Math Problem Statement

Let A, B, and C be three sets. Show that the following hold: (i) A × (B ∪ C) = (A × B) ∪ (A × C) (ii) A × (B ∩ C) = (A × B) ∩ (A × C) (iii) A × (B \ C) = (A × B) \ (A × C)

Solution

The image contains an exercise about set theory involving Cartesian products of sets. The problem is from Exercise 2.5.10, which asks to show that the following identities hold for three sets AA, BB, and CC:

  1. A×(BC)=(A×B)(A×C)A \times (B \cup C) = (A \times B) \cup (A \times C)
  2. A×(BC)=(A×B)(A×C)A \times (B \cap C) = (A \times B) \cap (A \times C)
  3. A×(BC)=(A×B)(A×C)A \times (B \setminus C) = (A \times B) \setminus (A \times C)

Explanation of the approach:

  1. First identity:

    • The left-hand side represents the Cartesian product of set AA with the union of sets BB and CC. The union operation means taking all elements from both BB and CC.
    • The right-hand side is the union of two Cartesian products: A×BA \times B and A×CA \times C, which means taking pairs from both.

    Proof sketch: An element of A×(BC)A \times (B \cup C) is of the form (a,x)(a, x), where aAa \in A and xBCx \in B \cup C. Thus, xx must be in either BB or CC, so (a,x)(a, x) belongs to either A×BA \times B or A×CA \times C, proving equality.

  2. Second identity:

    • The left-hand side represents the Cartesian product of set AA with the intersection of BB and CC.
    • The right-hand side is the intersection of two Cartesian products: A×BA \times B and A×CA \times C, meaning pairs that belong to both products.

    Proof sketch: An element of A×(BC)A \times (B \cap C) is of the form (a,x)(a, x), where xBCx \in B \cap C. Therefore, (a,x)(a, x) must be in both A×BA \times B and A×CA \times C, proving equality.

  3. Third identity:

    • The left-hand side is the Cartesian product of set AA with the difference BCB \setminus C.
    • The right-hand side is the difference between A×BA \times B and A×CA \times C.

    Proof sketch: An element of A×(BC)A \times (B \setminus C) is of the form (a,x)(a, x), where xBx \in B and xCx \notin C. Thus, (a,x)(a, x) belongs to A×BA \times B but not A×CA \times C, proving equality.


Do you need more details or have any questions about these proofs?

Here are 5 related questions to think about:

  1. How does the Cartesian product interact with other set operations like symmetric difference?
  2. Can these properties be generalized to more than three sets?
  3. What happens when the sets AA, BB, or CC are empty?
  4. How would these identities change if the operation were the power set instead of Cartesian product?
  5. Can you think of real-world examples where Cartesian products are useful?

Tip: When working with Cartesian products, it's useful to think of them as forming "ordered pairs" that combine elements from each set, and visualize how the operations affect the pairing.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Set Theory
Cartesian Product
Set Operations

Formulas

A × (B ∪ C) = (A × B) ∪ (A × C)
A × (B ∩ C) = (A × B) ∩ (A × C)
A × (B \ C) = (A × B) \ (A × C)

Theorems

Distributive property of Cartesian product over set operations

Suitable Grade Level

Undergraduate Mathematics or High School Advanced Topics