What Does A XOR B Equaling the Null Set Imply About Sets A and B?

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In summary, A ⊕ B = ∅ means that the symmetric difference of sets A and B is empty. This implies that there are no elements that are in A or B but not in their intersection, and thus A and B must have the same elements. The null set is part of every subset and A XOR B would be true if and only if exactly one of A or B would be true. Additionally, the symmetric difference of sets A and B is defined as A XOR B = (A - B) U (B -A).
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MathInProgress
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Homework Statement


What does it mean if A ⊕ B = ∅? Explain

Homework Equations


From what I know the null set is part of every subset and A XOR B would be true if and only if exactly one of A or B would be true.


The Attempt at a Solution


If someone could please help me in formulating an explantation on A XOR B = null set
 
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I would have thought of XOR as a logical operator than a set operator but there is no reason why it can't be: I interpret A XOR B as meaning "those elements that are in A or in B but not in both: [itex]A\cup B- A\cap B[/itex]. More often (to me at least) called the "symmetric difference" of A and B. If A XOR B is empty, then there must NOT be in points that are in A or in B but not in their intersection. What does that imply about [itex]A\cap B[/itex] and so A and B themselves?
 
  • #3
HallsofIvy said:
I would have thought of XOR as a logical operator than a set operator but there is no reason why it can't be: I interpret A XOR B as meaning "those elements that are in A or in B but not in both: [itex]A\cup B- A\cap B[/itex]. More often (to me at least) called the "symmetric difference" of A and B. If A XOR B is empty, then there must NOT be in points that are in A or in B but not in their intersection. What does that imply about [itex]A\cap B[/itex] and so A and B themselves?

This is part b of a question. I did not list down the entire question because I thought it is not important (and it may still not be), but here it is:

The symmetric difference of two sets A and B is defined as A XOR B = (A - B) U (B -A).

b. What does it mean if A XOR B = null set?

Can I say it it this way:

Let A = {1,2,3,4,5} and B = {1,2,3,4,5} then A XOR B = null set? This is because there are no elements that are exclusive to either set.
 

1. What is the XOR operation?

The XOR (exclusive or) operation is a logical operation that compares two binary values and returns a result of 1 if the values are different, and 0 if they are the same. In other words, it returns a value of 1 only when exactly one of the values is 1.

2. How is XOR used in computer science?

XOR is used in computer science for a variety of purposes, such as data encryption, error detection and correction, and data compression. It is also used in programming languages to perform logical operations on binary values.

3. What is the truth table for XOR?

The truth table for XOR is as follows:

X Y XOR
0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0

4. How is XOR related to the null set?

XOR is related to the null set in the sense that when XOR is applied to a set of values, the null set is used as the starting point. This means that if one of the values in the set is 1, the result will be 1. If all the values in the set are 0, the result will be 0. This is similar to how the empty set (or null set) is used as the starting point for other mathematical operations.

5. What are some advantages of using XOR in computing?

XOR has several advantages in computing, including its ability to quickly and efficiently determine whether two values are different or not. It is also useful for data encryption, as it can be used to scramble data in a way that is difficult to decipher without knowing the key. Additionally, XOR is used in error detection and correction, which helps to ensure the accuracy and integrity of data being transmitted over networks.

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