How many subsets of set A satisfy given conditions?

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In summary, the cardinality of a finite set is the number of elements or objects in the set, denoted by |A|. To find the cardinality, count the number of elements or use mathematical techniques such as Venn diagrams. The cardinality of a finite set cannot be negative, but it is possible for an infinite set. The cardinality of a subset is always less than or equal to the original set. There are rules and formulas for calculating the cardinality of finite sets, including the Addition and Multiplication Principles, Inclusion-Exclusion Principle, and Binomial Coefficient formula.
  • #1
Evgeny.Makarov
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Consider a set $A$ and its subsets $B$ and $C$. It is known that $|A-(B\cap C)|=8$, $|B|=5$, $|C-B|=1$ and $|B\cap C|=3$ (here $-$ denotes set difference). How many subsets $X\subseteq A$ are there if $X\cap B\cap C\ne\emptyset$, $|X-(B\cup C)|\ge3$ and $|X\cap (B-C)|=2$?
 
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  • #2
Since nobody gave an answer, I am posting a solution.

I will omit $\cap$ and write intersection as multiplication. I will also write $\sqcup$ for disjoint union.

In this problem $A$ is the universal set, and each element of $A$ belongs to exactly one of four classes: it can fall in or outside $B$ and $C$. Since $A-BC=\overline{BC}=\overline{B}\cup\overline{C}=\overline{B}C\sqcup B\overline{C}\sqcup\overline{B}\overline{C}$, $B=BC\sqcup B\overline{C}$ and $C-B=\overline{B}C$, we have the following system of equations.
\begin{align*}
|\overline{B}C|+|B\overline{C}|+|\overline{B}\overline{C}|&=8\\
|BC|+|B\overline{C}|&=5\\
|\bar{B}C|&=1\\
|BC|&=3
\end{align*}
Solving this system, we can fill the following table form of the Venn diagram.
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1.3,y={(0cm,-1cm)}]
\draw[step=1cm] (-.3,-.3) grid (2,2);
\node[above] at (.5,0) {$B$};
\node[above] at (1.5,0) {$\overline{B}$};
\node
at (0,.5) {$C$};
\node
at (0,1.5) {$\overline{C}$};
\path[shift={(.5,.5)}] (0,0) node {3} (1,0) node {1} (0,1) node {2} (1,1) node {5};
\end{tikzpicture}

Set \(X\) is also split into four disjoint classes. The condition $XBC\ne\emptyset$ gives us $2^3-1=7$ variants for $XBC$. The condition $|X-(B\cup C)|\ge3$ means that $X\overline{B}\overline{C}$ can be chosen in $\binom{5}{3}+\binom{5}{4}+\binom{5}{5}=16$ ways. The condition $|X(B-C)|=|XB\overline{C}|=2$ requires that both elements of $B\overline{C}$ are included in $X$. Finally, the problem does not say anything about $X\overline{B}C$, which gives us two variants: the only element of $\overline{B}C$ may or may not be in $X$. Altogether, there are $7\cdot16\cdot2=224$ variants for $X$.​


I would appreciate your opinion on the difficulty level of this problem. Which year in the university is it appropriate for?​
 
  • #3
That looks like a fairly standard algebra or pre-calculus problem. I wouldn't be surprised to see it in a college freshman or even secondary school class.
 

FAQ: How many subsets of set A satisfy given conditions?

What is a cardinality of a finite set?

The cardinality of a finite set is the number of elements or objects in the set. It is also known as the size or the order of the set.

How is the cardinality of a finite set determined?

The cardinality of a finite set can be determined by counting the number of distinct elements in the set. For example, if a set has 5 elements, its cardinality is 5.

Can the cardinality of a finite set be negative or zero?

No, the cardinality of a finite set cannot be negative or zero. It must be a positive integer as it represents the number of elements in the set.

How does the cardinality of a finite set affect its subsets?

The cardinality of a finite set determines the number of subsets that can be formed from the set. For example, a set with a cardinality of 4 can have 16 (2^4) subsets.

Can two finite sets have the same cardinality?

Yes, two finite sets can have the same cardinality if they have the same number of elements. For example, a set with elements {1,2,3} and a set with elements {a,b,c} both have a cardinality of 3.

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