How Do I Define an Equivalence Relation on a Subset?

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If I have a subset, how do I define an equivalence relation.
I understand it has to satisfy three properties:transitive, symmetric and reflexive, but I'm not sure how to give an explicit definition of the equivalence relation, for example on I where
[itex]I=\{(x,y) : 0 \le x\le 1 \ \& \ 0 \le y \le 1\}[/itex]
 
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Do you know what a cartesian product is? If you don't its a very important topic for anyone learning set theory to know.

If you do, then an equivalence relation R from A to B is a subset of A X B. In other words an equivalence relation R contains those ordered pairs (a,b) [tex]\in[/tex] A X B such that a is related to b by R.

In your example that equivalence relation is a subset of [tex]\Re[/tex] X [tex]\Re[/tex] consisting of those (x,y) [tex]\in[/tex] [tex]\Re[/tex] X [tex]\Re[/tex] such that 0 [tex]\leq[/tex] x [tex]\leq[/tex] 1, 0 [tex]\leq[/tex] y [tex]\leq[/tex] 1.

Hope that makes sense to you.
 


CharmedQuark said:
Do you know what a cartesian product is? If you don't its a very important topic for anyone learning set theory to know.

If you do, then an equivalence relation R from A to B is a subset of A X B. In other words an equivalence relation R contains those ordered pairs (a,b) [tex]\in[/tex] A X B such that a is related to b by R.

In your example that equivalence relation is a subset of [tex]\Re[/tex] X [tex]\Re[/tex] consisting of those (x,y) [tex]\in[/tex] [tex]\Re[/tex] X [tex]\Re[/tex] such that 0 [tex]\leq[/tex] x [tex]\leq[/tex] 1, 0 [tex]\leq[/tex] y [tex]\leq[/tex] 1.

Hope that makes sense to you.

HI

That does makes sense, but I can't see how to define an explicit equivalence relation...?
 


mcfc said:
...for example on I where
[itex]I=\{(x,y) : 0 \le x\le 1 \ \& \ 0 \le y \le 1\}[/itex]

I x I has the required properties, right?
 


bpet said:
I x I has the required properties, right?

sorry...I don't follow(again)
 


mcfc said:
sorry...I don't follow(again)

The equivalence relation you gave is a relation on the set I. I X I is the cartesian product of I with itself. Since the relation R is from I to I it is a subset of I X I. An equivalence relation is a set and can be written as such.

Perhaps if you rephrased your question I could be of more help?