Exercise 1.3.4

Let A and B be sets. Show that there exists a unique set C such that x C if and only if either x A and x B or x B and x A .

Answers

Proof. Since A and B are sets, the set A B uniquely exists by the Axiom of Union. Now let 𝐏 ( x ) be the property defined by x A and x B or x B and x A . Consider any x such that 𝐏 ( x ) holds. If x A and x B , then obviously x A . On the other hand, if x B and x A , then obviously x B . Thus, in either case, x A or x B so that x A B . Therefore, 𝐏 ( x ) implies that x A B . Therefore, clearly the set we seek is C = { x 𝐏 ( x ) } = { x A B 𝐏 ( x ) } , which uniquely exists by the Axiom Schema of Comprehension. □

It is worth noting that the set C here is called the symmetric difference of A and B and is introduced in the next section.

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2024-07-15 11:42
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