SET THEORY

IMPORTANT FORMULAS
Notations used in set theory formulas:
Cardinal number of set A.
cardinality of set A.
Complement of set A.
universal set
Set A is proper subset of subset of set B.
Set A is subset of set B.
Null set.
element a belongs to set A.
Union of set A and set B.
Intersection of set A and set B.
Formulas:
For a group of two sets:
1.

If A and B are overlapping set,

2.

If A and B are disjoint set,

3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

For a group of three sets:

1.

2.
3.

4.

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Directions (1-3) : In a certain examination, the candidates can offer papers in English or Hindi or both
the subjects . The number of candidates who appeared in the examination is 1000 of whom 650
appeared in English and 200 appeared in both English and Hindi.

Ex.1.

Find the number of candidates who offered paper in Hindi.

Sol.

Let A be the set of candidates who offered paper in English and B be the set of candidates who
offered paper in Hindi.
Therefore, n (A

B) = 1000, n (A) = 650

n (A

B) = 200

n (A

B) = n (A) + n (B) n (A

B)

n (B) = 550.

Ex.2.

Find the number of candidates who offered paper in English only.

Sol.

n(A B) = n(A) n(A

B)

= 650 200 = 450.

Ex.3.

Find the number of candidates who offered paper in Hindi only.

Sol.

n(B A) = n (B) n(A

B)

= 550 200 = 350.

Please note that the word only is very important to note while answering the question.

Ex.4. In an examination, 40 students passed in Hindi and 20 students passed in Maths. If 15 students
passed in both the exams. Find the number of students who appeared in the examination.
Sol.

Let n(A) = number of students passed in Hindi.

n(B) = number of students passed in Maths.

n(A

B) = number of students passed in both Hindi and Maths.

n(A

B) = n(A) + n(B) n (A

B)

= 40 + 20 15 = 45
Ex.5. A conference was attended by 550 delegates. The number of delegates who drink tea is 00 and
the number of delegates who drink tea only is 200. Find how many drink coffee?
Sol.
n(A

Let set A represents those who drink tea and set B represents those who drink coffee, then
B) = 550,
n(A) = 400 and n(A B) = 200.
n(A B) = n (A) n(A

=>

B)

n(A B) = 400 200 = 200

Now, n(B) = n(A B) + n(A B) n(A)
= 550 + 200 400 = 350.

Ex.6.

In the above question, find how many drink coffee only?

Sol.

n(B A) = n(B) n(A

B)

= 350 200 = 150.

Ex.7. In an examination, 70% of the students passed in English, 65% in Mathematics, 27% failed in
both the subjects and 248 passed in both the subjects. Find the total number of students.
Sol.

% of those who filed in English = 30%

% of those who failed in Maths = 35%

percentage of those who failed in English only = (30 27) = 3% and % of those who failed in
Maths only = (35 27) = 8%
Total % of failed = (3 + 8 + 27) = 38%
and % of passed = (100 38) = 62%

62
Given ,

x total students = 248

100

Total students = 400.

Ex.8. In a group of 800 persons, 600 can speak English and 400 can speak Telugu. If all the people
speak at least one of the two languages, find how many can speak both the languages?
Sol.

Required numbers of persons

= (400 + 600) 800 = 200.

Ex.9.

In the above question , find how many can speak exactly one language?

Sol.

Person who speak English only

= (600 200) = 400.
Person who speak telugu only
= (400 200) = 200.
Hence, person who can speak exactly one language
= (400 + 200) = 600.

Ex.10. A survey shows that 63% of the Americans like apples whereas 76% like gems. What
percentage of Americans like both apples and gems?
Sol.

n(A

B) = n(A) + n(B) n (A B)
= 63 + 76 100 = 39%.

Ex.11. In a city only 2 newspapers A and B are published. It is known that 25% of the city population
reads A and 20% reads B, while 8% read both A and B. It is also known that 30% of those who read A
but not B, look into advertisement and 40% of those who read B but not A, look into advertisement
while 50% of those who read both A and B look into advertisement .What percentage of the
population reads an advertisement?
Sol.

Percentage of those reading and advertisement.

= [(30% of 17) + (40% of 12) + (50% of 8)]
= 13.9%

Ex.12. In a group there are 30 boys. 10 of them like swimming 15 of them like badminton. If the
number of boys who like neither swimming nor badminton is 30%. How many boys like both
swimming and badminton?
Sol.

Number of boys who like both

=

10 + 15 21 = 4.

Directions(13-15): Read the following information and answer the questions that follow
Scholars colony has a population of 2800 members.
Number of members reading only English newspaper = 650
Number of members reading only Hindi newspaper = 550
Number of members reading only Marathi newspaper = 450
Number of members reading all the three newspaper = 100
Number of members reading Hindi as well as English newspapers = 200
Number of members reading Hindi as well Marathi newspapers = 300
Ex.13. Find the number of members reading Hindi newspapers.
Sol.

Numbers of members reading none of the papers

= (550 + 100 +100 + 300) = 1050.

Ex.14. Find the number of members reading none of the newspapers.

Sol.

Numbers of members reading none of the papers

= 2800 (550 + 650 +450 + 100 +100 + 300 + 200) = 450.

Ex.15. Find the number of members reading only one newspaper.

Sol.

Number of members reading only one paper

= (550 + 650 + 450) = 1650