CARDINAL NUMBERS

Name -
Teacher’s name -
School -
Class -
Section -
Introduction: 3
Aim: 4
Cardinal numbers: 4
Union: 5
Intersection: 5
Example 1: 7
Example 2: 10
Example 3: 12
Conclusion 14
Bibliography 14
Introduction:
In order to understand the basic rules of cardinal numbers , I will start off
with defining sets. “A set is an organized collection of well defined
objects”. Sets are generally represented with capital letters and the
elements in a set are written in curly brackets. For example: a set X of even
numbers less than 10 can be written as {2,4,6,8}. The example set is a
finite set as it has a finite number of elements.

Now that I have explained what a set is, I will move on to different ways to
illustrate the data in a set. One of the most common illustrations used to
represent sets are called venn diagrams, venn diagrams use circles to
show a visual representation of multiple sets and the elements in them. For
example let's consider a set Y which contains prime numbers less than 10.
Y can be written as Y= {2,3,5,7}. I will draw a venn diagram representing
the two sets X and Y mentioned above. SInce the elements of the two sets
belong to the natural numbers less than 10 , I can treat it as my universal
set U= {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}. In a venn diagram the universal sets are
represented with a rectangle and the subsets of the universal set are
represented with circles. Before drawing the venn diagram , there is one
key observation that should always made, it is to check whether the sets
have any common element, in my example sets X and Y have 2 as a
common element and hence the circles should overlap and the element 2
should be present in the overlapping section of the two circles. The venn
diagram of the 2 sets X and Y is shown below.

Fig 1: Example of a venn diagram

Aim:
Now that I have a basic understanding of sets and venn diagrams , I can
move on to the aim of this project “ Verify the basic rules about the
cardinal numbers of three non empty sets A, B and C using venn
diagrams ”.

Cardinal numbers:
To start this first project I first need to define Cardinal numbers, Cardinal
number of a set is nothing but the number of distinct elements present in
the set. It tells us about the size of a set. The cardinal number of a set is
written as n(X) where X is a set and n(X) is read as the number of elements
in set X. For example if there is a set X = {1,2,3,5,8} , it can be observed
that the set has 5 distinct elements in it, hence the cardinality of the set is 5
or it can also be written as n(X) = 5.

In order to explore the concept of cardinality more in depth , I will consider

a few example sets and try to represent them on the venn diagram. Before
that there are a few new terms that will be used in the investigation, so I am
first going to define them.

1. Union:
A union as the name suggests is the process of grouping together
two or more sets, where each unique element is counted exactly
once. Union of two sets A and B is written as (A U B). For example
consider 2 sets A = {1,2,3} and B = {2,4,5}. In this case (A U B) =
{1,2,3,5}.

2. Intersection:
An intersection between two or more sets is a set of elements that
are common between the given sets. Intersection of two sets A and B
is written as (A ⋂ B). For example, consider 2 sets A = {1,2,3} and B =
{2,4,5}. In this case (A ⋂ B) = {2}.
Now the question arises that if we have multiple sets and we want to figure
out the cardinality of union or intersection of two or more sets , can we
derive a general formula for it or not. In this investigation , I will first try to
derive the formula for cardinality of union of 3 sets and then verify the
formula using some examples.

Fig 2: Venn diagram representing 3 overlapping sets

I have drawn 3 sets A , B and C. The different colour coded areas can be
defined as:
Area Elements belong to sets
a Only A
b A and B but not C
c Only B
d A and C but not B
e A and B and C
f B and C but not A
g Only C
Table 1: Different areas on the venn diagram and their meaning
According to the venn diagram,
n(A) = area (a+d+e+b)
n(B) = area (b+c+e+f)
n(C) = area (d+e+f+g)

Upon adding n(A), n(B) and n(C), I got:

n(A) + n(B) + n(C) = area (a+d+e+b+b+c+e+f+d+e+f+g)
n(A) + n(B) + n(C) = area (a+2d+3e+2b+c+2f+g)

RHS can be written as

area (a+b+c+d+e+f+g) + area (d+e) + area (b+e) + area (f+e) - area (e)

In terms of cardinality these areas can be written in terms of the 3 sets as

shown below:

n(A U B U C) + n(A ⋂ C) + n(A ⋂ B) + n(B ⋂ C) - n(A ⋂ B ⋂ C)

