Class IX Sets Notes
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vishnusingh92123Class IX Mathematics | Chapter: Sets
CLASS IX MATHEMATICS
SETS
1. Introduction to Sets
A set is a well-defined collection of distinct objects. “Well-defined” means that given any object, we must be able
to decide clearly whether it belongs to the collection or not. The objects in a set are called its elements or
members.
Note: A collection is NOT a set if membership is a matter of opinion — e.g. “a collection of good cricketers” is
not well-defined, since “good” is subjective. But “the collection of cricketers who have scored a century in Test
cricket” IS a set.
1.1 Notation
• Sets are usually denoted by capital letters: A, B, C, X, Y, …
• Elements are denoted by small letters: a, b, c, x, y, …
• If x is an element of set A, we write x € A (read as “x belongs to A”).
• If x is not an element of set A, we write x ∉ A (read as “x does not belong to A”).
Example 1.1
Let A = {2, 4, 6, 8}. Here 4 € A but 5 € A.
2. Representation of a Set
A set can be described in three standard ways:
2.1 Description (Statement) Form
The set is described in words.
Example
A is the set of all vowels in the English alphabet.
2.2 Roster Form (Tabular Form)
All elements are listed, separated by commas, and enclosed in curly brackets { }. Each element is listed only once,
and the order does not matter.
Example
A = {a, e, i, o, u}
Note: For sets with a large but fixed number of elements following a pattern, we may use three dots (…): e.g. the
set of natural numbers from 1 to 100 = {1, 2, 3, …, 100}.
2.3 Set-Builder Form (Rule Form)
Elements are described by a common property using a variable x, written as:
A = { x : x satisfies given property } or A = { x | x satisfies given property }
(The symbol “:” or “|” is read as “such that”.)
Example
A = { x : x is a vowel of the English alphabet } is the set-builder form of A = {a, e, i, o, u}.
Description Form Roster Form Set-Builder Form
Set of natural numbers less than 6 {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} {x : x € N, x < 6}
Set of even numbers between 1 and {2, 4, 6, 8, 10} {x : x is even, 1 < x < 11}
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Class IX Mathematics | Chapter: Sets
Description Form Roster Form Set-Builder Form
11
Set of days of the week beginning {Sunday, Saturday} {x : x is a day of the week beginning
with S with S}
3. Types of Sets
3.1 Empty Set (Null Set / Void Set)
A set with no elements is called the empty set. It is denoted by { }.
Example
A = {x : x is a natural number, 3 < x < 4} = φ
Note: {0} and { φ } are NOT empty sets — each contains one element (0, and φ respectively).
3.2 Singleton Set
A set containing exactly one element.
Example
A = {x : x is an even prime number} = {2}
3.3 Finite Set
A set in which the process of counting the elements comes to an end (the number of elements is a whole number).
Example
A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} is a finite set with 5 elements.
3.4 Infinite Set
A set in which counting of elements does not come to an end.
Example
N = {1, 2, 3, 4, …} (set of natural numbers) is infinite.
3.5 Cardinal Number of a Set
The number of distinct elements in a finite set A is called its cardinal number, denoted n(A).
Example
If A = {3, 5, 7, 9}, then n(A) = 4.
3.6 Equal Sets
Two sets A and B are equal if they have exactly the same elements (order and repetition do not matter). Written A
= B.
A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {3, 2, 1} ⇒ A = B.
Example
3.7 Equivalent Sets
Two finite sets A and B are equivalent if they have the same number of elements, i.e. n(A) = n(B), even though
the elements may differ.
Example
A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {a, b, c} ⇒ A and B are equivalent (n(A) = n(B) = 3), but A ≠ B.
Note: Every pair of equal sets is equivalent, but every pair of equivalent sets need NOT be equal.
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