Discrete Mathematics DATE: 29.07.

2018

Solutions of Assignment 1:
Instructor: Sourav Chakraborty Scribe: Debasmita Bhoumik

Problem 1: Let R, S and T be three sets. Answer whether the following statements
are true or false. In either case present a proof:

(a) (R ∪ S) = (R ∪ T ) =⇒ (S = T )
Answer: FALSE
Proof. (Proof by counter example.)
Let, R = {1, 2, 3, 4}, S = {3}, T = {4}.
R ∪ S = {1, 2, 3, 4}
R ∪ T = {1, 2, 3, 4}
∴R∪S =R∪T
But S 6= T . 2
(b) (R ⊆ S) =⇒ ((R ∩ T ) ⊆ (S ∩ T )))
Answer: TRUE
Proof. Let x ∈ R.
As R ⊆ S, x ∈ S too.
If x ∈ R ∩ T ,
x ∈ R and x ∈ T
=⇒ x ∈ S and x ∈ T
=⇒ x ∈ (S ∩ T )
∴ (R ∩ T ) ⊆ (S ∩ T )
∴ (R ⊆ S) =⇒ ((R ∩ T ) ⊆ (S ∩ T )). 2
(c) (S ⊆ T ) ⇐⇒ ((S ∩ T ) = S)
Answer: TRUE
Proof. This has two parts.

Part 1: To show (S ⊆ T ) =⇒ ((S ∩ T ) = S)

Firstly, it is obvious that always (S ∩ T ) ⊆ S.
So all we have to show is that (S ⊆ T ) =⇒ (S ⊆ (S ∩ T )).
Let, x ∈ S
∴ x ∈ T [as S ⊆ T ]
So, x ∈ S and x ∈ T
∴x∈S∩T
∴ S ⊆ (S ∩ T )

∴ (S ∩ T ) = S

Part 2: To show ((S ∩ T ) = S) =⇒ (S ⊆ T )

Let, x ∈ S

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 =⇒ x ∈ (S ∩ T ) [as S ∩ T = S]
=⇒ x ∈ S and x ∈ T
∴x∈T
∴S⊆T

∴ ((S ∩ T ) = S) =⇒ (S ⊆ T )

So (S ⊆ T ) ⇐⇒ ((S ∩ T ) = S) 2
(d) (R ∪ S) = (R ∪ T ) ⇐⇒ ((S-R) = (T -R))

Answer: TRUE
Proof. This has two parts.

Part 1: To show (R ∪ S) = (R ∪ T ) =⇒ ((S-R) = (T -R)).

Let, x ∈ R ∪ S and x ∈
/ R.
∴x∈S−R
Now, x ∈ (R ∪ T )
∴ x ∈ (T − R)

∴ (S − R) ⊆ (T − R)

Similarly, Let, x ∈ R ∪ T and x ∈

/ R.
∴x∈T −R
Now, x ∈ (R ∪ S)
∴ x ∈ (S − R)

∴ (T − R) ⊆ (S − R)

∴ (T − R) = (S − R)

∴ (R ∪ S) = (R ∪ T ) =⇒ ((S-R) = (T -R))
Now we have to proof the converse.

Part 2: To show ((S-R) = (T -R)) =⇒ (R ∪ S) = (R ∪ T ).

(R ∪ S) = R ∪ (S − R) and similarly, (R ∪ T ) = R ∪ (T − R).
So, if (S − R) = (T − R) we have (R ∪ S) = (R ∪ T ).
2
(e) P (S ∩ T ) = P (S) ∩ P (T )
Answer: TRUE

Proof. Let, x ∈ S ∩ T
∴ x ∈ P (S ∩ T )

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 Now, x ⊆ S ∩ T
=⇒ X ⊆ S ∧ x ⊆ T
=⇒ x ∈ P (S) ∧ x ∈ P (T )
=⇒ x ∈ P (S) ∩ P (T )
∴ P (S ∩ T ) ⊆ P (S) ∩ P (T )

Now, let assume,

x ∈ P (S) ∩ P (T )
∴ x ∈ P (S) ∧ x ∈ P (T )
=⇒ x ⊆ S ∧ x ⊆ T
=⇒ x ⊆ S ∩ T
=⇒ x ∈ P (S ∩ T )

∴ P (S) ∩ P (T ) ⊆ P (S ∩ T )

∴ P (S ∩ T ) = P (S) ∩ P (T ). 2

(f) (S × T )c = S c × T c

Answer: FALSE

Proof. Proof by counter example.

Let, S = {1, 2}, T = {3, 4}, U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
S × T = {(1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4)}
|(S × T )c | = 21 [as total 25 pairs are possible]
S = {3, 4, 5}, T = {1, 2, 5}
|S| × |T | = 3X3 = 9
9 6= 21. 2

Problem 2: Prove or Disprove:

(a) The Cartesian product is associative.

Answer: FALSE
Proof. Proof by counter example. Let, A = {1}
((A × A) × A) = ((1, 1), 1).
(A × (A × A)) = ((1, (1, 1)).
But they are not equal. 2

(b) The Cartesian product is commutative.

