Sets and Set Notations

SETS AND SET
NOTATIONS
MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS
PART 2
A set is a collection of objects which are
called elements of the set.
If an object a belongs to a particular set

S then write . If a is not an element of the
set then write .

Every object in a set is unique: The same
object cannot be included in the set more
than once.
What is the set of all fingers?
Solution:
P = {thumb, index, middle, ring, little}
or
P = {thumb, pointer, middle, fourth, pinky}

The following conventions are used with sets:
- Capital letters are used to denote sets.

- Lowercase letters are used to denote elements
of sets.
- Curly braces { } denote a list of elements in a
set.
There are two ways to represent the element of the set.
1. Roster Method lists down all the elements.
•Set A is the set of counting numbers less than 6.

Set Notation: A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
•Set B is the set of positive even integers greater than 8.

Set Notation: B = {10, 12, 14, ….}
B is an infinite set which uses dots to denote infinite sequence
2. Set Builder Method presents the elements by stating their common
properties. It is also useful when describing infinite sets.

Set A is the set of counting numbers greater than 6.
• Set Notation: where N is the set of counting numbers.
It is read as “The set of all x such that x is a counting number and

greater than 6”
TYPES OF SETS
1. Finite set - A set, which is empty or consists of a definite
number of elements, is called a finite set.
Examples:
A. The set {1, 2, 3, 4} is a finite set, because it contains a

definite number of elements (only 4 elements)
B. The set of solutions of x2 = 25 is a finite set, because it
contains a definite number of elements (5 and – 5).
C. An empty set, which does not contain any element is also
a finite set.
The number of distinct elements in a finite set A
is called cardinal number of set and it is
denoted by n(A).
Example:
If A = {-3, -1, 8, 10, 13} then n(A)= 5.
2. Infinite Set
A set which consists of infinite number of elements is

called an infinite set.
Example:
Set of squares of natural numbers is an infinite set, because
such natural numbers are infinite and it can be represented as
{4, 9, 16, 25, …}.
3. Empty Set
A set, which does not contain any element, is called an

empty set or null set or void set. It is denoted by ϕ or { }.
Example:
- The set of dogs with sixteen legs.
- A = {x | x is a natural number less than 1}
4. Singleton Set
A set, consisting of a single element, is called a singleton

set.
Example:
i. The sets {0}, {5}, {− 7} are singleton sets.
ii. A = {x | x + 8 = 0, x ∈ Z } is a singleton set, because this
set contains only one integer, namely − 8.
5. Equivalent Sets
Two sets A and B are equivalent, if their cardinal

numbers are same i.e., n(A) = n(B).
Example:
Let A = { a, b, c, d } and B = { 1, 2, 3, 4 },
then n(A) = 4 and n (B) = 4.
Therefore, A and B are equivalent sets.
6. Equal Sets
Two sets A and B are said to be equal, if they have exactly the same
elements and we write A = B. Otherwise, two sets are said to be unequal
and we write A ≠ B.
Example:
Let A = {a, b, c, d } and B = {c, d, b, a }, then A = B, because each element of
A is in B and vice-versa.
Note: A set does not change, if one or more elements of the set are repeated.
e.g., The sets A = { 1, 4, 5 } and B = {1, 1, 4, 5, 5 } are equal because
elements of A is in B and vice-versa. That’s why, we generally do not repeat
any element in describing a set.
Subset
Let A and B be two sets. If every element of

A is an element of B, then A is called a subset
of B. If A is a subset of B, then we write
A ⊆ B, which is read as ‘‘A is a subset of B”
or A is contained in B.
In other words, A ⊆ B, if whenever a ∈ A, then a ∈ B. It is
often convenient to use the symbol ‘‘⇒’’ which means
implies. Using this symbol, we can write the definition of
subset as follows
A ⊆ B, if x ∈ A
⇒ x∈B
The above statement is read as A is subset of B, if x is an

element of A, then it implies that x is also an element of B.
If A is not a subset of B, then we write A ⊈ B.
If A ⊆ B, then B is called a superset of A written as B ⊇ A.
A = {1,2,3}
B = {1,2,3,4}
A⊆B
B⊇A
Example:
Consider the sets A and B, where:
- A denotes the set of all students in your class,

- B denotes the set of all students in your school.
We observe that, every element of A is also an element of B.

Therefore, we can say that A is subset of B i.e., A ⊆ B.
Proper Subset
If A ⊆ B, and A ≠ B, then A is called a proper subset of B,

written as A ⊂ B, and B is called proper superset of A.
Example:
Let A = {x | x is an even natural number} and
B = {x | x is a natural number}
Then, A = {2, 4, 6, 8, ...} and B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...}
Therefore, A ⊂ B
Some Important Results
1. Every set is a subset of itself.

