LEARNING MODULE: MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD1

Module 2:

Variables and the language of Sets

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME

1. Discuss the language, symbols, and conventions of mathematics

2. Perform operations on mathematical expressions correctly

INTRODUCTION
This module will introduce to you some of the special language that is
a foundation for mathematical thought, the variables and sets.

ACTIVITY

Answer the following:

1. Ralph is a baker who makes the same number of loaves of bread each day. He uses 5 cups of flour in
each loaf of bread. How many cups of flour he uses each day making bread?

2. A librarian has 4 times as many mystery books as romances. She lends out 12 mysteries. How many
mysteries does she have now if she started with 15 romances?

ANALYSIS

How will you answer the activity? Can you directly give the answer? How important is it to translate
word problem into mathematical sentence?
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ABSTRACTION

Variable - a symbolic name associated with an object whose associated value may be changed. Typically, we use
a single letter to represent a variable. The letters x, y, and z are common generic symbols used for variables.
Sometimes, we will choose a letter that reminds us of the quantity it represents, such as t for time, v for voltage,
or b for bacteria.
For example, the height and weight of a person do not remain constant always, and hence they are
variables.

Constant - has a fixed value all the time. For example, the size of a shoe or cloth or any apparel will not change
at any point.

In an algebraic expression, x+y = 8, 8 is a constant value, and it cannot be changed. While x and y are
variables (it can change). If x = 5 then y = 3 so that x+y = 8 ------ 5 + 3 = 8
If x = 1 then y = 7 so that x+y = 8 ------ 1 + 7 = 8
If x = 6 then y= 2 so that x+y = 8 ------ 6 + 2 = 8

Some Important Kinds of Mathematical Statements

universal statement says that a certain property is true for all elements in a set.
Example: All positive numbers are greater than zero

conditional statement says that if one thing is true then some other thing also has to be true.
Example: If an animal is a dog, it is a mammal.
If 378 is divisible by 18, then 378 is divisible by 6.

Given a property that may or may not be true, an existential statement says that there is at least one thing for
which the property is true.
Example: There is a prime number that is even ------ true ----number 2 is both prime and even

Take note that a universal statement contain some variation of the words “ for all” and conditional
statements contain versions of the words “ if-then”.

A universal conditional statement is a statement that is both universal and conditional.

Examples: For all animal a, if a is a dog, it is mammal.
If a is a dog, then a is a mammal.
For all dogs a, a is a mammal.

A universal existential statement is a statement that is universal because its first part says that a certain
property is true for all objects of a given type, and it is existential because its second part asserts the existence
of something.
For example: Every real number has an additive inverse
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An existential universal statement is a statement that is existential because its first part asserts that a certain
object exists and universal because its second part says that a certain property is true for all objects of a given
type.
For example: There is a positive integer that is less than or equal to every positive integer.

THE LANGUAGE OF SETS

A set is a collection of things called elements or members. It can be defined by describing the contents,
or may be specified using the set-roster notation by writing all of its elements between braces.

Some examples of sets defined by describing the contents:

a. The set of all even numbers
b. The set of all books written about travel to Chile

Some examples of sets defined by listing the elements of the set:

a. {1, 3, 9, 12}
b. {red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple}

A variation of the notion is sometimes used to describe a very large set, as when we write {1, 2, 3, . . .
100} to refer to the set of all integer from 1 to 100. A similar notation can also describe an infinite set, as when
we write {1, 2, 3, . . . } to refer to the set of all positive integers. (The symbol . . . is called an ellipsis and is read
“and so forth.”)

Commonly, we will use a variable to represent a set, to make it easier to refer to that set later.
The symbol ∈ means “is an element of”. A set that contains no elements, { }, is called the empty set and
is notated ∅
Example:
Let A = {1, 2, 3, 4}
To notate that 2 is element of set A, we’d write 2 ∈ A while 5 ∈ A

An axiom of extension says that a set is completely determined by what its distinct elements are, not the order
in which they might be listed or the fact that some elements might be listed more than once.
• Order of elements does not matter.
• No duplicate elements.

Example: The set represented by {1, 2, 3} is equivalent to the set {3, 1, 2}.

