Exercise 1.1 — Solutions
Q1.
Determine whether each of the following relations are reflexive, symmetric, and transitive:
(i) Relation R in A = {1, 2, 3, …, 14} defined as R = {(x, y): 3x – y = 0}.
Solution:
We have .
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Reflexive: For reflexivity, (x, x) ∈ R ⟺ 3x – x = 0 ⟺ 2x = 0 ⟺ x = 0.
But 0 ∉ A. Hence, R is not reflexive. -
Symmetric: If (x, y) ∈ R, then y = 3x.
For symmetry, we need (x, y) ∈ R ⇒ (y, x) ∈ R.
Then (y, x) ∈ R ⟺ 3y – x = 0 ⇒ x = 3y.
But if y = 3x, x = 3y ⇒ y = 3x and x = 3(3x) = 9x ⇒ x = 0 (contradiction).
Thus, R is not symmetric. -
Transitive: (x, y) ∈ R ⇒ y = 3x; (y, z) ∈ R ⇒ z = 3y = 9x.
Then (x, z) ∈ R ⟺ z = 3x ⇒ 9x = 3x ⇒ x = 0 (contradiction).
So, not transitive.
✅ Hence, R is neither reflexive, nor symmetric, nor transitive.
(ii) Relation R in N defined as R = {(x, y): y = x + 5 and x < 4}.
Solution:
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Reflexive: (x, x) ∈ R ⟺ x = x + 5 ⟹ 5 = 0 (False).
Hence not reflexive. -
Symmetric: (x, y) ∈ R ⇒ y = x + 5.
Then (y, x) ∈ R ⟺ x = y + 5 ⟺ x = x + 10 (False).
Hence not symmetric. -
Transitive: (x, y) ∈ R ⇒ y = x + 5; (y, z) ∈ R ⇒ z = y + 5 = x + 10.
Then (x, z) ∈ R ⟺ z = x + 5 (False).
Hence not transitive.
✅ So, R is neither reflexive, symmetric, nor transitive.
(iii) Relation R in A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} defined by R = {(x, y): y is divisible by x}.
Solution:
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Reflexive: (x, x) ∈ R since x divides x. ✅ Reflexive.
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Symmetric: (x, y) ∈ R ⇒ y divisible by x.
Then (y, x) ∈ R only if x divisible by y, which is not true (e.g., 2 divides 4 but 4 does not divide 2). ❌
So not symmetric. -
Transitive: If y divisible by x and z divisible by y, then z divisible by x. ✅
Hence transitive.
✅ Therefore, R is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric.
(iv) Relation R in Z of all integers defined as R = {(x, y): x – y is an integer}.
Solution:
For any x, y ∈ Z, x – y is an integer since Z is closed under subtraction.
So R = Z × Z ⇒ every pair related.
✅ R is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive ⇒ an equivalence relation.
(v) Relation R in the set A of human beings in a town:
(a) R = {(x, y): x and y work at the same place}
→ Reflexive ✅ (a person works where they work),
Symmetric ✅ (if x works with y, then y works with x),
Transitive ✅ (if x, y, z work at same place → related).
✅ Equivalence relation.
(b) R = {(x, y): x and y live in same locality}
→ Reflexive ✅, Symmetric ✅, Transitive ✅.
✅ Equivalence relation.
(c) R = {(x, y): x is exactly 7 cm taller than y}
→ Reflexive ❌, Symmetric ❌, Transitive ❌.
❌ Neither of the three.
(d) R = {(x, y): x is wife of y}
→ Reflexive ❌, Symmetric ❌, Transitive ❌.
❌ None.
(e) R = {(x, y): x is father of y}
→ Reflexive ❌, Symmetric ❌, Transitive ❌ (a father’s father ≠ father).
❌ None.
Q2.
Show that the relation R in R defined as R = {(a, b): a ≤ b²} is neither reflexive, nor symmetric, nor transitive.
Solution:
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Reflexive: For reflexivity, (a, a) ∈ R ⇒ a ≤ a².
For a = ½, ½ ≤ ¼ ⇒ False. Hence not reflexive. -
Symmetric: If (a, b) ∈ R ⇒ a ≤ b².
