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Chapter 2 Basic Set Theory A set is a Many that allows itself to can be written: be thought of as a One. 2n : n is an integer - Georg Cantor { } The opening and closing curly braces denote a set, 2n This chapter introduces set theory, mathematical in- specifies the members of the set, the colon says “such duction, and formalizes the notion of mathematical that” or “where” and everything following the colon functions. The material is mostly elementary. For are conditions that explain or refine the membership. those of you new to abstract mathematics elementary All correct mathematics can be spoken in English. does not mean simple (though much of the material The set definition above is spoken “The set of twice is fairly simple). Rather, elementary means that the n where n is an integer”. material requires very little previous education to un- The only problem with this definition is that we derstand it. Elementary material can be quite chal- do not yet have a formal definition of the integers. lenging and some of the material in this chapter, if The integers are the set of whole numbers, both pos- not exactly rocket science, may require that you ad- itive and negative: 0, 1, 2, 3,... We now in- just you point of view to understand it. The single troduce the operations{ used± ± to manipulate± } sets, using most powerful technique in mathematics is to adjust the opportunity to practice curly brace notation. your point of view until the problem you are trying to solve becomes simple. Definition 2.1 The empty set is a set containing Another point at which this material may diverge no objects. It is written as a pair of curly braces with from your previous experience is that it will require nothing inside or by using the symbol . {} ∅ proof. In standard introductory classes in algebra, trigonometry, and calculus there is currently very lit- As we shall see, the empty set is a handy object. tle emphasis on the discipline of proof. Proof is, how- It is also quite strange. The set of all humans that ever, the central tool of mathematics. This text is weigh at least eight tons, for example, is the empty for a course that is a students formal introduction to set. Sets whose definition contains a contradiction or tools and methods of proof. impossibility are often empty. Definition 2.2 The set membership symbol is 2.1 Set Theory used to say that an object is a member of a set.∈ It has a partner symbol / which is used to say an object A set is a collection of distinct objects. This means is not in a set. ∈ that 1, 2, 3 is a set but 1, 1, 3 is not because 1 { } { } appears twice in the second collection. The second Definition 2.3 We say two sets are equal if they collection is called a multiset. Sets are often specified have exactly the same members. with curly brace notation. The set of even integers 23 24 CHAPTER 2. BASIC SET THEORY Example 2.1 If S T = 1, 3, 5 , ∩ { } S = 1, 2, 3 S U = 2, 3, 5 , and { } ∩ { } then 3 S and 4 / S. The set membership symbol T U = 3, 4, 5 is often∈ used in defining∈ operations that manipulate ∩ { } sets. The set Definition 2.6 If A and B are sets and A B = T = 2, 3, 1 ∩ ∅ { } then we say that A and B are disjoint, or disjoint is equal to S because they have the same members: 1, sets. 2, and 3. While we usually list the members of a set Definition 2.7 The union of two sets S and T is in a “standard” order (if one is available) there is no the collection of all objects that are in either set. It requirement to do so and sets are indifferent to the is written S T . Using curly brace notion order in which their members are listed. ∪ S T = x : (x S) or (x T ) ∪ { ∈ ∈ } Definition 2.4 The cardinality of a set is its size. For a finite set, the cardinality of a set is the number The symbol or is another Boolean operation, one that of members it contains. In symbolic notation the size is true if either of the propositions it joins are true. Its symbolic equivalent is which lets us re-write the of a set S is written S . We will deal with the idea ∨ of the cardinality of an| | infinite set later. definition of union as: S T = x : (x S) (x T ) Example 2.2 Set cardinality ∪ { ∈ ∨ ∈ } For the set S = 1, 2, 3 we show cardinality by writ- Example 2.4 Unions of sets. { } ing S =3 Suppose S = 1, 2, 3 , T = 1, 3, 5 , and U = | | 2, 3, 4, 5 . { } { } { } We now move on to a