Take Note of the common set of numbers that are frequently used and their symbols

R set of all real numbers

Z set of all integer numbers
Q set of all rational numbers
 LEARNING MODULE: MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD4

Set Builder Notation

Let S denote a set and let P(x) be a property that elements of S satisfy. We may define a new set to be
the set of all elements x in S such that P(x) is true.
We denote this set as follows: {x | P(x)}
It reads as “the set of elements x such that P(x) is true”.
Example:
Z1 = {x ∈ Z | x ≥ 5} This read as “ the set Z1 is the set of x element of Z such that x is
greater than or equal to 5

This means now that all the elements of Z 1 are integers ( Z) that is greater than or equal to 5
Z1 = { 5,6,7,8 … . . }

Subset
 If A and B are sets and every element of A is also an element of B, then:

A is a subset of B, denoted by A⊆B, A⊆B, or equivalently

B is a superset of A, denoted by B⊇A. B⊇A.
For example A = {1,2,3,4,5} and B = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}

Here , A is a subset of B or we can say that B is the superset of A.

Proper Subset

 If A is a subset of B, but A is not equal to B (i.e. there exists at least one element of B which is not an
element of A), then

A is also a proper (or strict) subset of B; this is written as A⊊B. A⊊B.

For example A = {1,2,3} and B = {1,2,3,4}

Clearly, A is not equal to B . And element {4} belongs to set B but is absent in set A , so we have one element in
set B which is not an element of set A. Thus, A can be called a proper subset of B.

Cartesian Products
Given two sets A and B, the Cartesian product (also called cross product)) of A and B, denoted A×B (read
“A cross B”), is the set of all ordered pairs (a, b), where a ∈ A and b ∈ B.
A × B = {(a, b) | a ∈ A and b ∈ B}

Example: Let A = {4, 6}, B = {3, 4, 5}, What is A × B?

Answer: { (4,3), (4,4), (4,5), (6,3), (6,4), (6,5) }

You may also consider this link for more discussion on the topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ngUotonNTNY
 LEARNING MODULE: MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD5

APPLICATION

1. Use variables to rewrite the following sentences more formally.

a. Are there numbers with the property that the sum of their squares equals the square of their
sum
b. Given any real number, its square is nonnegative

Solution:
a. Are there numbers a and b with the property that a2 + b2 = ( a+b) 2 ?
b. Given any real number r, r2 nonnegative

2. Rewrite a Universal Conditional Statement

For all real numbers x, if x is nonzero then x2 is positive
a. If a real number is nonzero, then its square __________
b. For all nonzero real number x, _____________
c. If x ___________, then ______________
d. The square of any nonzero real number is __________
e. All nonzero real numbers have.

Solution:
a. is positive
b. x2 is positive
c. is a nonzero real number; x2 is positive
d. positive
e. positive squares

3. Using the Set-Roster Notation

a. Let A = {1,2,3}, B= {3,1,2}, and C= {1,1,2,3,3,3}. What are the elements of A, B, and C? How are
A, B, and C related?
b. Is {0} = 0?
c. How many elements are in the set {1, {} } ?

Solution:
A, B, and C have exactly the same three elements : 1,2,3. Therefore , A,B, and C are simply different ways
to represent the same set
{0} ≠ 0 because {0} is a set with one element, namely 0, whereas 0 is just the symbol that represents the
number zero
The set {1, {1} } has two elements: 1 and the set whose only element is 1

4. Describe the set A ------- A = {x ∈ Z / -2 < x <5 }

Solution: This means that A = { -1,0,1,2,3,4}
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ASSESSMENT

INSTRUCTION: Write your answer in a paper and take a photo of it and submit it through the messenger. But
keep your paper it will be part of your portfolio.

1. Consider a group of students, Ann, Bob, Carl, and David.

Let set X = {Ann, Bob, Carl}, Y = {Bob, Ann, Carl}, and Z = {Ann, Ann, Bob, Carl, Carl}.
a. What are the elements of X, Y , and Z?
b. How are X, Y , and Z related?

2. How many elements are in the set { a, {a,b}, {a} }?

3. Which one of the following is true or valid? If not true, rewrite it to make it true.
a. {1} ∈ {1, 2}
b. 1 ∈ {1, 2}
c. {1} ⊆ {1, 2}
d. 1 ⊆ {1, 2}
e. {1} ⊆ {{1}, {2}}

4. Let A = {e, f, g}, B = {f, t}, C = {f, g}, D = {f, g}. which one of the following is true? If false explain why
a. B ⊆ A
b. C ⊆ A
c. C ⊆ D
d. C ⊂ D

5. Let Y = {a,b,c} and Z = {1,2}

a. Find Y x Z
b. Find Z x Y
c. Find Y x Y

REFERENCES

Mathematics in the Modern World (2018), Rex Book Store Inc.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-hostos-introcollegemath/chapter/set-theory/
http://2ksfe2u6shz19ksvbbdjiwkg.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/chap1.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngUotonNTNY