Basic Set Concepts
COS1501 - Theoretical Computer Science I · Set Theory
Basic Set Concepts
Sets are fundamental objects in mathematics and computer science. A set is a collection of distinct objects, considered as an object in its own right. The objects in a set are called elements or members. Sets can be defined in various ways, and understanding their properties is crucial for further studies in computer science.
Definition of a Set
A set is typically denoted by curly braces. For example, the set of natural numbers less than 5 can be written as:
{1, 2, 3, 4}In this case, the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 are the elements of the set. Sets can also be defined by a property that their members share. For example:
{x | x is a natural number and x < 5}This reads as