How do we determine the relation, domain and range when the entries in the ordered pair are more than or equal to $3$

elementary-set-theory

A binary relation is a relation between two objects. If $x$ is related to $y$ under the relation $\mathbb{R}$, then we write $_x\mathit{R}_y$

Thus, $\mathbb{R}=\{(x,y): x\in \text{A, } y \in \text{B } \text{ and } _x\mathit{R}_y\}$ where $\text{A}$ and $\text{B}$ are two sets and a relation $\mathbb{R}$ from $\text{A}$ to $\text{B}$ is the subset of the cartesian product $\text{A} \times \text{B}$.

$\square $ Domain of the relation – The set of first entries of the ordered pairs in a relation.

$\square $ Range of the relation – The set of second entries of the ordered pairs in a relation.

$\bigcirc$ Question :

  1. Suppose we have three sets $\text{A}$, $\text{B}$ and $\text{C}$, then how do we define a relation between them and what would be the domain and range of that relation?
  2. What would be the domain and range of the relation, where we have the cartesian product of more than three sets?

I don't have a strong logic but I think –

  • it is obvious that no matter how many sets are there, from the ordered pair of their cartesian product the set of first entries will always be the domain of a relation between those sets (if such a relation exists). But I have no ideas, what to call the second and third entries in each ordered pair.

  • my first question is related to composite mapping. If we say domain and range – the relation should be always binary [such as $\text{A}\to \text{B}$, then $(\text{A}\circ \text{B})\to \text{C}$ ]

    Any explanation is valuable and highly appreciated.

Best Answer

  1. As a subset of A×B×C.
    It is a collection of triplets.
    Domain, codomain and range are meaningless.
    Instead one uses the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd projections.

  2. As a subset of the product of the n sets.
    It is a collection of n-tuplets.
    Again, domain, codomain and range are meaningless.
    Instead one uses the projections, the first through the n-th.

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