Lecture # 9

Let A and B be subsets of a universal set U. Recall the the following

Definitions
A  B = { x U | x A or x  B}
A  B = { x U | x A and x  B}
A – B = { x U | x  A and x B}
Ac = { x U | x A}
Now we will list some Set identities as we have Laws of logic in LOGIC.

SET IDENTITIES

Let A, B, C be subsets of a universal set U.

1. Idempotent Laws
a. AA=A b. AA=A
2. Commutative Laws
a. AB=BA b. AB=BA
3. Associative Laws
a. A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C
b. A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C
4. Distributive Laws
a. A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  B)
b. A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C)
5. Identity Laws
a. A=A b. A   = 
c. AU=U d. A  U = A
6. Complement Laws
a. A  Ac = U b. A  Ac = 
c. Uc =  d.  c = U
7. Double Complement Law
(Ac)c = A
8. DeMorgan’s Laws
a. (A  B)c = Ac  Bc b. (A  B)c = Ac  Bc
9. Alternative Representation for Set Difference
A – B = A  Bc
10. Subset Laws
a. A  B  C iff A  C and B  C
b. C  A  B iff C  A and C  B
11. Absorption Laws

a. A  (A  B) = A b. A  (A  B) = A

All the above identities can be proved easily by keeping in mind the
definitions of SUBSET and EQUALITY of Sets. Remember that when we
have to show that the two sets are equal then we show that the sets are
subsets of each other ( for both the sets ).
 EXERCISE
Let A, B and C be subsets of a universal set U. Show that
1. AAB
2. A–BA
3. If A  B and B  C then A  C
4. A  B if, and only if, Bc  Ac
1. Prove that A  A  B
SOLUTION
Here in order to prove the identity you should remember the
definition of Subset of a set. We will take the arbitrary element of a set
then show that, that element is the member of the other then the first
set is the subset of the other. So
Let x be an arbitrary element of A, that is x A.
 x A or x B(as it is suppose but there is no
harm in writing it )
 x A  B
But x is an arbitrary element of A.
 AAB (proved)
2. Prove that A – B  A
SOLUTION
Let x A – B
 x A and x B (by definition of A – B)
 x A (in particular)
But x is an arbitrary element of A – B
 A–BA (proved)
3. Prove that if A  B and B  C, then A  C
SOLUTION
Suppose that A  B and B  C
Consider x A
 x B (as A  B)
 x C (as B  C)
But x is an arbitrary element of A
 AC (proved)

4. Prove that A  B iff Bc  Ac

SOLUTION:
Suppose A  B {To prove Bc  Ac}
Let x Bc
 x B (by definition of Bc)
 x A
 x Ac (by definition of Ac)
Now we know that implication and its contrapositivity are logically
equivalent and the contrapositive statement of if x A then x B is:
if x B then x A which is the definition of the A  B. Thus if we
show for any two sets A and B, if x B then x A it means that
A  B. Hence
But x is an arbitrary element of Bc
 Bc  Ac
Conversely,
Suppose Bc  Ac {To prove A  B}
Let x A
 x  Ac (by definition of Ac)
 x  Bc ( Bc  Ac)
 x B (by definition of Bc)
But x is an arbitrary element of A.
AB (proved)

EXERCISE

Let A and B be subsets of a universal set U. Prove that

A – B = A  Bc.

SOLUTION
Let x  A – B
 x A and x  B (definition of set difference)
 x A and x  Bc (definition of complement)
 x  A  Bc (definition of intersection)
But x is an arbitrary element of A – B so we can write
 A – B  A  Bc………….(1)
Conversely, let y  A  Bc
y A and y  Bc (definition of intersection)
y A and y  B (definition of complement)
y A – B (definition of set difference)
But y is an arbitrary element of A  Bc
 A  Bc  A – B…………. (2)
From (1) and (2) it follows that
A – B = A  Bc (as required)

EXERCISE

Prove the DeMorgan’s Law: (A  B)c = Ac  Bc

PROOF
Let x (AB)c
 x  AB (definition of complement)
x A and x  B (DeMorgan’s Law of Logic)
x Ac and x  Bc (definition of complement)
x Ac  Bc (definition of intersection)

But x is an arbitrary element of (AB)c so we have proved that

 (A  B)c  Ac  Bc………(1)
Conversely, let y  Ac  Bc
y Ac and y  Bc (definition of intersection)
y A and y  B (definition of complement)
y A  B (DeMorgan’s Law of Logic)
y (A  B)c (definition of complement)
But y is an arbitrary element of Ac  Bc
 Ac  Bc  (A  B)c………………(2)
From (1) and (2) we have
(A  B)c = Ac  Bc
Which is the Demorgan`s Law

REMARK:
Now we will do some Exercises in which we will
prove some more Set identities and remember that if we have to prove that
the two sets are equal we simply show that one is the subset of other and the
other is the subset of first. This is the very important in proving the set
equality. For example we have to prove that A = B

Then in order to prove that we will first show that A  B and then we will
establish the identity B  A then from these two identities we conclude that
A =B
 EXERCISE

Prove the associative law: A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C

PROOF:
Consider x A  (B  C)
x A and x  B  C (definition of
intersection)
x A and x B and x  C (definition of intersection)
x A  B and x C (definition of
intersection)
x (A  B)  C (definition of intersection)
But x is an arbitrary element of A  (B  C)
 A  (B  C)  (A  B)  C……(1)

Conversely, let y (A  B)  C

y  A  B and y C (definition of intersection)
y  A and y  B and y  C (definition of intersection)
y  A and y  B  C (definition of intersection)
y A  (B  C) (definition of intersection)
But y is an arbitrary element of (A  B)  C
(A  B)  C  A  (B  C)……..(2)
From (1) & (2), we conclude that
A  (B  C) = (A  B)  C (proved)
 EXERCISE

