Set theory practice questions

A.Question: In a class of 120 students numbered 1 to

120, all even numbered students opt for Physics, those
whose numbers are divisible by 5 opt for Chemistry and
those whose numbers are divisible by 7 opt for Math.
How many opt for none of the three subjects
A. 19
B. 41
C. 21
D. 57
E. 26
Solution
Approach: Let us find the number of students who
took at least one of the three subjects and subtract
the result from the overall 120 to get the number of
students who did not opt for any of the three
subjects.
Number of students who took at least one of the
three subjects can be found by finding out n(A U B U
C), where A is the set of students who took Physics,
B is the set of students who took Chemistry and C is
the set of students who opted for Math.
Now, n(A∪B
∪C) = n(A) + n(B) + n(C) - {n(A∩ B) + n(B ∩ C) +
n(C ∩ A)} + n(A ∩ B ∩ C)
A is the set of those who opted for Physics = 120/2 =
60 students
B is the set of those who opted for Chemistry
= 120/5 = 24
C is the set of those who opted for Math = 120/7 =
17.
Number of students who opted for Physics and
Chemistry
Students whose numbers are multiples of 2 and 5
i.e., common multiples of 2 and 5 would have opted
for both Physics and Chemistry.
The LCM of 2 and 5 will be the first number that is a
multiple of 2 and 5. i.e., 10 is the first number that
will be a part of both the series.
The 10th, 20th, 30th..... numbered students or every
10th student starting from student number 10 would
have opted for both Physics and Chemistry.
Therefore, n(A ∩B) = 120/10= 12
Number of students who opted for Physics and
Math
Students whose numbers are multiples of 2 and 7
i.e., common multiples of 2 and 7 would have opted
for both Physics and Math.
The LCM of 2 and 7 will be the first number that is a
multiple of 2 and 7. i.e., 14 is the first number that
will be a part of both the series.
The 14th, 28th, 42nd..... numbered students or every
14th student starting from student number 14 would
have opted for Physics and Math.
Therefore, n(C ∩ A) = 120/14 = 8
Number of students who opted for Chemistry
and Math
Students whose numbers are multiples of 5 and 7
i.e., common multiples of 5 and 7 would have opted
for both Chemistry and Math.
The LCM of 5 and 7 will be the first number that is a
multiple of 5 and 7. i.e., 35 is the first number that
will be a part of both the series.
The 35th, 70th.... numbered students or every 35th
student starting with student number 35 would have
opted for Chemistry and Math.
Therefore, n(B ∩ C) = 120/35 = 3
Number of students who opted for all 3 subjects
Students whose numbers are multiples of 2, 5, and 7
i.e., common multiples of 2, 5, and 7 would have
opted for all 3 subjects.
The LCM of 2, 5, and 7 will be the first number that
is a multiple of 2, 5, and 7. i.e., 70 is the first number
that will be a part of all 3 series.
70 is the only multiple of 70 in the first 120 natural
numbers. So, the 70th numbered student is the only
one who would have opted for all three subjects.

Therefore, n(A∪B∪C) = 60 + 24 + 17 - (12 + 8 + 3) +

1 = 79.
Number of students who opted for none of the three
subjects = 120 - 79 = 41.

B.Question: Of the 200 candidates who were

interviewed for a position at a call center, 100
had a two-wheeler, 70 had a credit card and 140
had a mobile phone. 40 of them had both, a two-
wheeler and a credit card, 30 had both, a credit
card and a mobile phone and 60 had both, a two
wheeler and mobile phone and 10 had all three.
How many candidates had none of the three?
Number of candidates who had none of the three =
Total number of candidates - number of candidates
who had at least one of three devices.
Total number of candidates = 200.
Number of candidates who had at least one of the
three = n(A ∪ B ∪ C)
Where A is the set of those who have a two wheeler,
B is the set of those who have a credit card and C is
the set of those who have a mobile phone.
n(A ∪ B ∪ C) = n(A) + n(B) + n(C) - {n(A ∩ B) +
n(B ∩ C) + n(C ∩ A)} + n(A ∩ B ∩ C)
Therefore, n(A ∪ B ∪ C) = 100 + 70 + 140 - {40 + 30
+ 60} + 10
Or n(A ∪ B ∪ C) = 190.
As 190 candidates who attended the interview had
at least one of the three gadgets, (200 - 190 = 10)
candidates had none of three.