LHS = RHS
Hence,

n(A) + n(B) + n(C) = n(A U B U C) + n(A ⋂ C) + n(A ⋂ B) + n(B ⋂ C) - n(A ⋂ B ⋂ C)

Rearranging the formula gives us:

n(A U B U C) = n(A) + n(B) + n(C) - n(A ⋂ C) - n(A ⋂ B) - n(B ⋂ C) + n(A ⋂ B ⋂ C)

This formula gives us the basic rule of cardinality in the case of 3 sets. I will verify
the given formula by using 3 different examples accompanied with a venn
diagram in each case.
Example 1:
In a group of students, 65 play football, 45 play hockey, 42 play cricket, 20
play football and hockey, 25 play football and cricket, 15 play hockey and
cricket and 8 play all the three games. Find the total number of students in
the group (Assume that each student in the group plays at least one game.)

Solution:
In this example , it can be observed that some data has been collected
from school students and the students have been divided into 3 sets
according to the sports that they play: football, cricket or hockey.
Already it can be noticed that students can play multiple sports as well, first
I will try to represent this information on the venn diagram.

Lets assign the values given in the question set notations,

65 students play football i.e, n(F) = 65
45 play hockey means n(H) = 45
42 play cricket means n(C) = 42
20 play football and hockey, n(F ⋂ H) = 20
25 play football and cricket , n(F ⋂ C) = 25
15 play hockey and cricket , n(H ⋂ C) = 15
8 play all games , n(H ⋂ C ⋂ F) = 8

In order to determine the total number of students , I will first use the
formula derived above and then verify it using a venn diagram.
Acc to the formula,
n(C U F U H) = n(C) + n(F) + n(H) - n(C ⋂ F) - n(H ⋂ F) - n(C ⋂ H) + n(C ⋂ F ⋂ H)

Substituting the information given in the question into the above equation
n(C U F U H) = 42 + 65 + 45 - 25 - 20 - 15 + 8 = 100

According to the formula the total number of students was 100, let's verify it
using a venn diagram.
 Fig 3: Venn diagram representing the data in example 1

Area Elements belong to Number of elements

sets
a Only C n(C) - b - e - d = 42-7-8-17 = 10
b C and H but not F n(C ⋂ H) - n(C ⋂ F ⋂ H) = 15-8 = 7
c Only H n(H) - f - e - b = 45 - 12 - 8 - 7 = 18
d C and F but not H n(C ⋂ F) - n(C ⋂ F ⋂ H) = 25-8 = 17
e C and F and H n(C ⋂ F ⋂ H) = 8
f H and F but not C n(H ⋂ F) - n(C ⋂ F ⋂ H) = 20-8 = 12
g Only F n(F) - d - e - f = 65 - 17 - 8 - 12 = 28
Table 2: Representation, interpretation and calculation of cardinal numbers
of different areas in venn diagram for example 1

n(C U F U H) = area (a + b + c + d + e + f + g)
= 10+7+18+17+8+12+28
= 100
It can be observed that the answer to the total number of students came
out to be the same using both the formula and the venn diagram hence
verifying the formula derived above.

As we already verified the formula in case of three overlapping sets, I also

wanted to verify the validity of the formula in the case of a pair of disjoint
sets.

Example 2:
In a survey for languages, 85 speak Tamil, 80 speak English and 20 speak
Hindi. Also 32 speak Tamil and English, 0 speak Tamil and Hindi and 10
speak English and Hindi. FInd the total number of people surveyed.

Solution:
In this example , the first thing to notice is that there are no people who
speak both tamil and hindi which means that there will be no overlapping
between these two sets and although its not mentioned but the intersection
of all 3 sets will also be zero because if there is no one who speaks both
tamil and hindi then it follows that there will be no one who speaks all three
languages.
Let's use the formula to determine the total number of people surveyed.
85 speak Tamil, n(T) = 85
80 speak English, n(E) = 80
20 speak Hindi, n(H) = 20
32 speak Tamil and English, n(T⋂E) = 32
0 speak Tamil and Hindi , n(T⋂H) = 0
10 speak English and Hindi, n(E⋂H) = 10
0 speak tamil, hindi and english, n(E⋂H⋂T) = 0

n(T U H U E) = n(T) + n(H) + n(E) - n(T ⋂ H) - n(T ⋂ E) - n(H ⋂ E) + n(T ⋂ H ⋂ E)

