pandaBee
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Homework Statement
Suppose R is a relation from A to B and S and T are relations from
B to C.
Must it be true that (S \ T ) ◦ R ⊆ (S ◦ R) \ (T ◦ R)?
The Attempt at a Solution
I assume that (S \ T ) ◦ R ⊆ (S ◦ R) \ (T ◦ R) is true and attempt to prove it (if I run into a contradiction I know that it is false)
Part 1
let [itex](a,c) \in (S\T ) ◦ R[/itex] then, we can choose a [itex]b \in B[/itex] such that,
[itex]\exists b \in B\ ((a,b) \in R\land(b,c) \in (S\T))[/itex]
Therefore,
[itex](a,b) \in R[/itex]
[itex](b,c) \in S[/itex]
[itex](b,c) \notin T[/itex]
But this means that [itex](a,c) \in (S\circ R)[/itex]
Part 2
To prove that [itex](a,c) \notin (T\circ R)[/itex] we employ proof by contradiction:
Suppose [itex](a,c) \in (T\circ R)[/itex] Then we instantiate a [itex]b \in B[/itex], say, b' such that:
[itex](a,b') \in R[/itex]
[itex](b',c) \in T[/itex]
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I've hit a dead-end here and I'm not sure how to progress any further. As an exercise I wanted to refrain from plugging-and-chugging random scenarios into the theorem to prove it's veracity and decided instead to reach a contradiction within a contradiction to prove that the theorem is in fact, false.
However, I haven't (or at least I don't believe) that I have reached a contradiction in the proof, I'm just at a dead end (or at least that's how it seems).
Any insight would be much appreciated.