Prove set theory problems

discrete mathematicselementary-set-theory

I'm in discrete math and am not understanding how to prove the set theory problems. I can follow along when I see the answers, but there's one part I'm having a hard time coming up with on my own.

In a problem like this:

Prove that if $X\subseteq Y$ then $X\cap Z\subseteq Y\cap Z$ for all sets $X$, $Y$, and $Z.$

The proofs always start out with "let $x$ be an element of (insert some set here)
(for this problem its let x be an element of $X∩Z.$

How do we know what to let $X$ be an element of in these types of problem? Is there a general concept to follow? Sometimes there are multiple parts to the conclusion so how do you know what to let $X$ be an element of?

Best Answer

A Venn diagram might help

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If you are uncertain, or want to be really bullet proof, you can go through all of the cases. $x\in X$ and $Y$... $x\in Y$ but not in $X,$ etc. and enumerate all of the cases. And, as you get more experience you will see that some are irrelevant and don't need to be discussed.

Suppose the proposition is not true. Then there is an element of $x\in X\cap Z$ that is not in $Y\cap Z.$ But that would imply that there is an $x\in X$ that is not in $Y$ which is in contradiction to the statement that $X$ is a subset of $Y.$

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