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Rosen, Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications, 6th edition
Extra Examples
Section 2.2—Set Operations
— Page references correspond to locations of Extra Examples icons in the textbook.
p.125, icon at Example 10
#1. Prove that the following is true for all sets A, B, and C: if A ∩ C ⊆ B ∩ C and A ∩ C ⊆ B ∩ C, then
A ⊆ B.
See Solution
Solution:
Let x ∈ A. We need to show that x ∈ B. We will construct a proof by cases, depending on whether x ∈ C
or x ∈
/ C.
Case 1: x ∈ C. If x ∈ C, then by the original hypothesis (x ∈ A) we know that x ∈ A ∩ C. But it is given
that A ∩ C ⊆ B ∩ C. Therefore x ∈ B ∩ C, and hence x ∈ B.
Case 2: x ∈/ C. Then x ∈ C. Then by the original hypothesis (x ∈ A) we know that x ∈ A ∩ C. But it is
given that A ∩ C ⊆ B ∩ C. Therefore x ∈ B ∩ C, and hence x ∈ B.
Therefore, in either case, if x ∈ A, then x ∈ B. Therefore A ⊆ B.
p.125, icon at Example 10
#2. Prove that the following is true for all sets A, B, and C: if A ∩ C = B ∩ C and A ∪ C = B ∪ C, then
A = B.
See Solution
Solution:
We will show A ⊆ B and B ⊆ A.
Proof that A ⊆ B: Let x ∈ A. We need to show that x ∈ B. We will give a proof by cases, depending on
whether or not x ∈ C.
Case 1: x ∈ C. In this case x ∈ A ∩ C. Because A ∩ C = B ∩ C, we have x ∈ B ∩ C, and hence x ∈ B.
Case 2: x ∈
/ C. In this case x ∈ A ∪ C (because x ∈ A). Because A ∪ C = B ∪ C, we have x ∈ B ∪ C. But
x∈
/ C. Therefore we must have x ∈ B.
Cases 1 and 2 show that if x ∈ A, then x ∈ B, or A ⊆ B.
A similar proof can be given to show that B ⊆ A.
Because A ⊆ B and B ⊆ A, A = B.
p.125, icon at Example 10
#3. Use logical equivalence to show that A ∩ (B ∪ C) = (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ C)
See Solution
Solution:
We begin with A ∩ (B ∪ C) and show that this is the same as (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ C).
1
A ∩ (B ∪ C) = {x | x ∈ A ∧ x ∈ B ∪C } definition of intersection
= { x | x ∈ A ∧ (x ∈ B ∨ x ∈ C) } definition of union
= { x | (x ∈ A ∧ x ∈ B) ∨ (x ∈ A ∧ x ∈ C) } distributive law
= { x | (x ∈ A ∩ B) ∨ (x ∈ A ∩ C) } definition of intersection
= (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ C) definition of union
p.125, icon at Example 10
#4. Prove: if A ⊆ B, then B ⊆ A.
See Solution
Solution:
We will use a direct proof. Suppose A ⊆ B. We must show that B ⊆ A. To show that B ⊆ A, assume that
x ∈ B and show that x ∈ A.
Suppose x ∈ B.
Therefore x ∈
/ B.
/ A (because A ⊆ B).
Therefore x ∈
Therefore x ∈ A.
p.125, icon at Example 10
#5. Prove: If A ⊆ B and C ⊆ D, then A ∩ C ⊆ B ∩ D.
See Solution
Solution:
We assume that A ⊆ B and C ⊆ D, and we must show that A ∩ C ⊆ B ∩ D. In terms of predicates and
quantifiers, the statement we need to prove has the form
∀x (x ∈ A ∩ C → x ∈ B ∩ D)
where the universe for x is the universal set U (any set containing A, B, C, and D). To show that this
statement is true, suppose that x ∈ A ∩ C. (Note that the only thing we know about x is that it is an
arbitrary element of A ∩ C.) Therefore, x ∈ A and x ∈ C, by definition of intersection of sets. Therefore,
x ∈ B and x ∈ D (because A ⊆ B and C ⊆ D). This says that x ∈ B ∩ D. Hence, if x is any element of
A ∩ C, then x is also an element of B ∩ D.
Therefore, A ∩ C ⊆ B ∩ D.
We can write the proof more briefly as:
Let x ∈ A ∩ C.
...x ∈ A and x ∈ C.
...x ∈ B and x ∈ D.
...x ∈ B ∩ D.
