Exploring Sets and Set Theory in Mathematics
Comprehensive Definition, Description, Examples & Rules
Introduction to Sets:
When many entities come together in a group, we call it a set. A set has elements or members that are objects in mathematics: characters, numbers, points in space, lines, other geometrical shapes, variables, or even other sets. They enable us to treat a group of mathematical objects as a separate mathematical item. Sets allow us to formalize mathematical theories by treating the collections we want to discuss as mathematical objects in their own right.
Types of Sets:
There are an array of types of sets in mathematics. Here is a list of detailed explanations for all of them:
Finite Sets
Sets with a finite or countable number of entities are called finite sets. The set contains beginning and ending elements. In roster notation, finite sets are easily represented.
Infinite Sets
Sets that are not finite are infinite. The set of whole numbers, W = 0, 1, 2, 3,…….., for example, is infinite since the number of elements is infinite. The elements of an infinite set are represented by dots, which represent the set’s infinity.
Equal Sets
An equal set is two sets that have the same entities. For example, take two bags of oranges. If the amount of oranges in both bags is the same, we get equal sets.
Null Sets
The empty set is the only set in mathematics that has no elements; its size or cardinality is 0. The empty (or void, or null) set, represented by or, has no elements at all. Nonetheless, it is a set.
Singleton Sets
A singleton set only has one element. A singleton set P with only one element p is denoted by P = {p}.
Subsets and Power Sets
The power set (or powerset) of a set S is the set of all its subsets, inclusive of the empty set and S itself. The presence of the power set of a set is implied by the axiom of power set in axiomatic set theory.
Universal Sets
A universal set has elements of all the given sets. It does not repeat an element of a set.
Disjoint Sets
Disjoint sets are those which have no common elements between them. Their intersection is always empty. They are used to solve problems in data science and arithmetic.
Set Symbols:
There is an array of sets of symbols used in mathematics. For example:
Union
The union of a collection of sets in set theory is the set of all entities in the collection. The union of two sets is represented with the symbol U.
Intersection
The intersection of two sets is the set that has all the elements commonly shared by both sets. The symbol for set intersection is “”. The intersection, A B (read as A intersecting B) displays all the elements present in both sets (common elements) for two sets A and B.
Subset
Two sorts of subsets seen are:
- A proper subset (this is represented by the symbol ‘⊂’ )
- Improper subset (the symbol for this is ‘⊆’)
Complement
The complement of a set is the variance or difference between a universal set and its subset. This gives us the complement of the subset of the universal set.
Set Operations:
Have a look at the following different types of set operations:
Union
The union of a collection of sets in set theory is the set of all entities in the collection.
Intersection
The symbol for set intersection is “”. The intersection, A B (read as A intersecting B) displays all the elements present in both sets (common elements) for two sets A and B.
Difference
Difference of Sets is a set-based operation, similar to how we can do arithmetic operations on numbers in mathematics. In addition to difference, we may perform union and intersection of sets for every given set. These operations have a wide range of applications in mathematics.
Complement
The set theory defines the set of elements not in a set A as its complement, which is commonly represented by the notation A∁ (or A′). The set of elements in U that are not in A is the absolute complement of A when all sets in the universe, or all sets under consideration, are thought to be members of a particular set U.
Applications of Sets in Mathematics:
Sets are used to solve a variety of real-world problems. For example:
Statistics: Sets are used to calculate huge data in statistics and eliminate duplicacy.
Probability: Sets are used to calculate and predict the probability of events to occur or not occur.
Algebra: Sets are used in algebra to make groups of complex calculations easier.
Set Theory and Logic:
Set theory is the area of mathematics whose job it is to investigate mathematically the fundamental notions of ‘number,’ ‘order,’ and ‘function,’ taking them in their pristine, simple form, and developing the logical underpinnings of all arithmetic and analysis as a result.
Set Theory in Advanced Mathematics:
Here are some advanced concepts of sets in mathematics:
Cardinality
The number acquired after counting something is its cardinality.
Ordinals
An ordinal number, or simply ordinal, is the order type of a well-ordered set in set theory. They are commonly associated with hereditarily transitive sets. Ordinals are a natural number extension that differs from integers and cardinals. Ordinals, like other types of numbers, can be added, multiplied, and exponentiated.
Axiomatic set theory
Formal or axiomatic set theory is defined by a series of axioms that describe the behavior of its single predicate symbol, which is a mutated variant of the Greek letter epsilon. In contrast to naive set theory, an axiomatic development of set theory holds that it is not required to understand what the “things” that are termed “sets” are or what the relation of membership implies. The features assumed about sets and the membership relation is the only ones that matter. Thus, in an axiomatic theory of sets, the terms set and membership relation are undefined.
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Key Takeaways
- When many entities come together in a group, we call it a set.
- A set has elements or members that are objects in mathematics.
- The number acquired after counting something is its cardinality.
- An ordinal number, or simply ordinal, is the order type of a well-ordered set in set theory. They are commonly associated with hereditarily transitive sets.
- Formal or axiomatic set theory is a series of axioms that describe the behavior of its single predicate symbol, which is a mutated variant of the Greek letter epsilon.
Quiz
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Frequently Asked Questions
The common set theory symbols used in set theory are { }, A ∪ B, A ∩ B, and A ⊆ B.
The union of two or more sets yields a fully new set that comprises a combination of elements from both of the given sets. On the other hand, the intersection of sets is the set of elements that are shared by both sets.
Set theory is the area of mathematics whose job it is to investigate mathematically the fundamental notions of ‘number,’ ‘order,’ and ‘function,’ taking them in their pristine, simple form, and developing the logical underpinnings of all arithmetic and analysis as a result.
Sets are used in statistics, probability, and algebra to solve an array of real-life problems.
Let S = {1, 2, 3}
Here is an example of a S subset: 2, 3.
There’s just a single set of S, and the aforementioned subset will be one of its components.
P(S) = { { }, {1}, {2}, {3}, {1, 2}, {1, 3}, {2, 3}, {1, 2, 3} }.