We need (b, a) ∈ R ⇒ b ≤ a².
Let a = 1, b = 2: (1, 2) ∈ R since 1 ≤ 4. But (2, 1) ∉ R since 2 ≤ 1 is False.
Hence not symmetric. -
Transitive: (a, b) ∈ R ⇒ a ≤ b²; (b, c) ∈ R ⇒ b ≤ c².
Take a = 3, b = 2, c = 1. Then 3 ≤ 4 (True), 2 ≤ 1 (False).
Hence no guarantee for a ≤ c². Not transitive.
Thus R is neither reflexive, symmetric, nor transitive.
Q3.
Check whether relation R defined in {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} as R = {(a, b): b = a + 1} is reflexive, symmetric or transitive.
Solution:
-
Reflexive: (a, a) ∈ R ⟺ a = a + 1 (False). ❌
-
Symmetric: If b = a + 1, then a = b + 1 (False). ❌
-
Transitive: If (b = a + 1) and (c = b + 1) ⇒ c = a + 2 ≠ a + 1 ⇒ False. ❌
✅ Hence R is neither reflexive, symmetric, nor transitive.
Q4.
Show that the relation R in R defined as R = {(a, b): a ≤ b} is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric.
Solution:
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Reflexive: a ≤ a ✅ True.
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Symmetric: a ≤ b does not imply b ≤ a (e.g., 2 ≤ 3 but 3 ≤ 2 False). ❌
-
Transitive: If a ≤ b and b ≤ c ⇒ a ≤ c. ✅
✅ Hence R is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric.
Q5.
Check whether the relation R in R defined by R = {(a, b): a ≤ b³} is reflexive, symmetric or transitive.
Solution:
-
Reflexive: (a, a) ∈ R ⟺ a ≤ a³.
True for a ≥ 1 and a ≤ –1, but False for 0 < a < 1 (e.g., ½ ≤ ⅛ False). ❌
So not reflexive. -
Symmetric: a ≤ b³ does not imply b ≤ a³ (e.g., a = 1, b = 2). ❌
-
Transitive: If a ≤ b³ and b ≤ c³ → no guarantee that a ≤ c³. ❌
✅ Hence R is neither reflexive, symmetric, nor transitive.
Q6.
Show that the relation R in {1, 2, 3} given by R = {(1, 2), (2, 1)} is symmetric but neither reflexive nor transitive.
Solution:
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Reflexive: (1, 1), (2, 2), (3, 3) ∉ R ❌
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Symmetric: (1, 2) ∈ R ⇒ (2, 1) ∈ R. ✅
-
Transitive: (1, 2), (2, 1) ∈ R ⇒ (1, 1) ∉ R ❌
✅ Hence R is symmetric but neither reflexive nor transitive.
Q7.
Show that the relation R in the set A of all books in a college library, defined as R = {(x, y): x and y have same number of pages}, is an equivalence relation.
Solution:
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Reflexive: Every book has same number of pages as itself.
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Symmetric: If x and y have same pages, then y and x also do.
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Transitive: If x and y same, and y and z same ⇒ x and z same.
Hence R is an equivalence relation.
Q8.
Show that the relation R in A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} given by R = {(a, b): |a – b| is even} is an equivalence relation.
Also show that all elements of {1, 3, 5} are related and of {2, 4} are related, but none between them.
Solution:
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Reflexive: |a – a| = 0 (even).
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Symmetric: |a – b| = |b – a|.
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Transitive: If |a – b| and |b – c| even ⇒ (a – b) and (b – c) even ⇒ (a – c) even.
Equivalence relation.
Classes: {1, 3, 5} (odd) and {2, 4} (even). No cross-relation.
Q9.
Show that each relation R in A = {x ∈ Z | 0 ≤ x ≤ 12}, given by:
(i) R = {(a, b): |a – b| is a multiple of 4},
(ii) R = {(a, b): a = b},
is an equivalence relation. Find the set of all elements related to 1 in each case.
Solution:
(i)
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Reflexive: |a – a| = 0 ⇒ multiple of 4.
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Symmetric: |a – b| = |b – a|.
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Transitive: If |a – b| and |b – c| multiples of 4 ⇒ |a – c| multiple of 4.
