LESSON 1 - SETS and VENN DIAGRAMS

Main Lecture:-

Hey everyone! Are you ready for some fun-filled maths? Well since you have actually
clicked on this video, it means that you really are ready! Anyway lets get started with our
first topic. Its about Sets. This topic is a unique one, that is it cannot be regarded as your
average maths topic involving unknowns are complex geometrical figures. Its more about
logic and using your common sense.

1. Sets Definition and Notations

So then what is a set? A set is a well-defined collection of objects. Each object in a set is
called an element of the set. The elements can be ANYTHING! (and of course the
elements would give the Set its respective property.) For example if I talk about the Set of
all positive even numbers below 10, my set would consist the elements : 2,4,6,8
Similarly if I talk about the set of lets suppose the great mathematicians of the past! Such
a set would consist of elements : Carl Gauss, Isaac Newton, Einstein, Blaise Pascal,
Euclid, Pierre de Fermat, etc..Sorry, I am not silly to list them all here!

There are other things as well that you should keep in mind: Two sets are equal if they
have exactly the same elements in them; A set that contains no elements is called a null
set or an empty set; If every element in Set A is also in Set B, then Set A is a subset of
Set B.

Apart from these details you should also know that a set is usually denoted by a capital
letter, such as A, B, or C, and that its elements are denoted by small letters for e.g x, y ,z

A set may be described by listing all of its elements enclosed in braces. For example, if
Set A consists of the numbers 2, 4, 6, and 8, we may say: A = {2, 4, 6, 8}.

I have already told you what a null set is but you should also note that a null set is
denoted by {} this symbol.

There also another very important set known as the epsilon set. It is denoted by '' . This
actually the absolute or the universal set, that it covers all those sets which are given. For
e.g if I talk about Sets A and B. Then these sets will actually be the subsets of the epsilon
set. Epsilon set holds great importance for it can be used to impose restrictions so that the
elements in the sub-set can be kept within limits. For e.g if I say the epsilon covers
numbers 1 to 10 only. Then I add that Set A (part of that epsilon) is made up of odd
numbers. Its elements would be : 1,3,5,7,9 . It would stop at 9 even though 11,13 onwards
are also odd numbers. Why? Because you have to stay within the limits of the epsilon!
Sets may also be described by stating a rule. We could describe Set B {2,4,6,8} by
stating: Set B consists of all the even single-digit positive integers.
2. Set Operators

Suppose we have four sets - W, X, Y, and Z. Let these sets be defined as follows: W =
{2}; X = {1, 2}; Y= {2, 3, 4}; and Z = {1, 2, 3, 4}.

The union of two sets is the set of elements that belong to one or both of the two
sets. Thus, set Z is the union of sets X and Y.
Symbolically, the union of X and Y is denoted by X Y.
The intersection of two sets is the set of elements that are common to both sets.
Thus, set W is the intersection of sets X and Y.
Symbolically, the intersection of X and Y is denoted by X Y.

3. Sets and Venn Diagrams (the inseparable!)

Now lets talk about Venn Diagrams. To define, A Venn diagram is a way of representing
sets visually.

To explain, we will start with an example where we use whole numbers from 1 to 10.
We will define two sets taken from this group of numbers:
Set A = the odd numbers in the group = { 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 }
Set B = the numbers which are 6 or more in the group = { 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 }

Some numbers from our original group appear in both of these sets. Some only appear in
one of the sets.

Some of the original numbers don't appear in either of the two sets. We can represent
these facts using a Venn diagram.
The two large circles
represent the two sets.
The rectangle represents
epsilon.
The numbers which
appear in both sets are 7
and 9. These will go in
the central section,
because this is part of
both circles.

The numbers 1, 3 and 5

still need to be put in Set
A, but not in Set B, so
these go in the left
section of the diagram.

Similarly, the numbers 6,

8 and 10 are in Set B,
but not in Set A, so will
go in the right section of
the diagram.

The numbers 2 and 4 are

not in either set, so will
go outside the two
circles.

The final Venn diagram

looks like this:

We can see that all ten

original numbers appear
in the diagram.

The numbers in the left

circle are Set A
{1,3,5,7,9}

The numbers in the right

circle are Set B
{ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 }
The intersection of sets A and B is those elements which are in set A and set B. A diagram
showing the intersection of A and B can be seen below:

The union of sets A and B is those elements which are in set A or set B or both. A
diagram showing the union of A and B can be seen below:
QUESTION/ANSWER SESSION:-

Q1. Describe the set of vowels.

Ans. If A is the set of vowels, then A could be described as A = {a, e, i, o, u}.

Q2. Describe the set of positive integers.

Ans. Since it would be impossible to list all of the positive integers, we need to use a
rule to describe this set. We might say A consists of all integers greater than zero.

Q3. Set A = {1, 2, 3} and Set B = {3, 2, 1}. Is Set A equal to Set B?

Ans. Yes. Two sets are equal if they have the same elements. The order in which the
elements are listed does not matter.

Q4. What is the set of men with four arms?

Ans. Since all men have two arms at most, the set of men with four arms contains no
elements. It is the null set (or empty set).

Q5. Set A = {1, 2, 3} and Set B = {1, 2, 4, 5, 6}. Is Set A a subset of Set B?

Ans. Set A would be a subset of Set B if every element from Set A were also in Set B.
However, this is not the case. The number 3 is in Set A, but not in Set B. Therefore,
Set A is not a subset of Set B.
 Q7.

(a) Which numbers are in the union of A and B?

Ans.

(b) Which numbers are in the intersection of A and B?

Ans.