Prove the distributive law: A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C)

PROOF:
Let x A  (B  C)
x A or x  B  C (definition of union)
Now since we have x A or x  B  C it means that either x is in A
or in A  B it is in the A  (B  C) so in order to show that

A  (B  C) is the subset of (A  B)  (A  C) we will consider

both the cases when x is iu A or x is in B  C hence we will consider
the two cases.
CASE I: (when x A)
 x A  B and x A  C (definition of union)
Hence,
x  (A  B)  (A  C) (definition of intersection)
CASE II: (when x  B  C)
We have x B and x C (definition of intersection)
Now x B  x A  B (definition of union)
and x C  x A  C (definition of union)
Thus x A  B and x A  C
 x (A  B)  (A  C)
In both of the cases x  (A  B)  (A  C)
Accordingly,
A  (B  C)  (A  B)  (A  C)……..(1)
Conversely,
Suppose x (A  B)  (A  C)
 x (A  B) and x (A  C) (definition of intersection)
Consider the two cases x A and x A
CASE I: (when x A)
We have x A  (B  C) (definition of union)
CASE II: (when x A)
Since x A  B and x A, therefore x B
Also, since x A  C and x A, therefore x C
Thus x B and x C

That is, x B  C
 x A  (B  C) (definition of union)
Hence in both cases
x A  (B  C)
(A  B)  C (A  C)  A  (B  C)……..(2)
By (1) and (2), it follows that
A  (B  C) = (A  B)  (A  C) (proved)
 EXERCISE

For any sets A and B if A  B then

(a) AB=A (b) AB=B
SOLUTION:
(a) Let x A  B
 x A and x B
 x A (in particular)
Hence A  B  A…………..(1)

Conversely, let x A.

Then x B (since A  B)
Now x A and x B, therefore x A  B
Hence, A  A  B…………..(2)
From (1) and (2) it follows that
A=AB (proved)

(b) Prove that A  B = B when A  B

SOLUTION:
Suppose that A  B. Consider x A  B.
CASE I (when x A)
Since A  B, x A  x B
CASE II (when x A)
Since x A  B, we have x B
Thus x B in both the cases, and we have
A  B  B……………(1)
Conversely, let x B. Then clearly, x A  B
Hence B  A  B…………….(2)
Combining (1) and (2), we deduce that
AB=B (proved)

USING SET IDENTITIES

For all subsets A and B of a universal set U, prove that

(A – B)  (A  B) = A
PROOF:
LHS = (A – B)  (A  B)
= (A  Bc)  (A  B)(Alternative representation
for set difference)
= A  (Bc  B) Distributive Law
=AU Complement Law
=A Identity Law
= RHS (proved)
REMARK:
Now note that proving equality of sets using Set
identities is very easy as compare with the method which we are using in
last some examples excluding above one. The above equality can be easily
seen by venn diagram as shown below
U
A B

A-B AB
 EXERCISE

For any two sets A and B prove that A – (A – B) = A  B

SOLUTION
LHS = A – (A – B)
= A – (A  Bc) Alternative representation for set difference
= A  (A  Bc)c Alternative representation for set difference
= A  (Ac  (Bc)c) DeMorgan’s Law
= A  (Ac  B) Double Complement Law
= (A  Ac)  (A  B) Distributive Law
=   (A  B) Complement Law
=AB Identity Law
= RHS (proved)
 EXERCISE

For all set A, B, and C prove that (A – B) – C = (A – C) – B

SOLUTION
LHS = (A – B) – C
= (A  Bc) – C Alternative representation of set difference
= (A  Bc)  Cc Alternative representation of set difference
= A  (Bc  Cc) Associative Law
= A  (Cc  Bc) Commutative Law
= (A  Cc)  Bc Associative Law
= (A – C)  Bc Alternative representation of set difference
= (A – C) – B Alternative representation of set difference
= RHS (proved)

EXERCISE

Simplify (Bc  (Bc – A))c

SOLUTION
(Bc  (Bc – A))c = (Bc  (Bc  Ac))c
Alternative representation for set difference
= (Bc)c  (Bc  Ac)c DeMorgan’s Law
= B  ((Bc)c  (Ac)c) DeMorgan’s Law
= B  (B  A) Double Complement Law
=B Absorption Law
is the simplified form of the given expression.
 PROVING SET IDENTITIES BY MEMBERSHIP TABLE

Remember the definition of Membership Table for a set it

is,
A table displaying the membership of elements in sets.
To indicate that an element is in a set, a 1 is used; to
indicate that an element is not in a set, a
0 is used. Now we will prove some identities
using membership tables as we prove the logical
equivalence of two statement forms in
LOGIC.
Prove the following using Membership Table:
(i) A – (A – B) = A  B
(ii) (A  B)c = Ac  Bc SOLUTION (i)
(iii) A – B = A  Bc A – (A – B) = A  B

A B A-B A-(A-B) AB

1 1 0 1 1
1 0 1 0 0
0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0

Since last two columns are the same hence we have the corresponding set
 SOLUTION (ii)

(A  B)c = Ac  Bc

A B AB (A  B)c Ac Bc Ac  Bc

1 1 1 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 1 0 1 1
0 1 0 1 1 0 1
0 0 0 1 1 1 1

Since the entries in the fourth and the last columns are same thus we
have done.

SOLUTION (iii)

A – B = A  Bc

A B A–B Bc A  Bc
1 1 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 1
0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0