GE 104

MODULE 2 — MATHEMATICS AS A LANGUAGE

PRINTABLE MATH REVIEWER

This reviewer is organized from the supplied GE104 Module 2 material. The detailed pages provided cover 2.02 Language
of Sets; the module outline also lists 2.01, 2.03, and 2.04.

TOPICS
• 2.01 Language of Variable

• 2.02 Language of Sets

• 2.03 Language of Relations and Functions

• 2.04 Language of Logic

Detailed reviewer content below focuses on the supplied material for 2.02 Language of Sets.

GE104 • Mathematics as a Language • Page 1

2.02 LANGUAGE OF SETS
A. BASIC TERMS
Set — a well-defined collection of objects or things considered together and generally having something in common.

Elements (∈) — distinct objects of a given set.

x ∈ S means “x is an element of set S.”

B. METHODS OF DESCRIBING SETS

1. Description or Rule Method

• The set is described in words or by stating the rule.

• D is the set of food.

• E is the set of natural numbers.

• F is the set of all numbers that are multiples of 5.

• G is the set of all numbers between 3 and 8.

2. Set-Builder Notation
A set is described using a rule. The vertical bar | means “such that.”

{w ∈ D | w is a food}
{x ∈ E | x is a natural number}
{y ∈ F | y is a multiple of 5}
{z ∈ G | 3 < z < 8}

3. Roster Method
The elements are listed, separated by commas, and enclosed in braces.

D = {Spaghetti, Hamburger, French Fries, Ice Cream}

E = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, …}
F = {5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, …}
G = {4, 5, 6, 7}
QUICK TIP: Roster = list the elements. Set-builder = state the rule. Description = explain the set in words.

C. TYPES OF SETS
Type Meaning

Equal / Identical Sets Sets with exactly the same elements.

Equivalent Sets Sets with the same number of elements.

Empty / Null Set A set without elements.

Finite Set A set for which a complete list of all elements can be written.

Infinite Set A set with an infinite number of elements.

Joint Sets Sets that have common elements.

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 Type Meaning

Disjoint Sets Sets that have no common elements.

Universal Set The set containing the elements of all sets being considered in a discussion.

Empty set symbols:

∅ or { }
Examples: X={r,e,a,d}, Y={d,e,a,r}, Z={d,a,r,e} are equal because they contain the same elements. S={1,2,3,…,1657} is
finite, while T={1,2,3,…} is infinite.

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D. SET RELATIONSHIPS
Subset (⊆)
A is a subset of B if and only if every element of A is also an element of B.

A⊆B

Proper Subset (⊂)

A is a proper subset of B if every element of A is in B, but B has at least one element that is not in A.

A⊂B
How to check a subset: Check every element in the first set. If all are found in the second set, the subset
statement is TRUE.

Example
C={3,4,5}, D={1,2,3,4,5,6}, E={2,4,6,8}, F={2,4,8}, G={3,4,5}

Statement Answer

C⊆D TRUE

D⊆C FALSE

G⊆D TRUE

D⊆E FALSE

F⊆E TRUE

G⊂D TRUE

C⊂D TRUE

F⊂E TRUE

C⊂G FALSE

G⊂C FALSE

C⊆G TRUE

G⊆C TRUE

E. ELEMENT (∈) VS. SUBSET (⊆)

∈ means “is an element of.” ⊆ means “is a subset of.”

Statement Answer Why?

2 ∈ {1,2,3} TRUE 2 is an element.

{2} ∈ {1,2,3} FALSE {2} is a set, not a listed element.

2 ⊆ {1,2,3} FALSE 2 is an element, not a set.

{2} ⊆ {1,2,3} TRUE 2 is contained in the right-hand set.

{2} ⊆ {{1},{2}} FALSE The element 2 is not directly an element of the

right-hand set.

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Statement Answer Why?

{2} ∈ {{1},{2}} TRUE {2} is directly listed as an element.

MEMORY: ∈ → ELEMENT ⊆ → SET

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F. OPERATIONS ON SETS
1. UNION OF SETS
Symbol: A ∪ B

The union is the set of all elements belonging to A or B or both.

Key word: OR

Example: A={1,2,3,4,5}, B={1,3,5,7,9}

Step 1: Start with A: {1,2,3,4,5}

Step 2: Add elements of B not already listed: 7,9

Final: A ∪ B = {1,2,3,4,5,7,9}
Tip: Union = PUT THEM TOGETHER, without repeating duplicates.

