SET THEORY

Definitions of SETs
A set is a collection of well-defined and well-distinguished objects. For
example, a set maybe formed of all even numbers between 1 and 50. Similarly,
a set may also be formed of all the vowels of English alphabets. S ={1, 4, 9, 16,
25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100}denotes the set of square of integers which are less than
ten.
Elements of a set:
The objects that make up a set is called the members or elements of the set. Generally,
sets are indicated by capital letters like A, B, C or X, Y, Z while the elements in the set are
indicated by smaller or lower case letters, viz., a, b, c or x, y, z. The Greek symbol ε (epsilon)
is used to indicate that a particular element or object belongs to a particular set. For example, if
x is the element of a set A, we shall indicate it symbolically as:
x ε A, i.e. x is a member or an element of the set A.
Similarly, x ε A, i.e. x is not an element of the set A.
Methods of Describing a Set:
There are two approaches to describe a set: (i) Tabular or Roster or Enumeration method and
(ii) Selector, Property builder or Rule method.
( i )Tabular method or Roster Method: Here all the elements of a set is listed within braces.
a. A set of vowels : A = {a,e,i,o,u}
b. A set of all odd numbers from 1 to 10 : N = [1,3,5,7,9].
(ii) Selector method or Set Builder Method : The elements are not listed but are indicated
by description of their characteristics.
A = { x | x is a vowel in English alphabet}
N = { x |, x is an odd natural number from 1 to 10}.
Example: Express A = {7, 14, 21, 28} in set builder method.
In set building method it is-
A = {x : x∣, x is a multiple of 7 and 0<x≤28}
Example: Express B = {x: x|, x is a divisor of 28} by using roster method.
In roster method it is-
B = {1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 28}
 Types of Sets:
Sets may be of various types. Some of them are:
(1) Finite Set: When the elements of a set can be counted in a finite number of
elements then the set is called a finite set.
Example:
A = { a,e,i,o,u}
B = {1,2,3, --------,100}
C = {x|x is an even positive integer ≤ 100}
D = {x|x is the name of any independent country on the earth}

(2) Infinite Set: When the elements of a set cannot be counted in a finite number of
elements then the set is called an infinite set.
Example:
A = {1,2,3, --------}
B = {x|x is an odd integer}
C = {x|x is a positive integer divisible by 5}
(3) Singleton or a Unit Set:
A set containing only one element is called a singleton or a Unit set. For example,
A = {a} B = {x|x is an integer neither +ve nor –ve}
(4) Empty, Null or Void Set: A set which has no element in it is called an empty set or a null set or a
void set. The symbol used to denote an empty set is a Greek letter φ (phi).For example-
A = { a man of Bangladesh who have traveled from the earth to the moon}.
B = {x|x is a perfect square of an integer such that, 26<x<35}.
(5) Equal Set: Two sets A and B are said to be equal, if every element of A is also an element of B, and
every element of B is also an element of A, i.e.
A = B if and only if { x Є A  x Є B}
To be equal, the elements of each set need not be equal in number. For example,
* A = {3, 5, 5, 9}, B = { 9, 5, 3 }.
* P = { x|x is any letter of the word SEARCH}
Q = { x|x is any letter of the word RESEARCH}
R = { A, C, E, H, R, S }
Here P = Q = R, because elements A, C, E, H, R and S are present in each set and there is no other
element.
(6) Equivalent Sets: If the elements of one set can be put into one to one
correspondence with the elements of another set, then the two sets are called
equivalent sets. The sign ≡ is used to indicate equivalent.
Example: Let A = { a, b, c, d }; B = { 1, 2, 3, 4 }; C = { b, a, d, c, a, b, d }
Here A ≡ B i.e., A and B are equivalent sets. On the other hand, though A = C,
they are not equivalent.

