Quick summary
A set is a well-defined collection of objects. This chapter teaches how to write sets, the types of sets, subsets, the universal set, Venn diagrams, union and intersection of sets, and how to count the number of elements in a set.
Key points
- A collection is a set only if we can clearly decide whether an object belongs to it. "Odd numbers less than 10" is a set; "good students" is not.
- Sets are named with capital letters (A, B, C) and elements with small letters. a ∈ A means a belongs to A; a ∉ A means it does not.
- Two ways to write a set: listing (roster) method – A = {2, 3, 5, 7}; rule (set-builder) method – A = {x | x is a prime number less than 10}.
- Standard sets: N = natural numbers, W = whole numbers, I = integers, Q = rational numbers, R = real numbers.
- Types: singleton set (one element), empty set ∅ or { } (no element), finite set, infinite set.
- Equal sets: A = B if both have exactly the same elements (order and repetition do not matter).
- Subset: A ⊆ B if every element of A is in B. Every set is a subset of itself; ∅ is a subset of every set.
- Universal set (U): a bigger set that contains all the sets under discussion. Complement A′ = elements of U not in A.
- Intersection A ∩ B = elements common to both. If A ∩ B = ∅, the sets are disjoint.
- Union A ∪ B = all elements in A or B or both.
- Properties: A ∩ B = B ∩ A; A ∪ B = B ∪ A; if A ⊆ B then A ∩ B = A and A ∪ B = B; A ∩ A′ = ∅; A ∪ A′ = U.
- Venn diagrams show sets as circles inside a rectangle (U); they make union and intersection easy to see.
Important terms
- Set (संच) – a well-defined collection of objects.
- Element – a member of a set.
- Subset (उपसंच) – a set whose every element is in another set.
- n(A) – the number of elements in set A.
Formulas
- n(A ∪ B) = n(A) + n(B) − n(A ∩ B)
- If A and B are disjoint: n(A ∪ B) = n(A) + n(B)
- n(A′) = n(U) − n(A)
5 important questions
Q1. Write in listing method: B = {x | x is a prime number between 1 and 20}.
B = {2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19}.
Q2. If U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}, A = {1, 3, 5, 7} and B = {2, 3, 5, 8}, find A ∩ B, A ∪ B and A′.
A ∩ B = {3, 5}; A ∪ B = {1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8}; A′ = {2, 4, 6, 8}.
Q3. In a class of 40 students, 25 like cricket, 20 like football and 10 like both. How many like at least one game? How many like neither?
n(C ∪ F) = n(C) + n(F) − n(C ∩ F) = 25 + 20 − 10 = 35. Students who like neither = 40 − 35 = 5.
Q4. In a survey, 70 people like tea, 50 like coffee and 15 like both. Using a Venn diagram, how many like only tea and only coffee?
Only tea = 70 − 15 = 55. Only coffee = 50 − 15 = 35. Total who like at least one = 55 + 15 + 35 = 105.
Q5. Write all subsets of P = {1, 2}.
∅, {1}, {2}, {1, 2}. (A set with n elements has 2ⁿ subsets; here 2² = 4.)
Exam tip
In word problems, first fill the intersection in the Venn diagram, then the "only" parts – this avoids double counting.