Exercise 6.2.3

Are the following sets transitive?

(a) { , { } , { { } } } ,

(b) { , { } , { { } } , { , { } } } ,

(c) { , { { } } } .

Answers

(a) We claim that X = { , { } , { { } } } is transitive.

Proof. Suppose x X . If x = then obviously x X . If x = { } then x X since X . If x = { { } } then x X since { } X . Thus since the cases are exhaustive we’ve shown that x X so that X is transitive by definition. □

(b) We claim that X = { , { } , { { } } , { , { } } } is transitive.

Proof. For x X the three cases in part (a) above have the same results and, if x = { , { } } , then x X since X and { } X . Hence again X is transitive by definition. □

(c) We claim that X = { , { { } } } is not transitive.

Proof. If x = { { } } we have that x is not a subset of X since { } x but { } X . Hence X is not transitive. □

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2024-07-15 11:42
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