Please help - Binary Relations driving me utterly insane

In summary, the conditions (i) to (iv) are equivalent in showing that R ◦ S is a symmetric, transitive, and the unique smallest equivalence relation on A containing both R and S. The most challenging part is proving that (ii) implies (i).
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Homework Statement



If R and S are two equivalence relations on the same set A, we define R ◦ S =
{(x, z ) ∈ A × A : there exists y ∈ A such that (x, y) ∈ R and (y, z ) ∈ S }.

Show that the following conditions are equivalent:
(i) R ◦ S is a symmetric relation on A ;
(ii) R ◦ S is a transitive relation on A ;
(iii) S ◦ R ⊆ R ◦ S ;
(iv) R ◦ S is the unique smallest equivalence relation on A containing both R and S .

The Attempt at a Solution



I've spent literally hours trying to solve this and my brain is leaking out my ears now :( I've managed to prove (i -think-) that (i)=>(ii), and that (i)<=>(iii), but I can't see any way whatsoever to show (ii)=>(i), and I've managed to show that R ◦ S contains both R and S for (iv) but I don't know how to show that if it's the smallest such relation (iv)<=>(i) or (ii) or (iii).

Please help! I'm quite a way out of my depth - (ii)=>(i) is the most frustrating bit, because I'm sure it's probably really obvious but I just can't seem to get it out! :(
 
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  • #2
Never mind, got it.
 

What are binary relations?

Binary relations are a mathematical concept that describes the relationship between two sets of objects. They are represented by a set of ordered pairs and can be used to model a wide range of relationships, such as equality, inequality, and membership.

How do binary relations work?

Binary relations work by mapping elements from one set, known as the domain, to elements in another set, known as the range. This mapping is represented by ordered pairs, where the first element is from the domain and the second element is from the range.

What are some common examples of binary relations?

Some common examples of binary relations include "greater than" and "less than" for numbers, "father of" and "mother of" for family relationships, and "member of" for set membership.

How do you determine if a binary relation is reflexive, symmetric, or transitive?

A binary relation is reflexive if every element in the domain is related to itself. It is symmetric if for every ordered pair (a,b), there is also an ordered pair (b,a). It is transitive if for every ordered pairs (a,b) and (b,c), there is also an ordered pair (a,c).

What is the importance of binary relations in mathematics and science?

Binary relations are important in mathematics and science because they provide a way to describe and analyze relationships between objects. They are used in various fields, such as computer science, graph theory, and linguistics, to model complex systems and solve problems.

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