particular
is an odd number for x ,x=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
Thus A=
Write the set{ in the set builder form.
Write the setA={ in the set builder
form.
A={in the roaster form.
If
A=
B=
Types of sets:
Empty set/Null Set
A set which does not contain any element is called the empty set or
the null set or the void set
It is denoted by ϕ or {}
It is a set with no elements
E.g 1)

2)
SINGLETON SET
A set containing only one element is called Singleton Set.

E.g 1)
FINITE AND INFINITE SET
A set, which has finite numbers of elements, is called a finite set. Otherwise it
is called an infinite set. For example, the set of all days in a week is a finite
set whereas; the set of all integers is an infinite set.

Cardinal number of a finite set :The total number of elements present in a

set is known as the cardinal number of a set. If A is finite set then its cardinal
number is denoted by n(A)
Eg If A= {3, 6, 9},then n(A)=3 ,
The cardinal number of an infinite set is not defined.

Equivalent Sets
Two sets are said to be equivalent if they have same number of elements i.e If
A and B are two finite sets and if n(A)=n(B) then A and B are equivalent sets.
Equal sets
Two sets are said to be equal if they have same members in them.
For A and B to be equal, every member of A should be present in set B and
every member of B to be present in set A.
We can say that the number of elements are equal and the elements are
same.
It is denoted by equality sign A=B
Ex1.2
Which of the following are examples of the null set
(i) Set of odd natural numbers divisible by 2
(ii) Set of even prime numbers
(iii) { x : x is a natural numbers, x < 5 and x > 7 }
(iv) { y : y is a point common to any two parallel
lines}
2. Which of the following sets are finite or
infinite
(i) The set of months of a year
(ii) {1, 2, 3, . . .}
(iii) {1, 2, 3, . . .99, 100}
(iv) The set of positive integers greater
than 100
(v) The set of prime numbers less than
99
3. State whether each of the following set is finite or infinite:
(i) The set of lines which are parallel to the x-axis
(ii) The set of letters in the English alphabet
(iii) The set of numbers which are multiple of 5
(iv) The set of animals living on the earth
(v) The set of circles passing through the origin (0,0)
4. In the following, state whether A = B or not:
(i) A = { a, b, c, d } B = { d, c, b, a }
(ii) A = { 4, 8, 12, 16 } B = { 8, 4, 16, 18}
(iii) A = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10} B = { x : x is positive even integer and x
≤ 10}
Note: zero is taken as a non-negative integer

(iv) A = { x : x is a multiple of 10}, B = { 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, . . . }

5. Are the following pair of sets equal ? Give reasons.
(i) A = {2, 3}, B = {x : x is solution of + 5 + 6 = 0}
(ii) A = { x : x is a letter in the word FOLLOW} B = { y :
y is a letter in the word WOLF}

6. From the sets given below, select equal sets :

A = { 2, 4, 8, 12},
B = { 1, 2, 3, 4},
C = { 4, 8, 12, 14},
D = { 3, 1, 4, 2}
E = {–1, 1},
F = { 0, a},
G = {1, –1}
Check if the given sets are equal or
equivalent:
I=
J=
Subset
A set A is said to be a subset of a set B if every element
of A is also an element of B .
It is denoted byA⊂B if whenever a∈A , then a∈B
Note :i)If A⊂B and B⊂A, then A=B
ii)Every set is subset of itself A⊂A
iii)Empty set is subset of every set ϕ⊂A
iv)if A⊂B andB ⊂C ,then A⊂C