Prove Relationship between Equivalence Relations and Equivalence Classes

In summary: Finally, you never actually said "R\cap S is an equivalence relation". That is what you were asked to prove.In summary, the problem asks to prove that for every x belongs to X, TR∩S(x) = TR(x) ∩ TS(x) and R∩S is an equivalence relation over X. This is done by showing that for all x in X, R∩S satisfies the properties of an equivalence relation: reflexive, symmetric, and transitive, which are all satisfied by the definitions of R and S. Therefore, R∩S is an equivalence relation over X.
  • #1
Ceci020
11
0
I'm not sure if I did these 2 questions correctly, so would someone please check my work for any missing ideas or errors?

Question 1:

Homework Statement


Prove:
For every x belongs to X, TR∩S(x) = TR(x) ∩ TS(x)

Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution


TR(x) = {x belongs to X such that <x,y> belongs to R}
TS(x) = {x belongs to X such that <x,y> belongs to S}
TR∩S(x) = {x belongs to X such that <x,y> belongs to R∩S}

<x,y> belongs to R∩S if <x,y> belongs to R and also belongs to S, which satisfy the definition above for TR(x) and TS(x)

Question 2:

Homework Statement


R and S are equivalence relations over X
Prove R ∩ S is also an equivalence relation over X

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


Since R and S are equivalence relations over X, then for x in X, R and S satisfy properties:
Reflexive:
<x,x> belongs to R
<x,x> belongs to S
Symmetry:
<x,y> and <y,x> belong to R
<x,y> and <y,x> belong to S
Transitivity:
<x,y> belongs to R, <y,z> belongs to R; then <x,z> belongs to R
<x,y> belongs to S, <y,z> belongs to R, then <x,z> belongs to S

If R∩S is equivalence relation, then it must satisfy:
1/ <x,x> belongs to R∩S, meaning <x,x> belongs to R and also belongs to S
2/ <x,y> and <y,x> belong to R∩S, meaning <x,y> belongs to R and also belongs to S.
3/ <x,y> belongs to R∩S and <y,z> belongs to R∩S, then <x,z> belongs to R∩S, meaning <x,z> belongs to R and also belongs to S
All of these are satisfied by hypotheses.
So R∩S is equivalence relation over X.
 
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  • #2
First, be carful with your wording:
Reflexive:
<x,x> belongs to R
<x,x> belongs to S
should be "For all x in X, <x,x> belongs to R and <x,x> belongs to S"
And you really should say "therefore <x, x> belongs to [itex]R\cap S[/itex]".

Symmetry:
<x,y> and <y,x> belong to R
<x,y> and <y,x> belong to S
would normally be interpreted as "for all x and y in X, <x, y> and <y, x> belong to R", etc. but that is not what you want to say. IF <x, y> is in R, then <y, x> if in R.

and the same for "transitive": IF <x, y> is in R AND <y, z> is in R, then <x, z> is in R.

And you cannot just say "all of these are satisfied by hypotheses". You must show exactly why each of reflexive, symmetric, and transitive is satisfied for [itex]R\cap S[/itex].
 

1. What is an equivalence relation?

An equivalence relation is a mathematical concept that describes a relationship between elements of a set. It is a binary relation that is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive. In simpler terms, it is a way of grouping elements together based on certain properties or characteristics.

2. What are equivalence classes?

Equivalence classes are subsets of a set that contain elements that are considered equivalent according to an equivalence relation. In other words, elements within an equivalence class are related to each other in the same way.

3. How are equivalence relations and equivalence classes related?

Equivalence relations and equivalence classes are closely related because an equivalence relation defines the criteria for grouping elements into equivalence classes. Each equivalence class is a result of the equivalence relation, and every element within an equivalence class is related in the same way.

4. Can an equivalence relation have more than one equivalence class?

Yes, an equivalence relation can have multiple equivalence classes. This means that there can be different ways of grouping the elements of a set based on different properties or characteristics.

5. How do equivalence classes help in understanding equivalence relations?

Equivalence classes provide a visual representation of the properties or characteristics that an equivalence relation is based on. They help to simplify and organize the relationships between elements of a set, making it easier to understand and analyze the equivalence relation.

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