C.Question: In a class of 40 students, 12 enrolled

for both English and German. 22 enrolled for
German. If the students of the class enrolled for
at least one of the two subjects, then how many
students enrolled for only English and not
German?
Let A be the set of students who have enrolled for
English and B be the set of students who have
enrolled for German.
Then, n(A ∪ B) is the set of students who have
enrolled for at least one of the two languages. As the
students of the class have enrolled for at least one
of the two languages, we will not find anyone outside
A ∪ B in this class.
So, n(A ∪ B) = 40
n(A ∪ B) = n(A) + n(B) - n(A ∩ B)
i.e, 40 = n(A) + 22 - 12
Or n(A) = 30 which is the set of students who have
enrolled for English. This number is the sum of those
who have enrolled for only English and those who
have enrolled for both the languages.
However, we have to find out the number of
students who have enrolled for only English.
n(only English)= n(English) - n(A ∩ B)
= 30 - 12 = 18.

More practice questions

1.Which of the following are well-defined
sets?
(a) All the colors in the rainbow.

(b) All the points that lie on a straight line.

(c) All the honest members in the family.

(d) All the consonants of the English

alphabet.

(e) All the tall boys of the school.

(f) All the efficient doctors of the hospital.

(g) All the hardworking teachers in a school.

(h) All the prime numbers less than 100.

(i) All the letters in the word GEOMETRY.

Answer: (a), (b), (d), (h), (i)
2. Let A = (a, b, c, d, e, f}. Insert the
appropriate symbol ∈ or ∉ in the blank
space.
(a) d __ A

(b) y __ A
(c) m __ A

(d) a __ A

(e) e __ A

(f) x __ A
Answer: (a) ∈

(b) ∉

(c) ∉

(d) ∈

(e) ∈

(f) ∉
3. Write the following sets in the set
builder form.
a) A = {2, 4, 6, 8}

(b) B = {3, 9, 27, 81}

(c) C = {1, 4, 9, 16, 25}

(d) D = {1, 3, 5, ......}

(e) E = {4, 6,8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, .......,
52}

Answers:
(a) {x : x is even and x ≤ 8}

(b) {x : x = 3n, n ∈ N, n ≤ 4}

(c) {x : x = n2, n ≤ 5, n ∈ N}

(d) {x : x is odd}

(e) {x : x is even, 4 ≤ x ≤ 52 }

4. Given: X = Set of flowers,

Y = Set of red flowers and
 Z = Set of flowers which bloom in
winter
Write each of the following sets in words and
represent them by Venn diagram by shading
the portion:
(i) X ∩ Y
(ii) Y ∩ Z
(iii) X ∩ Z
(i) Set of red flowers:

(ii) Set of red flowers which bloom in winter:

(iii) Set of flowers which bloom in winter:

5. From the given Venn diagram, find the

following sets:
(i) P
(ii) Q
(iii) P ∪ Q
(iv) P ∩ Q
(v) n(P)
(vi) n(Q)
(vii) n(P ∪ Q)
(viii) n(P ∩ Q)

Answers
1. (i) {0, 2, 5, 10, 17, 25, 28}
(ii){0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12}
(iii) {0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 25,
28}
(iv) {0, 2, 10}
(v) 7
(vi) 10
(vii) 14
(viii) 3
6. The set of questions are based on the
relationship between the two or more pairs of
sets using Venn diagram.
pairs of sets:
(i) X = {letters of English alphabet upto ‘h’};
Y = {all the vowels of English alphabet}
(ii) A = {even numbers less than 10};
B = {odd numbers less than 10}
(iii) C = {multiple of 5 less than 30};
D = {multiple of 3 less than 20}
(iv) M = {all girls of your school};
N = {all boys of your school}
(v) E = {men};
= {kings}
(vi) S = {all animals};
T = {people who wear shirts}
Answers:
1. (i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)
(v)

(vi)

7. If: A = Set of natural numbers,

B = Set of prime numbers and
C = Set of even prime numbers.
Draw Venn-diagram showing the relationship
among the given sets A, B and C.

