IACS : BS/MS Programme
Autumn Semester 2025
MAT 1101 : Mathematics I
Problem Set 1
Teacher: A. Goswami
Note: In proving (or disproving) results on sets, vein diagrams will not be accepted as valid argument.
You may use it for your own understanding, but the argument you finally present has to be analytical.
1. Let A = {1, 2, {1, 2}, {1, 3}, 4}. For each of the following, determine whether it is an element of A,
a subset of A, both an element and a subset of A, or, neither an element nor a subset of A.
(i) 1, (ii) 3, (iii) {1}, (iv) {1, 2}, (v) {1, 3}, (vi) {1, 4}.
2. Prove that A ⊂ B ∩ C ⇐⇒ A ⊂ B and A ⊂ C.
Examine validity of the implications in A ⊂ B ∪ C ⇐⇒ A ⊂ B or A ⊂ C.
3. Prove the following:
(i) A\(B ∪ C) = (A\B) ∩ (A\C) (ii) A\(B ∩ C) = (A\B) ∪ (A\C) (iii) ((Ac ∪ B c )\A)c = A
(iv) (A\B)\(B\C) = (A ∩ C)\B (v) A ⊂ B ∪ C =⇒ A\B ⊂ C (vi) A\B = A ⇐⇒ A ∩ B = ∅
(vii) A\B = ∅ ⇐⇒ A ⊂ B.
4. Prove that A ∪ B = A ∪ (A\B) and A ∪ B ∪ C = A ∪ (B \A) ∪ (C \(A ∪ B)). See that sets on the
righthand sides in both equalities are disjoint sets. Thus the union of any two (or three) sets can
always be written as a union of two (or three) disjoint sets. This process is called “disjointification”
and can be done for union of any number of sets. Try with five sets.
5. The set (A\B) ∪ (B \A) is called the “symmetric difference” of A and B and is denoted A△B.
(a) Prove that A△B = (A ∪ B)\(A ∩ B) and hence describe the elements that belong to A△B.
(b) Prove that A ∩ (B△C) = ((A ∩ B)\C) ∪ ((A ∩ C)\B).
(c) Prove that (A△B)△C = A△(B△C) (so that this set can be donted simply as A△B△C) and
describe the elements that belong to A△B△C. Can you now guess what will be elements
belonging to the symmetric difference of four sets, five sets, n sets?
(d) (i) A△B = A ⇐⇒ B = ? (ii) A△B = U ⇐⇒ B = ? (iii) When is A ⊂ A△B ?
6. For each of the following statements, either prove that it is true or disprove it by an example:
(i) (A\B)\C = A\(B \C) (ii) A ∪ (B \C) = (A ∪ B)\C (ii) (A×B) ∪ (C×D) = (A ∪ C)×(B ∪ D)
(iii) (A×B) ∩ (C ×D) = (A ∩ C)×(B ∩ D)
7. For any function f : X → Y and any A ⊂ X, we denote f (A) = {f (x) : x ∈ A}. For each of the
following, either prove it ot disprove it by an example:
(i) f (A) ∪ f (B) ⊂ f (A ∪ B) (ii) f (A ∪ B) ⊂ f (A) ∪ f (B) (iii) f (A) ∩ f (B) ⊂ f (A ∩ B)
(iv) f (A ∩ B) ⊂ f (A) ∩ f (B) (v) f (X \A) ⊂ Y \f (A) (vi) Y \f (A) ⊂ f (X \A).
Re-examine validity of each of the above inclusions assuming either f is injective or f is surjective.
8. Let f : X → Y and g : Y → Z be functions and let g ◦ f denote the composition function.
(a) Prove that f and g are both injective =⇒ g ◦ f is injective.
(b) Prove that g ◦ f is injective =⇒ f is injective.
(c) Give an example where g ◦ f is injective, but g is not injective.
(d) From above and what was done in class, conclude that (i) f and g are both bijections =⇒ g ◦ f
is a bijection and (ii) g ◦ f is a bijection =⇒ f is injective and g is surjective.
(e) Construct an example where g ◦ f is a bijection, but neither f is surjective nor g is injective.
9. Let X = {1, 2, 3, 4} and Y = {7, 8, 9}. For each of the following, either find a function that satisfies
the stated properties or prove that no such function exists.
(a) A function f : X → X which is a bijection, but not the identity function.
(b) A function f : X → X which is surjective but not injective.
(c) A function f : X → X which is injective but not surjective.
(d) A function f : X → Y which is neither surjective nor injective.
(e) A function f : X → Y which is surjective but not injective.
(f) A function f : X → Y which is injective but not surjective.
(g) A function f : X → Y which is a bijection.
10. Let N denote the set of “natural numbers” (that is, positive integers). For each of the following,
either find a function that satisfies the stated properties or prove that no such function exists.
(a) A function f : N → N which is neither injective nor surjective.
(b) A function f : N → N which is injective but not surjective.
(c) A function f : N → N which is surjective but not injective.
(d) A function f : N → N which is a bijection, but not the identity function.