[Math] Number of ordered pairs of subsets

combinatoricselementary-set-theory

Q.20 What is the number of ordered pairs $(𝐴, 𝐡)$ where $𝐴$ and $𝐡$ are subsets of $\{1,2, . . . ,5\}$ such that neither $𝐴 βŠ† 𝐡$ nor $𝐡 βŠ† 𝐴$?

Ans: πŸ“πŸ•πŸŽ

Hint: Use principle of Inclusion-Exclusion.

Solution: Let $X$ denote the set of all ordered pairs $(A, B)$ when $A βŠ† B$. Similarly let $Y$ denote set of all ordered pairs $(A,B)$ when $B βŠ† A$. The question asks to find $$𝑛(X'\cap Y') = 𝑛(𝑆) βˆ’ 𝑛(𝑋\cupπ‘Œ) $$$$= 𝑛(S) βˆ’ 𝑛(X) βˆ’ 𝑛(Y) + 𝑛(X\cap Y) $$$$= 2^{10} βˆ’ 3^5 βˆ’ 3^5 + 2^5 = 570$$.


How did this happen? What is $S$? If $S={1,2,3,4,5}$, shouldn't $n(S)=2^5$? And where do the $3^5$s come from? I cannot understand this.

Also, are there other ways to solve this?

Best Answer

$S$ is the set of ordered pairs $(A, B)$, where $A, B \subseteq \{1, 2, 3, 4, 5\}$.

The number of subsets of $\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5\}$ is $2^5$ since we can choose to include or not include each element in the set in a subset. Hence, there are $2^5$ ways to select set $A$ and $2^5$ ways to select $B$. Since subsets $A$ and $B$ may be selected independently, there are $2^5 \cdot 2^5 = 2^{10}$ ordered pairs of subsets $(A, B)$.

If $A \subseteq B$, then there are three possibilities for each of the five elements in the set $\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5\}$. Either it is in set $A$, set $B - A$, or neither subset. Thus, there are $3^5$ ordered pairs $(A, B)$ with $A \subseteq B$.

By symmetry, there are also $3^5$ ordered pairs $(A, B)$ in which $B \subseteq A$.

If $A \subseteq B$ and $B \subseteq A$, then $A = B$. Since each of the five elements in $\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5\}$ is either in $A$ or not in $A$, there are $2^5$ ordered pairs of subsets $(A, B)$ in which $A = B$.

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