number of operations on sets. Then: You are already familiar with several operations on S T = 1, 2, 3, 5 , numbers such as addition, multiplication, and nega- ∪ { } tion. S U = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , and ∪ { } Definition 2.5 The intersection of two sets S and T U = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 T is the collection of all objects that are in both sets. ∪ { } It is written S T . Using curly brace notation ∩ When performing set theoretic computations, you S T = x : (x S) and (x T ) should declare the domain in which you are working. ∩ { ∈ ∈ } In set theory this is done by declaring a universal set. The symbol and in the above definition is an ex- Definition 2.8 The universal set, at least for a ample of a Boolean or logical operation. It is only given collection of set theoretic computations, is the true when both the propositions it joins are also true. set of all possible objects. It has a symbolic equivalent . This lets us write the formal definition of intersection∧ more compactly: If we declare our universal set to be the integers then 1 , 2 is not a well defined set because the objects { 2 3 } S T = x : (x S) (x T ) used to define it are not members of the universal ∩ { ∈ ∧ ∈ } 1 2 set. The symbols 2 , 3 do define a set if a universal {1 } 2 set that includes 2 and 3 is chosen. The problem Example 2.3 Intersections of sets arises from the fact that neither of these numbers are Suppose S = 1, 2, 3, 5 , integers. The universal set is commonly written . T = 1, 3, 4, 5{, and U}= 2, 3, 4, 5 . Now that we have the idea of declaring a universalU Then:{ } { } set we can define another operation on sets. 2.1. SET THEORY 25 2.1.1 Venn Diagrams notation for not is . There is not much savings in space as the definition¬ of compliment becomes A Venn diagram is a way of depicting the relationship between sets. Each set is shown as a circle and circles Sc = x : (x S) overlap if the sets intersect. { ¬ ∈ } Example 2.6 Set Compliments Example 2.5 The following are Venn diagrams for the intersection and union of two sets. The shaded parts of the diagrams are the intersections and unions (i) Let the universal set be the integers. Then the respectively. compliment of the even integers is the odd inte- gers. (ii) Let the universal set be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , then the compliment of S = 1, 2, 3{ is Sc = }4, 5 while the compliment of T{= 1,}3, 5 is T c{= }2, 4 . { } { } (iii) Let the universal set be the letters a,e,i,o,u,y . Then y c = a,e,i,o,u . { } { } { } The Venn diagram for Ac is A∩B Ac A∪B Notice that the rectangle containing the diagram is We now have enough set-theory operators to use them labeled with a U representing the universal set. to define more operators quickly. We will continue to give English and symbolic definitions. Definition 2.9 The compliment of a set S is the Definition 2.10 The difference of two sets S and collection of objects in the universal set that are not c T is the collection of objects in S that are not in T . in S. The compliment is written S . In curly brace The difference is written S T . In curly brace nota- notation tion − c Sc = x : (x ) (x / S) S T = x : x (S (T )) , { ∈U ∧ ∈ } − { ∈ ∩ } or alternately or more compactly as S T = x : (x S) (x / T ) Sc = x : x / S − { ∈ ∧ ∈ } { ∈ } Notice how intersection and complementation can be however it should be apparent that the compliment of used together to create the difference operation and a set always depends on which universal set is chosen. that the definition can be rephrased to use Boolean operations. There is a set of rules that reduces the There is also a Boolean symbol associated with the number of parenthesis required. These are called op- complementation operation: the not operation. The erator precedence rules. 26 CHAPTER 2. BASIC SET THEORY (i) Other things being equal, operations are per- Another important tool for working with sets is the formed left-to-right. ability to compare them. We have already defined what it means for two sets to be equal, and so by (ii) Operations between parenthesis are done first, implication what it means for them to be unequal. starting with the innermost of nested parenthe- We now define another comparator for sets. sis. Definition 2.12 (iii) All complimentations are computed next.
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