(Inclusion-Exclusion Principle (Basic))
(Inclusion-Exclusion Principle (Basic))
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Let B and C be subsets of a given set A.  To count the number of elements in the union of B and C, we must evaluate the following:
 
Let B and C be subsets of a given set A.  To count the number of elements in the union of B and C, we must evaluate the following:
  
<math> |B \cup C| = |B| + |C| - |B \cap C| <math\>
+
<math> |B \cup C| = |B| + |C| - |B \cap C| <\math>
  
 
Subtracting <math>|B \cap C| <math\> corrects the overcount.
 
Subtracting <math>|B \cap C| <math\> corrects the overcount.

Revision as of 06:46, 7 September 2008

Inclusion-Exclusion Principle (Basic)

Let B and C be subsets of a given set A. To count the number of elements in the union of B and C, we must evaluate the following:

$ |B \cup C| = |B| + |C| - |B \cap C| <\math> Subtracting <math>|B \cap C| <math\> corrects the overcount. $

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Abstract algebra continues the conceptual developments of linear algebra, on an even grander scale.

Dr. Paul Garrett