Three-set example:
C={6,7,8,9,10}

A ∪ B ∪ C = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}

2. INTERSECTION OF SETS
Symbol: A ∩ B

The intersection is the set of all elements that belong to both A and B.
Key word: AND

Example: A={1,2,3,4,5}, B={1,3,5,7,9}

Step 1: Look at A: 1,2,3,4,5

Step 2: Identify which are also in B: 1,3,5

Final: A ∩ B = {1,3,5}
B ∩ C = {7,9}
A ∩ B ∩ C = ∅ because there is no element common to all three sets.

UNION VS. INTERSECTION

Operation Symbol Meaning Key Word

Union ∪ Elements in A or B or both OR

Intersection ∩ Elements common to A and B AND

3. COMPLEMENT OF A SET
Symbol: A′

The complement of A in a universal set U is the set of all elements in U but not in A.

A′ = {x ∈ U | x ∉ A}
Important: You must know the Universal Set U before finding a complement.

Example: U={1,2,…,12}, A={1,3,5,7,9}

Step 1: Write U = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12}

GE104 • Mathematics as a Language • Page 6

Step 2: Remove 1,3,5,7,9.

Final: A′ = {2,4,6,8,10,11,12}
For B={6,7,8,9,10}:

B′ = {1,2,3,4,5,11,12}

GE104 • Mathematics as a Language • Page 7

G. COMBINATION OF SET OPERATIONS
Given:
U={1,2,…,8}

A={1,3,4,6,7}

B={4,5,6,7,8}

C={2,4,6,8}

1. Find (A ∪ B) ∩ C′
Step 1 — Find A ∪ B:

A ∪ B = {1,3,4,5,6,7,8}
Step 2 — Find C′:

C′ = {1,3,5,7}
Step 3 — Intersect:

{1,3,4,5,6,7,8} ∩ {1,3,5,7} = {1,3,5,7}

Final Answer: (A ∪ B) ∩ C′ = {1,3,5,7}

2. Find (A ∩ B′) ∪ C
Step 1 — Find B′:

B′ = {1,2,3}
Step 2 — Find A ∩ B′:

{1,3,4,6,7} ∩ {1,2,3} = {1,3}

Step 3 — Union with C:

{1,3} ∪ {2,4,6,8} = {1,2,3,4,6,8}

Final Answer: (A ∩ B′) ∪ C = {1,2,3,4,6,8}

3. Find A′ ∩ (B ∪ C)
Step 1 — Find A′:

A′ = {2,5,8}
Step 2 — Find B ∪ C:

B ∪ C = {2,4,5,6,7,8}
Step 3 — Intersect:

{2,5,8} ∩ {2,4,5,6,7,8} = {2,5,8}

Final Answer: A′ ∩ (B ∪ C) = {2,5,8}

H. QUICK REFERENCE FORMULA SHEET

Symbol Meaning

∈ is an element of

∉ is not an element of

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Symbol Meaning

⊆ is a subset of

⊂ is a proper subset of

∪ union

∩ intersection

A′ complement of A

∅ empty/null set

U universal set

CORE RULES
A ∪ B = elements in A OR B OR both
A ∩ B = elements common to A AND B
A′ = elements in U but NOT in A

GE104 • Mathematics as a Language • Page 9

I. COMMON MISTAKES & LAST-MINUTE REVIEW
■ 1. Confusing ∈ and ⊆
2 ∈ {1,2,3} is TRUE because 2 is an element.

2 ⊆ {1,2,3} is FALSE because 2 is an element, not a set.

■ 2. Repeating elements in a union

Do not repeat duplicates. For A={1,2,3} and B={2,3,4}: A ∪ B={1,2,3,4}.

■ 3. Mixing up union and intersection

∪ = OR = combine. ∩ = AND = common elements.

■ 4. Forgetting U when finding a complement

Always start with the universal set, then remove the elements of the given set.

■ 5. Thinking order matters

{1,2,3} = {3,2,1}. The order of elements does not matter in a set.

FAST STUDY GUIDE

If you see… Think…

x∈A Is x an element of A?

A⊆B Is EVERY element of A in B?

A⊂B A is contained in B AND B has something extra.

A∪B COMBINE all unique elements.

A∩B Find the COMMON elements.

A′ Start with U, then remove A.

(A ∪ B) ∩ C′ Work step-by-step through the operations.

■ LAST-MINUTE MEMORY BOX

∈ = ELEMENT
⊆ = SUBSET
∪ = UNION = OR
∩ = INTERSECTION = AND
A′ = IN U, NOT IN A
UNION → PUT TOGETHER
INTERSECTION → FIND COMMON
COMPLEMENT → WHAT'S LEFT IN U
SUBSET → CHECK EVERY ELEMENT
ELEMENT → CHECK ONE OBJECT

GE104 • Mathematics as a Language • Page 10

END OF MODULE 2.02 REVIEWER

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