IB Higher Level Mathematics : Option

10. Sets, Relations and Groups

10.1
Finite and infinite sets. Operations on sets: union; intersection; complement. De Morgan's laws; subsets.

See Notes on Set Theory, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardino. See their Reference Notes Page. The CSUB site has a Venn diagram quiz. See Venn Diagrams and Regions in a Venn Diagram, both from California State University San Bernardino's Reference Notes Page. Reference is also made to de Morgan's laws.

Much of the same material is presented at Notation and Set Theory, from Seton Hall University's Interactive Real Analysis site. A number of examples are given.

For historical background, see the link to De Morgan, Augustus at Historical Tidbits, from Interactive Real Analysis.

The Venn diagram with 4 sets partitions the universe into 24 pieces.
From Notes on Set Theory, from CSUSB. Used with permission.


10.2
Ordered pairs; the cartesian product of a set. Relations; equivalence relations.

Equivalence Relations and Classes, from Seton Hall University's Interactive Real Analysis site. A number of examples are given.

10.3
Functions; injections; surjections; bijections. Composition of functions and inverse functions.

Compositions of functions are discussed at Composite Functions, from Interactive Mathematics Online. The IMO site also has a number of diagrams and an explanation of Inverse Functions.

Functions, including injections, surjections, and bijections, are discussed at Relations and Functions, from Seton Hall University. Their site also has a number of problems, at Problems: Set Theory and Notation.

    
If a light is placed on either side of the domain, then the shadow of the graph on the y-axis is the image. If the shadow covers the range of the function, the function is surjective, or onto.
In this example, the function is not surjective.
From Interactive Real Analysis. Used with permission.

10.4
Binary operations: definition; closure; operation tables.

A thorough explanation of what a binary operation is can be found at Notes on Binary Operations, from the Mathematics Department of CSUSB. Also see their Reference Notes Page.

    
An example of a binary operation (called "!"), on {a, b}.
         From Notes on Binary Operations. Used with permission.         

10.5
The associative, distributive and commutative properties of binary operations.

See Associative operations, Commutative operations, and Distributive properties, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardino.

10.6
The identity element e and the inverse a-1 of an element a. Proof that the left-cancellation and right-cancellation laws hold, provided the element has an inverse. Proofs of the uniqueness of the identity and inverse elements in particular cases.

See Identities and Inverse, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardino.

10.7
The axioms of a group {S, *}. Abelian groups.

Groups, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardino, deals with many topics on the IB syllabus.

Formal definitions of groups, cyclic groups, permutation groups, and more are provided at Groups, part of the Abstract Algebra On Line site.

Also see Groups, from David Reid, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

For a graduated introduction to groups, see Simple Algebraic Structures. Definitions are given for algebraic structures (groupoids, semigroups, monoids, loops, etc.) that are simpler than groups.

Exploring Abstract Algebra with Mathematica is an attempt to provide functionality
for working with structures in abstract algebra through the use of packages written for Mathematica. EAAM has several labs available for downloading at Labs for Group Theory. Recommended for users of Mathematica.

Abel, Niels (1802 - 1829) gives some historical background on the man after whom Abelian groups were named.
From the Interactive Real Analysis site.

An example of an Abelian group.
The set of elements consists of those non-negative integers less than 14 that are relatively prime to 14. The operation is multiplication modulo 14. From EAAM.
Used with permission.

10.8
Examples of groups: , , , and under addition; symmetries of an equilateral triangle and square; matrices of the same order under multiplication; 2 x 2 invertible matrices under multiplication; integers under addition modulo n; invertible functions under composition of functions; permutations under composition of permutations.

The Groups15 Demo, from John J. Wavrik of the University of California San Diego, is a Java applet allowing experimentation with group tables for groups of orders 1 through 15.

For symmetry groups, see Groups and Symmetry, from the Geometry Forum. Also see Symmetry in the Plane, from David Reid, and Symmetry Groups, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardino. Symmetry and Group Theory, from The Geometry Junkyard, has a number of examples involving both symmetry and groups. Finally, Symmetry Web, from Oklahoma State University, provides an exploration of the symmetries of such figures as the equilateral triangle, cube and dodecahedron. Exercises and projects are included.

Abstract Algebra On Line has a Permutation Groups entry. Also see Permutation Groups, from the Mathematics Department of CSUSB.

10.9
Finite and infinite groups. The order of a group element and the order of a group.

More many high-level examples, see ATLAS of Finite Group representations. As a sampler, exceptional group E7(2) is of order 7997476042075799759100487262680802918400.

For information on order, see Order of a group, element, from CSUSB's Mathematics Department. The order of a group and the order of an element are both discussed.

10.10
Cyclic groups and generators of a group. Proof that all cyclic groups are Abelian.

See Cyclic Groups, from Abstract Algebra On Line.

Also see Cyclic Groups, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardino.

The generation of a cyclic subgroup.
The operation is multiplication modulo 19.
The set of elements generated consists of those non-negative integers less than 19 that are relatively prime to 19. Note that the red dots get progressively larger as the numbers are generated.
From EAAM. Used with permission.

10.11
Definition of a subgroup. Lagrange's theorem, without proof, and its corollary.

See Subgroups, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardo. Lagrange's theorem is discussed.

Also see Groups - scroll down. Lagrange's theorem is stated (at 3.2.10), as are several corollaries. From Abstract Algebra On Line.

10.12
Isomorphism and isomorphic groups: Formal definition in terms of bijection; the property that an isomorphism maps the identity of one group onto the identity of the other group; a similar property for inverses.

See Isomorphism, from the Mathematics Department of California State University San Bernardino.

An example of isomorphism. The matching colours indicate that the two groups are structurally the same.
From Exploring Abstract Algebra with Mathematica.
Used with the permission of Al Hibbard.


A definition of isomorphism, from Abstract Algebra On Line.
Used with the permission of John Beachy.



Number and Algebra   |  Functions and Equations   |  Circular Functions and Trigonometry
Vector Geometry   |  Matrices and Transformations   |  Statistics   |  Probability
Calculus   |  Option Statistics   |  Discrete Mathematics
Analysis and Approximation   |  Euclidean Geometry and Conic Sections

Home   |  News   |  Faculty   |  Curriculum   |  Calculators   |  MathHelp   |  IBHL Math   |  Links