Answer: FALSE
Proof. Proof by counter example. Let, A={1,2}, B={3,4}
∴ A × B = {(1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4)}
and B × A = {(3, 1), (4, 1), (3, 2), (4, 2)}
∴ A × B 6= B × A. 2

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 (c) The relation “is connected to” for a pair of vertices in an undirected graph is an
equivalence relation.
Answer: TRUE

Proof.
• Reflexive: Let V is the set of vertices, v ∈ V .
Now, v is connected to v.
∴ vRv exists.
• Symmetric: Let u, v ∈ V .
Now, if uRv (u is connected to v) then vRu (v is connected to u) by going
through the edges in the reverse order.
• Transitive: Let u, v, w ∈ V .
Now, if uRv and vRw, then uRw, by first going from u to v and then going
from v to w,

∴ It is an equivalence relation.
2

(d) The set Q+ is countable.

Answer: TRUE

Proof. To show that Q+ is countable we need to show a 1-1 mapping from

Q+ to N.
If pq ∈ Q+ , where p, q ∈ mathbbN and q 6= 0 then let us define the bijection as
follows.
p
F ( ) = 2p (2q − 1)
q
All we need to prove is that the function F is 1-1.
Let us prove by contradiction. Let F (p/q) = F (r/s).
Then 2p (2q − 1) = 2r (2s − 1).
Since q, s ≥ 1 so (2q − 1) and (2s − 1) are both non-zero.
The maximum power of 2 that divides LHS is 2p while the maximum power of 2
that divided RHS is 2r .
So if 2p (2q − 1) = 2r (2s − 1) then p must be equal to r.
And in that case we have (2q − 1) = (2s − 1) which means q = s.
So if F (p/q) = F (r/s) then p = r and q = s.
So F is a 1-1 function and hence Q+ is countable. 2

Problem 3: Is the relation “is at least as popular as” a valid ordering and if so is it a
partial ordering or a total ordering?
Proof.
Proof of non-transitive: (by counter example)
Let us assume it is transitive.
Therefore if there are 3 contestants A, B and C. Then if A > B and B > C then it

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 must be A > C.
Let there are 3 voters, namely 1, 2 and 3. Their preferences for contestants are as
follows in Table.

1 2 3
a b c
b c a
c a b

Table 1: Preference

Now from column 1 and 3, a > b, from column 1 and 2, b > c.

But from column 2 and 3, c > a.
∴ it is non transitive. So there is no valid ordering. 2

Problem 4: Let R be a relation on S. Prove that x∈S |N + (x)| = x∈S |N − (x)| = m.

P P
Proof. Consider the relation as a directed graph.
∴ if (x,y) ∈ R then there is an edge x− > y.
Suppose the out-degree of x is k. Then these k edges incident on some other nodes.
∴ out-degree of x adds the same to the total in-degree
∴ if outdegree of x is k then for entire graph, out degree increases k and indegree
increases
P k too.
∴ degree x = indegree = outdegree
Now |R| = m, therefore total m edges. Each edge is connected with some node.
Consider vertex x1 , let the edge is m1 , for x2 , let it be m2 , and so on ...
∴ m1 + m2 + ... = m But m1 = Out-degree of x1 , m2 = Out-degree of x2 , and so on.
∴ sum
P of total out-degree
P =m. Similarly for in-degree.
So, x∈S |N + (x)| = x∈S |N − (x)| = m. 2

Problem 5: How many functions are there from a domain of size n to a range of size
m?
For each element of domain (=n) we can have m different functions.
D = {x1 , x2 , ...xn }
R = {y1 , y2 , ...ym }
The set of functions S={f (x1 ), f (x2 ), ..., f (xn )}
Now, f (x1 ) can be chosen in m ways, f (x2 ) can be chosen in m ways, and so on..
The number of functions =
m ∗ m ∗ m ∗ ... ∗ m [n times]=mn

Problem 6: How many one to one functions are there from a domain of size n to a
range of size m?
There can be two cases.

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 Case 1: If m ≥ n:
There will be m ways to map 1st element, m − 1 ways to map 2nd element, m − 2
ways to map 3rd element, ... , (m − n + 1) way to map nth element.
So, m∗(m−1)∗(m−2)∗....∗(m−n+1) = m!/(m−n)! =m Pn number of into functions.

Case 2: If m < n:
Not possible.

Problem 7: How many onto functions are there from a domain of size n to a range of
size m?
Let S be the domain of size n and R be the range of size m, with m ≤ n. If m > n
then the number of onto functions from S to R is 0.
Let R = {y1 , . . . , ym }.
Any function f from S to R is defined by the sets f −1 (y1 ), . . . , f −1 (ym ).
If f is onto we have the additional property that for all i f −1 (yi ) is non-empty.
So the number of onto functions from S is to R is the number of ways the elements
of S can be partitioned into m non-empty subsets.
This number is
m  
i m
X
(−1) (m − i)n .
i
i=0

Problem 8: If f is a function from the set D = {1, 2, 3, . . . , 100} to R = {1, 2, . .

. , 200}. How many decreasing functions are there from D to R and how
many non-increasing functions are there from D to R.
If f is an decreasing function then the function is defined by the set {f (1), . . . , f (100)}
and given a subset of R of size
n there is an unique decreasing function. So the number
of decreasing function is 200
100 .

Any function f from D to R is defined by the sets f −1 (1), . . . , f −1 (200).

If f is a non-increasing function we have the additional property that for all i, j ∈ R
if i < j then all the elements in f −1 (j) is before all the element in f −1 (i).
So such a non-increasing function is just defined by the size of f −1 (1), . . . , f −1 (200).
So the number of onto functions from S is to R is the number
of ways 100 identical
objects can be partitioned into 200 subsets. The number is 299 100 .

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