(7) Sub Sets: If every element of a set A is also an element of a set B then set A
is called sub-set of set B. Symbolically, we write this relationship as A⊆B and is
read as ‘A is a sub-set of B’. Sometimes, this relationship is written as B⊆A and
is read as ‘ B is a super-set of A’. As for example,
Let A = { 1, 2, 3, 4, ----------------- }
B = {x|x is an even positive integer}
C = {x|x is an odd positive integer }
Here, B⊆ A and C⊆ A.
(8) Proper Sub Sets: Set A is called proper sub-set of super-set B, if each and every
element of set A are the elements of the set B and at least one element of super-set B
is not an element of set A. Symbolically, it is written as ‘A⊂B’ and read as ‘ A is a
proper sub-set of super-set B’. For example: (i) A = {1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 12 }, B = {1, 2, 3, 5, 9,
12, 12 }, C = {1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 5, 9 } then C⊂ A, A⊆ B, B⊆ A and A = B.
(9) Family of a Set: If all the elements of a set are sets themselves, then it is called a
‘set of sets’ or a ‘family of sets’.
For example: if A = {a, b, c }, then A =[φ,{a},{b},{c},{a,b},{a,c},{b,c},{a,b,c}] is a
family of sets whose elements are sub-sets of the set A.
(10) Power Set: From a set containing n elements, 2n sub-sets can be formed. The
sets consisting of these 2n sub-sets, is called a power set and is denoted by P(S). In
other words, if A be a given set then the family of sets, each of whose element is a sub-
set of the given set A, is called the power set of set A. For example: if A ={a, b, c }, then
P(S) =[φ,{a},{b},{c},{a,b},{a,c},{b,c},{a,b,c}].
(11) Universal Set: In any application of the theory of sets, all the sets under investigation are
considered as the sub-sets of a fixed set. We call this set as the universal set and denote it as U.
If all the sets under discussion are included in a particular set, that particular set is called the
Universal Set.

Venn Diagrams: The Venn diagrams are named after English logician John Venn (1834-1923)
to present pictorial representation. The universal set, say, U or X is denoted by a region
enclosed by a rectangle and one or more sets, say, A, B, C, are shown through circles or closed
curves within these rectangles. These circles or closed curves intersect each other if there are
any common elements amongst them, if there are no common elements then they are shown
separately as disjoints. Several set relations can be shown easily by these diagrams.
Some Special Sets:
N = {1, 2, 3,-------------} that is the set of all natural numbers or positive integers.
Z = { ----------, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ------} that is the set of all integers.
Q = {x : x = p/q, Where p is any integer and q is any positive integers} that is the set of all
rational numbers.
R = {x : x is a real number} that is the set of all real numbers.
Operations on Sets: The operations on sets, here, are chiefly limited to intersection (∩),
union (U) and complementation.
Intersection of Sets:
The intersection of two sets A and B is the set consisting of all elements which belong to both
A and B. The intersection of two sets A and B is denoted as A B which is read as “A cap B “
or “ A intersection B “.
Symbolically, A ∩ B = {x : x ε A and x ε B }

Turn Over-
From previous page--
Hints: 1) 3x + 2y = 6 and 2x + 3y = 6 => x = 6/5 and y = 6/5 => (x, y) = (6/5, 6/5)
2) P U Q = {1, 2, 3, 4} and R = {x, y}
=> (P U Q )XR = {(1,x),(2,x),(3,x),(4,x),(1,y),(2,y),(3,y),(4,y)}
and P ∩ Q = {3} and R = {x, y}
=> (P ∩ Q)XR = {(3,x),(3,y)}.
Formulae: For A, B and C finite sets-
n(AUBUC) = n(A) + n(B) + n(C) – n(A∩B) – n(B∩C) – n(A∩C) + n(A∩B∩C).
If sets A, B and C are disjoint sets, then n(A∩B), n(B∩C), n(A∩C) and
n(A∩B∩C) are empty sets and their number of elements are zero. In that case
n(AUBUC) = n(A) + n(B) + n(C).

If A, B and C finite sets are sub-sets of S then -

n[(AUBUC)/]=n(S)-n(A)-n(B)-n(C)+n(A∩B)+n(B∩C)+n(A∩C) - n(A∩B∩C).
Turn Over
Turn Over
Solution: Here if U indicates the universal set then n(U) = 30.
Let, F and C denote Football and Chess respectively.
So, n(F) = 20 and n(C) = 15.
Let, x be the number of students like both of the games.
So, from the Venn diagram, we can write-
(20 – x) + x + (15 – x) = 30
=> - x = - 5
=> x = 5.
That is 5 students like both of the games.