= 85+20+80-0-32-10+0 = 143
Now let's make a venn diagram to verify the answer,
 Fig 4: Venn diagram representing the data in example 2

Area Elements Number of elements

belong to sets
a Only E n(E) - n(E ⋂ T) - n(E ⋂ H) = 80-32-10 = 38
b E and T n(E ⋂ T) = 32
c Only T n(T) - n(E ⋂ T) = 85-32 = 53
d E and H n(E ⋂ H) = 10
e Only H n(H) - n(E ⋂ H) = 10
Table 3: Representation, interpretation and calculation of cardinal numbers
of different areas in venn diagram for example 2

n(T U H U E) = a+b+c+d+e+f = 38+32+53+10+10 = 143

It can be observed that even in case of disjoint sets , the cardinal number
formula works perfectly. In the third example I will be taking subsets and
again try to verify whether the cardinal number formula works or not.
Example 3:
In a survey of video games, 50 students like to play the online game
valorant, 70 students play pubg, 60 play dota, 50 students play valorant
and pubg, 20 students play dota and valorant. Determine the total number
of students surveyed.

Solution:
In this particular example , it can be noted that 50 students play valorant in
total and 50 students play valorant and pubg which means that every
student that plays valorant also plays pubg, therefore the set of valorant
player is a subset of pubg players.

50 students like to play the online game valorant, n(V) = 50

70 students play pubg, n(P) = 70
60 play dota, n(D) = 60
50 students play valorant and pubg, n(V ⋂ P) = 50
20 students play dota and valorant, n(V ⋂ D) = 20

Because we know that all students who play valorant also play pubg
therefore if 20 students play dota and valorant , the same 20 students must
also play dota and pubg

20 students play dota and pubg, n(P ⋂ D) = 20

Which also means the a total of 20 students play all 3 games
n(P ⋂ D ⋂ V) = 20

Using the formula

n(P U V U D) = n(P) + n(V) + n(D) - n(P ⋂ V) - n(P ⋂ D) - n(V ⋂ D) + n(P ⋂ V ⋂ D)
= 70+50+60-50-20-20+20
= 110

Again lets try to verify it using a venn diagram:

 Fig 5: Venn diagram representing the data in example 3

Area Elements belong Number of elements

to sets
a Only P n(P) - n(V) = 70-50 = 20
b V and P but not D n(V ⋂ P) - n(V ⋂ D) = 50-20 = 30
c V and P and D n(V ⋂ P ⋂ D) = 20
d Only D n(D) - n(V ⋂ P ⋂ D) = 60-20 = 40
Table 4: Representation, interpretation and calculation of cardinal numbers
of different areas in venn diagram for example 3

n(P U V U D) = area (a+b+c+d) = 20 + 30 + 20 + 40 = 110

Even in case of subsets , the cardinal number formula is giving the correct
answer and hence its validity has been verified in different situations.
Conclusion
In conclusion , I first derived the formula related to cardinal numbers in the
case of 3 non zero sets and the formula came out to be:
n(A) + n(B) + n(C) = n(A U B U C) + n(A ⋂ C) + n(A ⋂ B) + n(B ⋂ C) - n(A ⋂ B ⋂ C)
I proceeded to verify the formula in different conditions where the 3 sets
may be overlapping in example 1 , where the sets are disjoint as shown in
example 2 and when a set is a subset of another as shown in example 3. It
was shown that in each case the formula for cardinal numbers for 3 non
zero sets proved to be true and hence its accuracy was validated and
verified.

Through this investigation I was able to deepen my knowledge of sets and

cardinal numbers and I also practiced how to do my own research and
write a report on it. Overall the investigation was successful in fulfilling the
aim to “Verify the basic rules about the cardinal numbers of three non
empty sets A, B and C using venn diagrams ”.

Bibliography
1. https://www.onlinemath4all.com/venn-diagram-word-problems-with-3-
circles.html
2. https://www3.nd.edu/~dgalvin1/10120/10120_S16/Topic02_6p2_Galv
in.pdf
3. http://amsi.org.au/teacher_modules/pdfs/Sets_and_venn_diagrams.p
df
4. http://www.opentextbookstore.com/busprecalc/busprecalc7-2.pdf
5. https://bergen.edu/wp-content/uploads/MAT130-2.4.pdf