Kabir Sir Mathematics Mb: 9062935100 (N.S.C.

)
N.S.C. Set Theory Foundation Course (JEB/IIT)
Class VI/VII

Set
A set is a collection of well-defined and distinct objects.
 Sets are usually denoted by capital letters such as A, B, C, S, etc. and their
elements by small letters such as a, b, c, etc. If a is an element of set A, then
a ∈ A. Examples:-
i. A= {a, e, i, o, u}
ii. B= {1, 4, 9, 16, 25}
iii. C= {1, 2}
But, set of all good boys in study centre is not a set. ... Good boys are not well-
defined.

Representation of a Set
Two ways----
i. Roster Method/ Tabular form
ii. Rule Method/ Set-builder form
i. Roster Method
a) A= {a, e, i, o, u}
b) B= {1, 2, 3, 4}
ii. Set-builder Form
a) Set A = {x / x ∈ N, x < 6}
b) Set B = {Set of all natural numbers}

Types of sets
 Finite Set
A set is called finite set if the members of the set can be counted. Examples:-
i. A = {1, 2, 3, 4}, which has 4 members,
n (A) = 4
ii. B = {x/ x ∈ N, x < 10} which has 9 members
n (B) = 9
 Infinite Set
A set is called infinite set if it has countless members. Examples:-
i. The set of W of Whole numbers
ii. The set of Natural numbers
iii. S = {x/ x is an odd natural number}
 Empty Set/ Null Set/ Void Set
A set containing no element is called Null Set. The symbol for empty set is Ø
or { }. Example:-
i. A = {x/ 2x+1 =0, x ∈ W}
ii. B = {x/ x is an odd prime number less than 3}
 Singleton Set
A set containing only one element is called singleton set.
Example: - {2}, {a}, {0}
S = {x/ x is an even prime number}
 Cardinal Number of a finite set
The number of distinct elements in a finite set A is called the cardinal
number of a set A and is denoted n (A).
Example: - A = {a, e, i, o, u}
∴ n (A) = 5
 Equivalent Sets
Two sets A and B containing equal number of elements, which are not
necessarily the same are called equivalent sets.
Example:- A = {letters of the word ‘flower’}
= {f, l, o, w, e, r}
n (A) = 6
B = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12}
n (B) = 6
So, A ~ B [i. e. A and B are equivalent sets]
 Equal Sets
Two sets P and Q containing the same elements are called equal sets.
Example: - P = {letters of the word ‘rump’}
Q = {letters of the word ‘prum’}
∴P=Q
NOTE: Two equal sets must be equivalent but two equivalent but two
equivalent sets may not be equal
 Subset and Super Set
If every element of set A is also element of set B, then A is a subset of B.
∴A ⊆ B
Here, A is a subset of B and B is a superset of A
Example: - A = {4, 8, 10}
B = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12}
∴A ⊆ B
Example: - S = {1, 2, 3}
∴Number of subsets: 23 = 8
They are: - Ø, {1}, {2}, {3}, {1, 2}, {2, 3}, {1, 3}, {1, 2, 3}
NOTE:
i. Every set is a subset of itself.
ii. Null set is a subset of every set.
 Proper Subset
All subsets of a set, other than the set itself are known as proper subsets.
Ex: A = {a, b}
Subsets are Ø, {a}, {b}, {a, b}
but, proper subsets are: Ø, {a}, {b}
NOTE:
Number of subsets: 2n
Number of proper subsets: 2n-1
Ex: - A = {a, b, c, d}
Number of subsets of A = 24 = 16
Number of proper subsets of A = 24-1 = 15
 Power Set
The set of all subsets of a given set B is called the power set of B and is
denoted by P (B).
Example: If B = {a, b}
Subsets are Ø, {a}, {b}, {a, b}
∴ Power set of B = P (B) = {Ø, {a}, {b}, {a, b}}
Example: If, S = {1, 2, 3}
Subsets are: Ø, {1}, {2}, {3}, {1, 2}, {2, 3}, {1, 3}, {1, 2, 3}
∴P (S) = {Ø, {1}, {2}, {3}, {1, 2}, {2, 3}, {1, 3}, {1, 2, 3}}
  Universal Set
The super set of all the sets for a particular discussion is called the universal
set it is denoted by U / or / (zie)
 Complement of a Set
The set of elements of universal set, which are not in a given set is the
complement of that set.
pc = {x ∈ , x ∉ P}
Let, U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}
S = {2, 4, 6}
∴ SC / S I = U – S
= {1, 3, 5, 7}

UNION OF TWO SETS

The union of two sets A and B is the set of all elements belong to either A or B or
both. The symbol is ‘∪’.

