Sec 2.

2 Set operations
Definition 1
Let A and B be sets. The union of the sets A and B, denoted by A B, is
the set that contains those elements that are either in A or in B, or in
both.
An element x belongs to the union of the sets A and B if and only if
x belongs to A or x belongs to B.
A B = {x | x A x B}. Below is Venn diagram that represents
A B.
A

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

1 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations

Definition 2
Let A and B be sets. The intersection of the sets A and B, denoted by
A B, is the set that contains those elements in both A and B.
An element x belongs to the intersection of the sets A and B if and
only if x belongs to A and x belongs to B.
A B = {x | x A x B}
Draw Venn diagram that represents A B.
A

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

2 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations

Definition 3
Two sets are called disjoint if their intersection is the empty set.
The cardinality of a union of two finite sets A and B is
|A B| = |A| + |B| |A B|

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

3 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations

Definition 4
Let A and B be sets. The difference of A and B, denoted by A B, is the
set containing those elements that are in A but not in B. The difference of
A and B is also called the complement of B with respect to A.
An element x belongs to the difference of A and B if only if x A
and x
/ B. The set builder notation is A B = {x | x A x
/ B}.
Below is Venn diagram that represents A B
A

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

4 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations

Definition 5
Let U be the universal set. The complement of the set A, denoted by A, is
the complement of A with respect to U. In other words, the complement
of the set A is U A .
An element x belongs to A if only if x
/ A.
A = {x | x
/ A.}
Draw Venn diagram that represents A.
A

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

5 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations

Exercise 2 Page 130:
Exercise 4 Page 130: Let A = {a, b, c, d, e} and
B = {a, b, c, d, e, f , g , h}. Find
a)A B
b)A B
c)A B
d)B A.

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

6 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations: Set Identities

Study Table1 Set identities.
Identity
A=A
AU =A
AU =U
A=
AA=A
AA=A

Table 1 Set Identities

Name
Identity Laws

A=A
AB =B A
AB =B A
A (B C ) = (A B) C
A (B C ) = (A B) C
NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

Domination Laws
Idempotent Laws

Complementation Law
Commutative Laws
Associative Laws

7 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations: Set Identities

Table 1 Set Identities
Identity
Name
A(B C ) = (AB)(AC ) Distrubitive Laws
A(B C ) = (AB)(AC )
(A B) = A B
(A B) = A B
A (A B) = A
A (A B) = A

De Morgans Laws

AA=U
AA=

Complement laws

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

Absorption Laws

8 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations : Proving Set Identities

Method 1: Showing each set is subset of the other
Example 1: Prove that A B = A B.
Method 2: using set builder notation.
Example 2: Prove that A B = A B.
Method 3: membership tables
Example 3: Prove that A (B C ) = (A B) (A C ).

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

9 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations: Generalizing Unions and

Intersection
Definition 6
The union of a collection of sets is the set that contains those elements
that are members of at least one set in the collection.
We use the notation
A1 A2 An =

n
[

Ai

i=1

to denote the union of the sets A1 , A2 , . . . , An .

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

10 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations: Generalizing Unions and

Intersection
Definition 7
The intersection of a collection of sets is the set that contains those
elements that are members of all the sets in the collection.
We use the notation
A1 A2 An =

n
\

Ai

i=1

to denote the intersection of the sets A1 , A2 , . . . , An .

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

11 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations

Exercise 48 page 131: Find

n
[

Ai and

i=1

n
\

Ai if for every positive

i=1

integer i.
a)Ai = {i, i + 1, i + 2, . . . }
b)Ai = {0, i}.
Computer Representation of Sets.
Exercise 50 page 132: Suppose that the universal set is
U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}. Express each of these sets with bit strings
where the ith bit in the string is 1 if i is in the set and 0 otherwise.
a){3, 4, 5}
b){1, 3, 6, 10}
c){2,3,4,7,8,9}.

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

12 / 13

Sec 2.2 Set operations

Practice Problems:
Q1) Use a membership table to show that A (B A) = A B.
Q2) What can you say about the sets A and B if we know that
a) A B = A b) A B = A. c)A B = B A.
Q3) Let A, B and C are sets. Determine whether each of the following
statement true or false and justify your answer.
a) If A B = B C then A = B. b) A B A.
Q4) Let U = {a, b, c, d, e, f , g , h, i}, A = {a, b, c, d, e} and
B = {b, c, d, g }. Express sets A and B with bit strings and show how
bitwise operations can be used to find: (i) A B
(ii) A B.

NADIA ALDHAMRI ()

13 / 13