Proving or Disproving (A-B)'=B'-A' in (a-b) Homework | Steps & Examples

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Homework Statement


Prove or disprove:

(A-B)'=B'-A'


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


Let x\in(A-B)'
Then x\notin(A-B)
I'm not sure where to go from here...
 
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What's the context here? What are A and B? What does (A - B)' mean?
 


A-B is the set of elements in A that are not in B
So x is not in A-B means that x is in A but is not in B

You may want to try to think of some counterexamples before trying to show inclusion both ways.
 


VeeEight said:
A-B is the set of elements in A that are not in B
So x is not in A-B means that x is in A but is not in B

You may want to try to think of some counterexamples before trying to show inclusion both ways.

Ok so:
x\inA and x\notinB

Ok, so suppose A={1,2,3,4,5} B={3,4,6}
Then A-B={1,2,5}
So, (A-B)'={3,4,6}
so, (A-B)'=B
 


If you are working in R, then the complement of the set A-B would be R - {1, 2, 5}
You might want to try some simpler examples like A= (0,1) or {1, 2, 3} and B = [0,1] or {3, 4}
 


VeeEight said:
If you are working in R, then the complement of the set A-B would be R - {1, 2, 5}
You might want to try some simpler examples like A= (0,1) or {1, 2, 3} and B = [0,1] or {3, 4}

A={1,2,3}
B={3,4}
universe ={1,2,3,4,5,6,7}
A-B={1,2}
(A-B)'={3,4,5,6,7}
 


Okay.
 


kathrynag said:
A={1,2,3}
B={3,4}
universe ={1,2,3,4,5,6,7}
A-B={1,2}
(A-B)'={3,4,5,6,7}

VeeEight said:
Okay.
So, if x is not an element of A-B, then x is not an element of {1,2}
 


kathrynag said:

Homework Statement


Prove or disprove:

(A-B)'=B'-A'


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


Let x\in(A-B)'
Then x\notin(A-B)
I'm not sure where to go from here...
Ok, so

kathrynag said:
A={1,2,3}
B={3,4}
universe ={1,2,3,4,5,6,7}
A-B={1,2}
(A-B)'={3,4,5,6,7}

kathrynag said:
So, if x is not an element of A-B, then x is not an element of {1,2}
x\in{3,4,5,6,7}
So x\notinA and x\inB
 
  • #10


kathrynag said:
A = {1,2,3} , B = {3,4} , universe = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7}

A-B = {1,2}
(A-B)' = {3,4,5,6,7}

Keep going! What are A' , B' and B'-A' ?
 
  • #11


kathrynag said:
a={1,2,3}
b={3,4}
universe ={1,2,3,4,5,6,7}
a-b={1,2}
(a-b)'={3,4,5,6,7}

pizzasky said:
keep going! What are a' , b' and b'-a' ?

a'={4,5,6,7}
b'={1,2,5,6,7}
b'-a'={1,2}
 
  • #12


Still not quite sure
Let x\in(A-B)'
x\notin(A-B).
Can I say now x\inB? this is the part that confuses me...
 
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