SETS, RELATIONS AND FUNCTIONS
Set:
A set is a collection of well-defined objects i.e. the objects follow a
given rule or rules.
Elements of a set:
The members of a set are called its elements. If an element x is in set
A, we say that x belongs to A and write x A. If the element x is not
in A then we write x A.
Examples of sets:
1. The set of vowels in the alphabet of English language.
2. The set of all points on a particular line.
Some special sets:
(i)Finite and infinite sets:
A set A is finite if it contains only a finite number of elements; we can
find the exact number of elements in the set. Otherwise, the set is said
to be an infinite set.
Example:
Q = set of all rational numbers = p :p, q Z,q 0
R = set of all real numbers = {x: x is a rational and an irrational
number}
C = set of all complex numbers = xiy; x,yR
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(ii) Null set:
A set which does not contain any element is called a null set and is
denoted by . A null set is also called an empty set.
(iii) Singleton set:
A set which contains only one element is called a singleton set.
(viii) Power set:
The power set of a set A is the set of all of its subsets, and is
denoted by P A e.g. if A4, 5, 6 then
P A , 4 , 5 , 6 , 4, 5 , 5, 6 , 4, 5, 6 .
Note: The null set and set A are always elements of P A .
Theorem: If a finite set has n elements, then the power set of A
has 2 elements.
Operations on sets:
The operations on sets, by which sets can be combined to produce
new sets.
(i) Union of sets:
The union of two set A and B is defined as the set of all
elements which are either in A or in B or in both. The union of two
sets is written as A; B
(ii) Intersection of sets:
(i) The intersection of two sets A and B is defined as the set of those
elements which are in both A and B and is written as
A B x : x A and x B
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(ii) The intersection of n sets A , A ........A is written as
n
A A A ......... A x : x A for all i, 1 .
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A
i1 i 2 i
n
Disjoint sets:
Two set A and B are said to be disjoint, if there is no element which is
in both A and B, i.e. AB;
The properties of the complement of sets are known as
DeMorgan laws, which are
(i) A cB cBA
(ii) AB A Bc c c
(iii) A B A B
c
c c
If A and B are not disjoint, then (i)
n A Bn An Bn A B
(ii) n B n A B n A n B
A B A
(iii) n A n B n B
A A
(iv) n B n A n B
B A
(vi) Cartesian product of sets:
Let a be an arbitrary element of a given set A i.e. a and b be an
arbitrary element of B i.e. b. Then the pair a, b is an ordered
pair. Obviously a, b b, a . The cartesian product of two sets A and
B is defined as the set of ordered pairsa, b . The cartesian product
is denoted by A B
A B a, b ; a A, b . B
Relation:
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Let A and B be two sets. A relation R from the set A to set B is a
subset of the Cartesian product A. Further, ifx, y, then we say that x
is R-related to y and write this relation as x R y. Hence
Rx, y ;xA, yB, x R y.
Domain and Range of a relation: Let R be a relation defined from a
A set to a set B, i.e.RA. Then the set of all first elements of the
ordered pairs in R is called the domain of R. The set of all second
elements of the ordered pairs in R is called the range of R. That
is, D = domain of Rx :
x, yR orx : xA and x, y, R
R = range of R y : x, y R or y : y Band x, y . R
Clearly D and R . B *
FUNCTIONS:
A mapping f: X Y is said to be a function if each element in
the set X has its image in set Y. Every element in set X
should have one and only one image.
Let f: R R where y = x3. Here for each x R we would have
a unique value of y in the set R
Set ‘X’ is called domain of the function ‘f’.
Set ‘Y’ is called the co-domain of the function ‘f’.
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Algebra of Functions:
Let us consider two functions,
f: D1R and g: D2R . We describe functions f + g, f - g, f.g
and f/g as follows:
f + g : D R is a function defined by
(f + g)x = f(x)+g(x) where D = D1D2
f – g : D R is a function defined by
(f – g)x = f(x) –g(x) where D = D1D2
f.g: D R is a function defined by
by (f.g)x = f(x). g(x) where D = D1D2
f/g: D R is a function defined by
(f/g)x =f(x) g(x) where D = {x : x D1 D2, g(x) 0}
TYPE OF FUNCTION
One-One and Many-One Functions:
When every element of domain of a function has a distinct image in
the co-domain, the function is said to be One-One. If there are at least
two elements of the domain whose images are the same, the function
is known as Many-One.
Onto and Into Functions:
For every point y in b, there is some point x in A such the
f(x) = y. It is called onto function. When the codomain y which is not
an image of any element in the domain x, then function is onto.
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Even and Odd Functions:
f(x) - f(-x) = 0 for even function and f(x) + f(-x) = 0 for odd
functions .
Periodic Function
If f(x) is periodic with period t, then a f(x) +b where a, b R (a 0)
is also periodic with period t
Some Important function and their domain and range
FUNCTION F(X) DOMAIN RANGE
sinx (-,) [-1, 1]
cosx (-,) [-1, 1]
ax a>1 R (0, )
log ax, a>0 and (0, ) (-, )
1 a>0 and 1
[x] R I
x R [0, )
{x} R [0,1)