✅ Equivalence.
Elements related to 1: b such that |1 – b| multiple of 4 → b = 1, 5, 9 (within 0–12).
(ii)
-
a = b ⇒ reflexive, symmetric, transitive
Elements related to 1 ⇒ {1}.
Q10.
Give an example of a relation which is:
(i) Symmetric but neither reflexive nor transitive.
(ii) Transitive but neither reflexive nor symmetric.
(iii) Reflexive and symmetric but not transitive.
(iv) Reflexive and transitive but not symmetric.
(v) Symmetric and transitive but not reflexive.
Solution:
(i) R = {(1, 2), (2, 1)} on A = {1, 2, 3}.
(ii) R = {(1, 2), (2, 3), (1, 3)}
(iii) R = {(1, 1), (2, 2), (1, 2), (2, 1)}
(iv) R = {(1, 1), (2, 2), (1, 2), (1, 3)}
(v) R = {(1, 2), (2, 1)}
Q11.
Show that the relation R in the set A of points in the plane given by
is an equivalence relation. Further, show that the set of all points related to a point is the circle with centre at the origin passing through .
Solution.
Let the origin be . For points :
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Reflexive: Distance of from equals itself, so for every . Thus is reflexive.
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Symmetric: If then . That equality is symmetric, so and . Thus is symmetric.
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Transitive: If and , then and . Hence and . Thus is transitive.
Therefore R is reflexive, symmetric and transitive ⇒ an equivalence relation.
Now fix and let . The equivalence class is precisely the circle centered at the origin with radius , which passes through .
Q12.
Show that the relation on the set of all triangles defined by
is an equivalence relation. Consider the right-angled triangles with sides with sides and with sides . Which triangles among are related?
Solution.
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Reflexive: Any triangle is similar to itself, so
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Symmetric: If is similar to , then is similar to
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Transitive: If and
Hence R is an equivalence relation.
Now check similarity of the given triangles: Two triangles are similar if their corresponding side lengths are proportional.
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and Each side of is exactly times the corresponding side of . So .
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is not proportional to (ratios are not equal), so is not similar to nor to .
Therefore and are related; is not related to them.
Q13.
Show that the relation on the set of all polygons defined by
is an equivalence relation. What is the set of all elements in related to the right-angle triangle T with sides ?
Solution.
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Reflexive: Any polygon has same number of sides as itself ⇒ .
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Symmetric: If has same number of sides as , then has same number as .
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Transitive: If and have the same number of sides and and have the same number, then and do too.
Thus R is an equivalence relation. A right-angled triangle is a polygon with 3 sides, so the equivalence class of is the set of all triangles (all polygons with 3 sides) in .
Q14.
Let be the set of all lines in the -plane and define on by
Show that R is an equivalence relation. Find the set of all lines related to the line .
Solution.
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Reflexive: Any line is parallel to itself ⇒ .
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Symmetric: If is parallel to , then is parallel to .
-
Transitive: If L1∥L2 and , then
Hence is an equivalence relation.
The line has slope . All lines parallel to it are exactly the lines with slope ; i.e. all lines of the form (for any real constant ). That collection is the equivalence class of
Q15.
Let R be the relation in the set given by
Choose the correct answer:
(A) is reflexive and symmetric but not transitive.
(B) is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric.
(C) is symmetric and transitive but not reflexive.
(D) is an equivalence relation.
Solution.
First check reflexivity: do we have all in R? Yes — they are listed. So is reflexive.
Check symmetry: but is not listed. So is not symmetric.
Check transitivity: we must check whenever and , then .
Key checks:
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(1,2)∈R and ⇒ is required — it is present.
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(1,3)∈R and ⇒ is required — it is present.
-
and ⇒ required — present.
Other combinations similarly hold; no transitivity violation appears.
Thus R is transitive.
So R is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric, which is option (B).
Q16.
Let be the relation in given by
Which of the following are true?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Solution.
We check each ordered pair:
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(A) : Here but requirement is . So
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(B) : We need . For , So
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(C) : For , so matches, and holds. Hence .
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(D) : For , ; but , so . Also is true but the equality fails. Thus .
Only (C) is correct.
