SET
A well defined collection of
{distinct}objects is called a set.
The objects are called the
elements or members of the set.
Sets …. A, B, C …, X, Y, Z.
The elements
a, b, c, … , x, y, z.
If an object x is a member of a
set A we write xA, otherwise we
write x A, which reads “x does not
belong to A” .
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TABULAR FORM
Listing all the elements of a set,
separated by commas and enclosed
within braces or curly brackets{}
EXAMPLES
A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} is the set
of first five Natural Numbers.
B = {2, 4, 6, 8, …, 50} is the set
of Even numbers up to 50.
C = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, …} is the set
of positive odd numbers.
NOTE
The symbol “…” is called an
ellipsis. 2
DESCRIPTIVE FORM
Stating the elements of a set in words.
EXAMPLES
A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} (Tabular Form )
A = set of first five Natural Numbers.
(Descriptive Form )
B = {2, 4, 6, 8, …, 50} (Tabular
Form )
B = set of positive even integers less
or equal to fifty. (Descriptive Form )
C = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, …} ( Tabular
Form)
C = set of positive odd integers.
(Descriptive Form ) 3
SET BUILDER FORM
Writing the common characteristics
shared by all the elements of the set
in symbolic form.
EXAMPLES
A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} ( Tabular Form )
A = {x x<=5} (Set Builder
Form)
B = {2, 4, 6, 8, …, 50} (Tabular
Form )
B = {x 0 < x <=50} ( Set
Builder Form)
C = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, …} ( Descriptive
Form )
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C = {x 0 < x } (Set Builder
SETS OF NUMBERS
1. Set of Natural Numbers
N = {1, 2, 3, … }
2. Set of Whole Numbers
W = {0, 1, 2, 3, … }
3. Set of Integers
Z = {…, -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3,
…}
= {0, 1, 2, 3, …}
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4. Set of Even Integers
E = {0, 2, 4, 6, …}
5. Set of Odd Integers
O = { 1, 3, 5, …}
6. Set of Prime Numbers
P = {2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, …}
7. Set of Rational Numbers (or
Quotient of Integers)
p
Q = {x | x = q ; p, q Z, q 0}
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8. Set of Irrational Numbers
Q= { x | x is not rational}
For example, 2, 3, , e, etc.
9. Set of Real Numbers
R = Q Q
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SUBSET
If A & B are two sets, A is called a
subset of B, written A B, if, and
only if, every element of A is also an
element of B.
Symbolically:
A B if x A then x
B
REMARK
1. When A B, then B is called a
superset of A.
2. Every set is a subset of itself.
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EXAMPLES
Let
A = {1, 3, 5} B = {1, 2, 3, 4,
5}
C = {1, 2, 3, 4} D = {3, 1, 5}
Then
A B ( Because every element of A is
in B ) and A is also called proper set of
B
C B ( Because every element of C
is also an element of B )
A D ( Because every element of A
is also an element of D and also note
that every element of D is in A so D 9
A)
EXAMPLE
The set of integers “Z” is a subset of the set
of Rational Number “Q”, since every
integer ‘n’ could be written as:
n
n Q
Hence Z Q. 1
PROPER & IMPROPER SUBSET
Let A and B be sets. A is a proper subset of
B, if, and only if, every element of A is in
B but there is at least one element of B that
is not in A, and is denoted as A B.
A set is an improper subset of itself, and
any set that contains every element of the
original set is an improper subset. For
example, if P = {k, l, m, y, o}, then any set
equal to P is an improper subset of P. 10
EXAMPLE
Let A = {1, 3, 5}, B = {1, 2,
3, 5}
then A B ( Because there is
an element 2 of B which is not in A).
EQUAL SETS
Two sets A and B are equal if, and
only if, every element of A is in B
and every element of B is in A and is
denoted A = B.
Symbolically:
A = B iff A B and B
A
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EXAMPLE
Let A = {1, 2, 3, 6} B = the set
of positive divisors of 6
C = {3, 1, 6, 2} D = {1, 2, 2, 3, 6,
6, 6}
Then A, B, C, and D are all equal
sets.
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NULL SET
A set which contains no element is
called a null set, or an empty set or a
void set. It is denoted by the Greek
letter (phi) or { }.
EXAMPLE
A = {x | x is a person taller than
10 feet} =
B = {x | x2 = 4, x is odd} =
REMARK
is regarded as a subset of
every set.
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FINITE AND INFINITE SETS
A set S is finite if it contains exactly
m distinct elements where m
denotes some non negative integer.
In such case we write S = m or n(S)
=m
A set is said to be infinite if it is
not finite.
EXAMPLES
1. The set S of letters of English
alphabets is finite and S = 26
2. The null set has no elements, is
finite and = 0
3. The set of positive integers {1, 2,
17
3,…} is infinite.
EXERCISE
Determine which of the following
sets are finite/infinite.
1. A = {month in the year}
FINITE
2. B = {even integers}
INFINITE
3. C = {positive integers less than 1}
FINITE
4. D = {animals living on the earth
FINITE
5. E = {lines parallel to x-axis} 18
INFINITE
6. F = {x R x100 + 29x50 – 1 = 0}
FINITE
7. G = {circles through origin}
INFINITE
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Any Question??
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