Next slide---
Solution: Here n(B) = 50. n(E) = 20 and n(B∩E) = 10
So, number of persons can speak at least one of
the two languages are:
n(B) – n(B∩E) + n(B∩E) + n(E) – n(B∩E)
= (50 – 10) + 10 + (20 – 10)
= 60.
Hints: Here, n(U) = 50, n(B) = 29, n(M) = 24,
N(B∩M) = 11.
We have to work out n(BUM)/.
So, n(BUM)/ = n(U) – n(BUM)
= 50 – (18 + 11+ 13)
=8
That is 8 students have taken neither Biology
Nor Higher Mathematics.
 GENERAL MATH Class IX and X
1. Express the following sets in tabular form:

Solution:
Solution:
Solution: 1) B\C={1, 2, a}\{2, a, b} ={1} Ans.
2) AUB ={2, 3, 4}U{1, 2, a} ={1, 2, 3, 4, a} Ans.
3) A∩C = {2, 3, 4}∩{2, a, b} ={2}. Ans.
4) AU(B ∩C)={2, 3, 4}U{2, a} = {2, 3, 4, a}. Ans.
5) A∩(BUC)={2, 3, 4}∩{1, 2, a, b} = {2}. Ans.

Turn Over
Solution: Here,

Solution: Here, C = {a, b, c}

So, P(C) = [Φ, {a}, {b}, {c}, {a, b}, {b, c}, {a, c}, {a, b, c}]
So, number of elements of P(C) is 8 or 23 where n = 3 is the number of
Elements of C.
Solution: 7. 1) from (x – 1, y + 2) = (y – 2, 2x + 1) we get,
x–1=y–2 and y + 2 = 2x + 1
=> y = x + 1 and y = 2x – 1
So, x + 1 = 2x – 1
or, x = 2
So, y = 2 + 1 = 3
or, (x, y) = (2, 3). Ans.

Turn Over
Solution: 7. 2) from (ax – cy, a2 - c2) = (0, ay – cx) we get,
ax – cy = 0 - - - - - - -- - - - -(i)
and a2 - c2 = ay – cx - - - - - - - -(ii)
From equation (i), we get- ax = cy => x = (c/a)y
Putting this value of x in equation (ii), we get –
a2 - c2 = ay – c(c/a)y
or, a2 - c2 = (a – c2/a)y
or, a2 - c2 = {(a2 – c2)/a}.y
or, y = a(a2 - c2)/(a2 – c2)
or, y = a
So, x = (c/a).y = (c/a).a = c; => (x, y) = (c, a). Ans.

Next page--
Solution: 7. 3) from (6x – y, 13) = (1, 3y + 2x) we get,
6x – y = 1 - - - - - - -- - - - -(i)
and 3y + 2x = 13 - - - - - - - - - -(ii)
From equation (i), we get- 6x = 1+ y => x = (1+y)/6
Putting this value of x in equation (ii), we get –
3y + 2 . (1+y)/6 = 13
or, 9y +1 + y = 39
or, 10y = 38, => y = 3.8
So, x = (1 + 3.8)/6 = 0.8; => (x, y) = (0.8, 3.8). Ans.

ব িঃ দ্রিঃ- বই’তে অংকটা তেভাবব তেয়া আবে

তেভাববই করা হব া। তেবেবে বই
এর োবে উত্তবর গড়মি হয়।
আবার উত্তরটাবক মি াবে হব অংবক
এবকবাবর তেবের অংবের প্লাবের
স্থাবে িাইনাস বিতে হত ।
 Solution: Here A = {1,5, 7, 35} and B = {1, 3, 5, 9, 15, 45}
So, AUB = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 35, 45} and A∩B ={1, 5}

Solution: Here 346 – 31 = 315 and 556 – 31 = 525

Factors of both the numbers 315 and 525 are: A = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 21, 35, 45, 63,
105, 315} And B = {1, 3, 5, 7, 15, 21, 25, 29, 35, 75,105, 175, 525} respectively.
So, A∩B ={1, 3, 5, 7, 15, 21, 35, 105}.
Here the common factor greater than 31 are 35 and 105. So, 35 and 105 are the
natural numbers that divide both 346 and 556 to have 31 as residue.
Solution: Here, Total students 100 of which 15 failed in
both subjects. So, rest 85 passed in one or both subjects.
From this 85 students, 48 passed in both subjects. So, rest
37 passed in Bangla or in English. Since 65 students
passed in Bangla, so 65 – 48 = 17 passed in Bangla only.
And from 85 passed students, 65 passed in only Bangla or
both subjects. So, 85 – 65 = 20 passed in only English.
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