[Math] the notation for: for every element of a set of 2-tuples, the second element in each tuple is unique

elementary-set-theorylogic

I have a set of 2-tuples, A, and I want to state that every tuple in A has a unique second element. In other words, for every pair of elements i and j from A, where i is not equal to j, the second element of tuple i does not equal the second element of tuple j.

Also, what is the name of the logic(?) used to make such statements?

Best Answer

As Carl remarks in comments, your formulation in the question is perfectly all right. However, if you have a good reason to want to write it down symbolically (and "because that is more mathematical" is not a good reason; it is false), then you can just do it part for part:

For every pair of elements $i$ and $j$ from $A$ ($\forall i,j\in A$) where $i$ is not equal to $j$ ($i\ne j$) it holds that ($\Rightarrow)$ the second element of the pair $i$ ($\pi_2(i)$) does not equal ($\ne$) the second element of pair $j$ ($\pi_2(j)$): $$ \forall i,j\in A: i\ne j\Rightarrow \pi_2(i)\ne \pi_2(j)$$ where $\pi_2$ is the second projection function. If you don't want to use the $\pi_2$, you can write $$ \forall \langle a,b\rangle, \langle c,d\rangle\in A: \langle a,b\rangle\ne\langle c,d\rangle\Rightarrow b\ne d$$ or a bit shorter as $$ \forall \langle a,b\rangle, \langle c,d\rangle\in A: b=d\Rightarrow a=c$$ If you're in a completely formal setting where you can't quantify over patterns such as $\langle a,b\rangle$, you'll need to do something like $$ \forall a,b,x: \langle a,x\rangle\in A\land \langle b,x\rangle\in A\Rightarrow a=b$$

Since quantifiers are involved here, the logic is (first-order) predicate calculus.

By the way, the usual name for a 2-tuple, except (possibly) when you're speaking to machines instead of to people, is an ordered pair.

Related Question