8. Let M = {Natural numbers between 10

and 40; each divisible by 3}
N = {Natural numbers up to 40; each
divisible by 4}.
(i) Write each in roster form
(ii) (ii) Draw a Venn-diagram showing the
relationship between sets M and set N.
(i) M = {12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36,
39}
(ii) N = {4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40}

9. List all subsets of set {red, green,blue}.

{r,g,b},{r,g},{r,b},{g,b},{r},{g},{b},{ } “empty set”
10) Consider the counting numbers
{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}. Let A={1,3,5,7,9}, B={2,4,6,8},
C={3,5}, D={2,4,6,8}
a) Find A union B. {A∪B}
b) Find A intersect B. {A∩B}
c) Find A complement. {A’}
d) Find {B∩C}
Show Answer a)
{1,3,4,5,6,7,9}.
Show Answer b)
{3,5}
Show Answer c)
{2,4,6,8}
Show Answer d)
Empty Set = { }
11) A poll was passed out to 100 students. The poll
contained 3 questions.
i) Do you own an ipad?
ii) Do you own a laptop?
ii) Do you own an ipad and a laptop?
The results of the poll are in the table. Answer the
questions below using a Venn Diagram.

Yes No
i) ipad 70 30
ii) laptop 50 50
iii) both 40 60

a) How many students own an ipad but do not own

a laptop?
Show Answer a)
30
b) How many students own a laptop but do not own
an ipad?
Show Answer b)
10
c) How many own an ipad or a laptop?
Show Answer c)
80
d)) How many own neither an ipad nor a laptop?
Show Answer d)
20
e) How many do not own an ipad?
Show Answer e)
30
12) A survey of students at a film school
revealed the following information.
51 like animated films
49 like comedy films
60 like dramatic films
34 like animated and comedy
32 like comedy and dramatic
36 like animated and dramatic
24 like all three types
1 does not like any of the three types.
Answer the questions on the using a 3-Set Venn
Diagram
a) How many like only one of the three types of film?
Show Answer
5+7+16=28
b) How many like animated and comedy but not
dramatic?
Show Answer
10
c) How many like animated and dramatic but not
comedy?
Show Answer
12
d) How many like either animated, dramatic or
comedy?
Show Answer
24+12+8+10+5+16+7=82
e) How many like either dramatic or comedy?
Show Answer
24+12+16+8+7+10=77
f) How many like dramatic and comedy?
Show Answer
24+8=32
g) How many students were surveyed?
Show Answer
24+12+8+10+5+16+7+1=83
h) How many do not like animated
Show Answer
7+8+16+1=32
13) A marketing survey of 1,000 commuters found
that 600 answered listen to the news, 500 listen to
music, and 300 listen to both. Let N = set of
commuters in the sample who listen to news
and M = set of commuters in the sample who listen
to music. Fill out a two-set Venn diagram and give
the number in each of the sets below.
a) N∩M
Show Answer
300
b) N’∩M
Show Answer
200
c) N∩M’
Show Answer
300
d) N’∩M’
Show Answer
200
e) N∪M
Show Answer
800
14. In a class of 35 students, 19 are married and 20
are blondes. Given that there are 7 students that are
both married and blonde, answer the following
question. How many are blonde or married?
Show Answer
19+20-7=32
15. In a survey of 500 businesses it was found that
250 had copiers and 300 had fax machines. It was
also determined that 100 businesses had both
copiers and fax machines.
a) How many had either a copier or a fax machine?
Show Answer
250+300-100=450
b) How many had neither a copier nor a fax
machine?
Show Answer
500-450=50
3. Given: n(U)=110, n(A)=50, n(B)=75, n(A∪B)=105,
find n(A∩B).
Show Answer
20