Chapter 16
Sets
A set is a collection of objects called elements. A set can be defined by listing all the elements, such as A = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10} or by giving a rule, A = {the first five even natural numbers}. Sets have operations that are performed on them, such as union and intersection. Some special designations are empty set (also known as null set} and the universal set. Set theory is important in studying number systems as well as answering some practical application problems in many arenas. The biggest challenge in working with sets is knowing the vocabulary so you can perform the task.
The Problems You’ll Work On
In this chapter, you’ll work with sets and set operations in the following ways:
Becoming acquainted with set notation and what the symbols represent
Recognizing equal sets and subsets
Performing operations on sets
Using Venn diagrams to analyze problems dealing with sets of numbers or other types of elements
Solving practical problems using sets
What to Watch Out ...
