Let us see the different types of symbols used in Mathematics set theory with their meanings and examples.  Consider a Universal set (U) = {1, 2, 7, 9, 13, 15, 21, 23, 28, 30}

Unionsymbol

If A is a set, then the complement of set A will contain all the elements in the given universal set (U),  that are not in set A. It is usually denoted by A’ or Ac.

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Intersection symbolexample

Set theory symbols: In Maths, the Set theory is a mathematical theory, developed to explain collections of objects. Basically, the definition states that “it is a collection of elements”. These elements could be numbers, alphabets, variables, etc. The notation and symbols for sets are based on the operations performed on them, such as the intersection of sets, the union of sets, the difference of sets, etc.

Intersection symbolin Word

Set theory has many applications in mathematics and other fields. They are used in graphs, vector spaces, ring theory, and so on. All these concepts can be defined as sets satisfying specific properties (or axioms) of sets. Also, the set theory is considered as the foundation for many topics such as topology, mathematical analysis, discrete mathematics, abstract algebra, etc.

Intersection symbolLaTeX

As we have already discussed, in mathematics set theory, a set is a collection of different types of objects, and collectively it is called an object. For example, numbers 8, 10, 15 and 24 are 4 distinct numbers, but when we put them together, they form a set of 4 elements, such that {8, 10, 15, 24}.

Intersection symbolin keyboard

A famous mathematician, Georg Cantor, generated a theory of abstract sets of entities and formed it into a mathematical discipline between the years 1874 and 1897. This theory in maths is built out of his research of some definite problems about specific types of infinite sets of numbers which are real. According to Cantor, the set is a collection of definite, distinct objects or items of observation as a whole. These items are called elements or members of the set. However, he found it by a single paper based on the property of the combination of all real numbers (or real algebraic numbers).

You must have also heard of subset and superset, which are the counterpart of each other. The different types of sets in Mathematics set theory are explained widely with the help of Venn diagrams. Sets have turned out to be an invaluable tool for defining some of the most complicated mathematical structures. They are mostly used to define many real-life applications. Apart from this, there are also many types of sets, such as empty sets, finite and infinite sets, etc.

Set theory in Maths has numerous applications. Let’s imagine you’re in a class of 24 students (including you). You want to know the number of males and females in your class. So you begin counting: Males: 1, 2, 3,… 12; females: 1, 2, 3,… 12 . Set theory can now be used to demonstrate this more clearly.

In the same way, sets are defined in Maths for a different pattern of numbers or elements. Such as, sets could be a collection of odd numbers, even numbers, natural numbers, whole numbers, real or complex numbers and all the set of numbers which lies on the number line.

In set theory, various concepts are discussed at various levels of education. The basic concepts include representation of a set, types of sets, operations on sets (such as union, intersection), the cardinality of a set and relations, etc. Some of the basic concepts involved in set theory are as follows:

A universal set is usually denoted by the capital letter ‘U’. Also, sometimes it is denoted by ε(epsilon). It is a set that contains all the elements of other sets including its own elements.

Frequently Asked Questions Set Theory SymbolsQ1 What does ∈ mean?∈ is a symbol which means ‘belongs to’. If b ∈ B, it shows that b is the element of B.Q2 What does ∩ mean in math?‘∩’ represents the intersection of two sets. A ∩ B is equal to the set that contains elements common to both A and B.Q3 What does ⊆ mean in math?“⊆” is the symbol of subset. If A ⊆ B, then the elements of A are also the elements of set B.Q4 What is the symbol for union of sets?The symbol for union of sets is denoted by ‘∪’. A ∪ B is equal to the sets that contains all the elements of set A and set B.Q5 If A = B, then what does it represent?If set A = set B, then members of A and B are equal or the same. For example, A = {1,2,3} and B = {3,2,1} Hence, A = B

Intersection symbolmeaning

2. Let A = {x : x is a natural number and a factor of 18} and B = {x : x is a natural number and less than 6}. Find A ∪ B.

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