Operations on Sets

Master Operations on Sets for CBSE Class 11 Applied Mathematics. Learn Union, Intersection, Difference, and Complements with solved examples and exercises.

Union and Intersection of Sets

The union of two sets A and B, denoted by A ∪ B, is the set of all elements which are in A, in B, or in both. The intersection, denoted by A ∩ B, consists of elements common to both sets. These operations are fundamental for analyzing overlapping data groups in applied mathematics.

n(A ∪ B) = n(A) + n(B) − n(A ∩ B)
Example: Solved Example: Find Union and Intersection
Show Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Given A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {3, 4, 5}.
Step 2: A ∪ B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}.
Step 3: A ∩ B = {3}.
Answer: A ∪ B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, A ∩ B = {3}

Difference and Complement of Sets

The difference of sets A and B, denoted by A − B, contains elements that are in A but not in B. The complement of a set A, denoted by Aᶜ or A', contains all elements of the universal set U that are not in A. These operations help isolate specific subsets within a defined universe.

n(A − B) = n(A) − n(A ∩ B)
Example: Solved Example: Calculate Difference
Show Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Let U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}, A = {1, 2, 3}.
Step 2: Aᶜ = U − A = {4, 5, 6}.
Step 3: If B = {2, 3, 4}, then A − B = {1}.
Answer: Aᶜ = {4, 5, 6}, A − B = {1}

Operations with Three Sets

When dealing with three sets A, B, and C, the Principle of Inclusion-Exclusion allows us to find the total number of elements in their union. This is essential for solving complex survey problems involving multiple categories. It accounts for double and triple counting of overlapping elements.

n(A ∪ B ∪ C) = n(A) + n(B) + n(C) − n(A ∩ B) − n(B ∩ C) − n(A ∩ C) + n(A ∩ B ∩ C)
Example: Solved Example: Apply Inclusion-Exclusion
Show Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Given n(A)=10, n(B)=12, n(C)=15, n(A∩B)=5, n(B∩C)=4, n(A∩C)=3, n(A∩B∩C)=2.
Step 2: Sum = 10 + 12 + 15 = 37.
Step 3: Subtract intersections = 37 − (5 + 4 + 3) + 2 = 37 − 12 + 2 = 27.
Answer: 27