Sets • A set is an unordered collection of objects. ○ the students in this class ○ the chairs in this room • The objects in a set are called the elements, or members of the set. • A set is said to contain its elements. • The notation a∈A denotes that a is an element of the set A. • If a is not a member of A, write a∉A Describing a Set: Roster Method • S={a,b,c,d} • Order not important ○ S={a,b,c,d}={b,c,a,d} • Each distinct object is either a member or not; listing more than once does not change the set. ○ S={a,b,c,d}={a,b,c,b,c,d} • Dots (…) may be used to describe a set without listing all of the members when the pattern is clear. ○ S={a,b,c,d, …,z} Example of Roster Method • Set of all vowels in the English alphabet: ○ V={a,e,i,o,u} • Set of all odd positive integers less than 10: ○ O={1,3,5,7,9} • Set of all positive integers less than 100: ○ S={1,2,3,…,99} • Set of all integers less than 0: ○ S={…, −3,−2,−1} Some Important Sets • N = natural numbers = {0,1,2,3…} • Z = integers = {…,−3,−2,−1,0,1,2,3,…} • Z+= positive integers = {1,2,3,…} • R = set of real numbers • R+= set of positive real numbers • ℂ = set of complex numbers. • Q = set of rational numbers Set-Builder Notation • Specify the property or properties that all members must satisfy: ○ S = {x|x is a positive integer less than 100} ○ O = {x┤|x is an odd positive integer less than 10} ○ O = {x∈Z+ | x is odd and x10} • A predicate may be used: ○ S={x|P(x)} • All prime numbers ○ S={x│Prime(x) } • Positive rational numbers: ○ Q+={x∈R │x=p/q, for some positive integers p,q} Universal Set and Empty Set • The universal set U is the set containing everything currently under consideration. ○ Sometimes implicit ○ Sometimes explicitly stated. ○ Contents depend on the context. • The empty set is the set with no elements. • Symbolized ∅, but {} also used. • Venn Diagram Russell’s Paradox • Let S be the set of all sets which are not members of themselves. • A paradox results from trying to answer the question • “Is S a member of itself?” • Related Paradox: ○ Henry is a barber who shaves all people who do not shave themselves. ○ A paradox results from trying to answer the question ○ “Does Henry shave himself?” Some things to remember • Sets can be elements of sets. ○ {{1,2,3},a, {b,c}} ○ {NZQR • The empty set is different from a set containing the empty set. ○ ∅≠{∅} Set Equality • Two sets are equal if and only if they have the same elements. • Therefore if A and B are sets, then • A and B are equal if and only if ∀x(x∈A⟷x∈B) . • We write A = B if A and B are equal sets. ○ {1,3,5}={3,5,1} ○ {1,5,5,5,3,3,1}={1,3,5} Subsets • The set A is a subset of B, if and only if • every element of A is also an element of B. • The notation A⊆B is used to indicate that A is a subset of the set B. • A⊆B holds if and only if ∀x(x∈A→x∈B) is true. • Special Subsets ○ Because a∈∅ is always false, ∅⊆S, for every set S. ○ Because a∈S→a∈S,S⊆S, for every set S. Showing a Set is or is not a Subset of Another Set • Showing that A is a Subset of B ○ show that if x belongs to A, then x also belongs to B. • Showing that A is not a Subset of B ○ find an element x∈A with x∉B. ○ (Such an x is a counterexample to the claim that x∈A implies x ∈ B.) • Examples: ○ The set of all computer science majors at your school is a subset of all students at your school. ○ The set of integers with squares less than 100 is not a subset of the set of nonnegative integers. Another look at Equality of Sets • Recall that two sets A and B are equal, denoted by A=B, iff ○ ∀x(x∈A⟷x∈B) • Using logical equivalences we have that A=B iff ○ ∀x((x∈A→x∈B)∧(x∈B→x∈A)) • This is equivalent to ○ A⊆B and B⊆A Proper Subsets • If A⊆B, but A≠B, then we say A is a proper subset of B, denoted by A⊂B. • If A⊂B, then ∀x(x∈A→x∈B)∧∃(x∈B∧x∉A) is true. • Venn Diagram Set Cardinality • Finite and infinite ○ If there are exactly n distinct elements in S ○ where n is a nonnegative integer, we say that S is finite. ○ Otherwise it is infinite. • Definition ○ The cardinality of a finite set A, denoted by |A|, ○ is the number of (distinct) elements of A. • Examples: ○ |ø| = 0 ○ Let S be the letters of the English alphabet. Then |S|=26 ○ |{1,2,3}| = 3 ○ |{ø}| = 1 ○ The set of integers is infinite. Power Sets • The set of all subsets of a set A, denoted P(A), is called the power set of A. • Example ○ If A={a,b} then P(A)= {ø, {a},{b},{a,b}} • If a set has n elements, then the cardinality of the power set is 2^n. • (In Chapters 5 and 6, we will discuss different ways to show this.) Tuples • The ordered n-tuple (a_1,a_2,…,a_n) is the ordered collection that ○ has a_1 as its first element ○ and a_2 as its second element ○ and so on until an as its last element. • Two n-tuples are equal if and only if their corresponding elements are equal. • 2-tuples are called ordered pairs. • The ordered pairs (a,b) and (c,d) are equal if and only if a=c and b=d. • Note: (a,b)={a,{a,b}} Cartesian Product • Cartesian Product of two sets ○ The Cartesian Product of two sets A and B, denoted by A×B is ○ the set of ordered pairs (a,b) where a∈A and b∈B . ○ A×B={(a,b)│a∈A∧b∈B} • Example: ○ A={a,b} ○ B={1,2,3} ○ A×B={(a,1),(a,2),(a,3),(b,1),(b,2),(b,3)} • Cartesian Product of more sets ○ The cartesian products of the sets A_1,A_2,…,A_n ○ denoted by A_1×A_2×…×A_n ○ is the set of ordered n-tuples (a_1,a_2,…,a_n ) ○ where a_i belongs to A_i for i=1,2, …,n ○ A_1×A_2×…×A_n={(a_1,a_2,…,a_n )│a_i∈A_i for i=1,2,…,n} • Example ○ What is A × B × C where A = {0,1}, B = {1,2} and C = {0,1,2} ○ A×B×C= {(0,1,0), (0,1,1), (0,1,2), (0,2,0), (0,2,1), (0,2,2), (1,1,0), (1,1,1), (1,1,2), (1,2,0), (1,2,1), (1,2,2)}
