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== Theorem ==
 
== Theorem ==
  
A\(B ∪ C) = (A\B) ∩ (A\C)
+
A\(B ∪ C) = (A\B) ∩ (A\C)<br/>
 +
where A, B and C are sets.
  
  
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'''Note'''<br/>
 
'''Note'''<br/>
Using the above result, we can prove that (A ∪ B)' = A' ∩ C' because:<br/>
+
Using the above result, we can prove that (A ∪ B)' = A' ∩ B' because:<br/>
 
(A ∪ B)' = ''S''\(A ∪ B) = (''S''\A) ∩ (''S''\B) = A' ∩ B'.
 
(A ∪ B)' = ''S''\(A ∪ B) = (''S''\A) ∩ (''S''\B) = A' ∩ B'.
  

Latest revision as of 05:26, 6 October 2013


Theorem

A\(B ∪ C) = (A\B) ∩ (A\C)
where A, B and C are sets.



Proof

First we show that every element in A\(B ∪ C) is contained in both (A\B) and (A\C).
If x ∈ A\(B ∪ C), then x is in A, but x is not in (B ∪ C). Hence, x is in A and neither in B nor in C. So x is in A and not in B and x is in A but not in C. Therefore, x ∈ A\B and x ∈ A\C ⇒ x ∈ (A\B) ∩ (A\C). So we have that A\(B ∪ C) ⊂ (A\B) ∩ (A\C).

Next we show that if x is in (A\B) ∩ (A\C), then x is in A\(B ∪ C).
If x ∈ (A\B) ∩ (A\C), then x ∈ (A\B) or x ∈ (A\C). Hence x ∈ A and both x ∉ B and x ∉ C. So x ∈ A and x ∉ (B ∪ C) ⇒ x ∈ A\(B ∪ C). Therefore, (A\B) ∩ (A\C) ⊂ A\(B ∪ C).

Since the sets A\(B ∪ C) and (A\B) ∩ (A\C) contain the same elements, A\(B ∪ C) = (A\B) ∩ (A\C).
$ \blacksquare $



Note
Using the above result, we can prove that (A ∪ B)' = A' ∩ B' because:
(A ∪ B)' = S\(A ∪ B) = (S\A) ∩ (S\B) = A' ∩ B'.



References

  • R. G. Bartle, D. R. Sherbert, "Sets and Functions" in "Introduction to Real Analysis", 3rd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 2000. ch 1, pp 3.



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Ph.D. on Applied Mathematics in Aug 2007. Involved on applications of image super-resolution to electron microscopy

Francisco Blanco-Silva