Then, A ∪ B = {x: either x ∈ A or x ∈ B}

Example 1: A = {4, 6, 8, 16}, B = {1, 4, 9, 16}

Then, A ∪ B = {1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 16}

Example 2: P = {1, 2, 3}, Q = {2, 3, 4, 5}

P ∪ Q = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
Then, n (P) = 3 [P ∩ Q = {2, 3}, n (P ∩ Q) = 2]
n (Q) = 4

∴ n (P ∪ Q) = n (P) + n (Q) – n (P ∩ Q)

= 3 + 4- 2
=5

NOTE: (i) A∪Ø=A

(ii) A∪ =

(iii) A∪A=A A B
(iv) A ∪ A1 =
TERSECTION OF TWO SETS
The intersection of two sides A and B is a set, that contains elements that are in
both A and B. The symbol is ‘∩’.
Thus, A ∩ B = {x/ x ∈ A and x ∈ B}
Ex: 1 A = {5, 6, 7, 8}, B = {6, 9, 10}

A ∩ B = {6}
Ex: 2 P = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, Q = {4, 5, 6, 7}
P ∩ Q = {4, 5} A B
A∩B

DIFFERENCE OF TWO SETS

Let A and B be two sets, then A-B is the set of elements belongs to A but not
belongs to B.
Thus, A-B = {x/ x ∈ A and x ∉ B}
and, B-A = {x/ x ∈ B and x ∉ A}
Example: A = {2, 3, 5, 6} B = {5, 6, 7, 8}
∴ A-B = {2, 3}
∴ B-A = {7, 8}
NOTE: In general: A-B ≠ B-A
But, when A=B, then, A-B = B-A = Ø

A B A B
A-B B-A
SYMMETRIC DIFFERENCE OF TWO SETS
The symmetric difference of two sets A and B is denoted by A Δ B is the set

(A-B) ∪ (B-A).

A Δ B = (A-B) ∪ (B-A)

= {x/ x ∉ A ∩ B}

A B
AΔB
Example: A = {1, 2, 3, 4}, B = {3, 4, 5, 6}

A-B = {1, 2}
B-A = {5, 6} 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

∴ A Δ B = (A-B) ∪ (B-A) A B
= {1, 2, 5, 6} AΔB
 VENN DIAGRAM

A B A B

A∪B A∩B

A B
A1 A-B

A B A B
B-A AΔB

A
B

C
A∩B∩C
 PROBLEMS
n (A ∪ B) = n (A) + n (B) – n (A ∩ B)
1. In, n (A) = 120, n (B) = 250, n (A ∩ B) = 68. Find, n (A ∪ B)
Sol: n (A ∪ B) = n (A) + n (B) – n (A ∩ B)
= 120 + 250 – 68
= 370 – 68
= 302.
2. If, n (A) = 18, n (B) = 13 and n (A ∪ B) = 26. Find the number of
members common to sets A and B
Sol: We know, n (A ∪ B) = n (A) + n (B) – n (A ∩ B)
or, 26 = 18 +13 – n (A ∩ B)
or, n (A ∩ B) = 18 + 13 – 26
= 31 – 26
= 5. (Ans.)
3. If, A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12}, B = {2, 4, 6, 8}, C = {5, 7, 9, 10,
12}. Find:
A ∩ B, A ∩ C, A ∪ C, A ∪ B,
A-B, B-A, A Δ B.
4. If, S = {1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10} universal set, A = {2, 4, 6}, B =
{5,7, 9}.
Show that, (A ∪ B)1 = A1 ∩ B1 , Find A1, B1