Proof
Let A be any set. Then, each element of A is clearly in A. Hence,
A ⊆ A.
A = {1,2},
{1,2} ⊆ A, ⊆ A.
2. The empty set is a subset of every set.

Proof
Let A be any set and be the empty set. To show that ⊆ A, i.e., to show that every element of is an
element of A also. But we know that empty set contains no element. So, every element of is in A. Hence,
⊆ A.
Some Important Results
3. A set itself and an empty set are always subsets of every set and set itself
is called improper subset of the set.
4. The total number of subsets and proper subset of a finite set containing
n elements is 2n and 2n − 1, respectively.
5. If A ⊆ B and B ⊆ C, then A ⊆ C.
6. A = B, if and only if A ⊆ B and B ⊆ A.

A = {1,2}
n=2
2n =22 = 4
A⊆ A
empty set ⊆ A
{1} ⊆ A
{2} ⊆ A
Let A = {1, 2, {3, 4}, 5}. Which of the following statements are
incorrect and why?
a. {3, 4} ⊆ A f. {1, 2, 5} ⊆ A
b. {3, 4} ∈ A g. {1, 2, 5} ∈ A
c. {{3 ,4}} ⊆ A h. Φ ⊆ A
d. 1 ∈ A i. Φ ∈ A
e. 1 ⊆ A j. {Φ} ⊆ A
Let A = {1, 2, {3, 4}, 5}. Which of the following statements are
incorrect and why?
a. {3, 4} ⊆ A f. {1, 2, 5} ⊆ A
b. {3, 4} ∈ A g. {1, 2, 5} ∈ A
c. {{3 ,4}} ⊆ A h. Φ ⊆ A
d. 1 ∈ A i. Φ ∈ A
e. 1 ⊆ A j. {Φ} ⊆ A
Subsets of the Set of Real Numbers
Rational numbers and irrational numbers taken

together, are known as real numbers. Thus,
every real number is either a rational or an
irrational number. The set of real numbers is
denoted by R.
1. Natural numbers (N) = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ...}
2. Whole Numbers (W) = {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}
3. Integers (Z) = {…., -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, ……}
4. Rational Numbers (Q) = {p/q|p, q ∈ Z and q ≠ 0}
5. Irrational Numbers (T) = {x|x ∈ R and x ∉ Q }
Intervals as Subsets of R
Let a, b belongs to R and a < b.
1. Open interval { x | a < x < b } - denoted by (a, b). All the real numbers
between a and b belongs to the open interval (a, b) but a and b do not
belong to this set (interval).
2. Closed interval { x | a ≤ x ≤ b } - denoted by [a, b].
3. Semi-closed or semi-open intervals - some intervals are closed at one end

and open at the other.
Open Interval Closed Interval
Semi-open and semi-closed Interval

Which of the following sets is equal to the given set below?
{ q ∈ Z | -4 ≤ q < 3 }
a. { -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3}

b. {-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3}
c. {-4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2}
d. None of the above
Solution:
The correct answer is c. The length of interval is 3 – (-4) = 7.

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SETS AND SET

If an object a belongs to a particular set

P = {thumb, pointer, middle, fourth, pinky}

- Capital letters are used to denote sets.

1. Roster Method lists down all the elements.

•Set A is the set of counting numbers less than 6.

•Set B is the set of positive even integers greater than 8.

It is read as “The set of all x such that x is a counting number and

A. The set {1, 2, 3, 4} is a finite set, because it contains a

A set which consists of infinite number of elements is

A set, which does not contain any element, is called an

A set, consisting of a single element, is called a singleton

Two sets A and B are equivalent, if their cardinal

Let A and B be two sets. If every element of

The above statement is read as A is subset of B, if x is an

If A ⊆ B, then B is called a superset of A written as B ⊇ A.

Consider the sets A and B, where:

- A denotes the set of all students in your class,

We observe that, every element of A is also an element of B.

If A ⊆ B, and A ≠ B, then A is called a proper subset of B,

1. Every set is a subset of itself.

2. The empty set is a subset of every set.

6. A = B, if and only if A ⊆ B and B ⊆ A.

Rational numbers and irrational numbers taken

2. Closed interval { x | a ≤ x ≤ b } - denoted by [a, b].

3. Semi-closed or semi-open intervals - some intervals are closed at one end

Semi-open and semi-closed Interval

a. { -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3}

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