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Let $S = {1,2,3,4}. X, Y in mathcal{P}(S)$ and R be a relation $R(X,Y): |X cap Y| = 1$. Is the relation R transitive?

Mathematics Asked by edohedo on March 6, 2021

I’m reading up on Relations and Functions with the book Discrete Mathematics by G. Chartrand, P. Zhang and one of the exercises there proposes that the relation R over $mathcal{P}(S)$ where $R(X,Y): |X cap Y| = 1$ is symmetric only — which I can make sense with since my mental model with this is that $(a, b) in R$ never occurs because $|X cap Y| = 1$ is only true when $|X|$ or $|Y|$ is 1, therefore only $(a,a) in R$, thus the implication for symmetry is vacuously true.

My concern is that with my thinking of how the relation R is symmetric, then this can also mean that it’s transitive as well, since $(a,b) in R land (b,c) in R$ never occurs and therefore is vacuously true also.

Is my thinking correct? How is relation R symmetric only and why can’t it be transitive as well?

Edit
Okay. I had $(a,a) in R(X cap Y, X cap Y)$ in mind for whatever reason when I was thinking $(a, a) in R$.

One Answer

I have absolutely no idea why you think $|Xcap Y|$ only if $|X|$ or $|Y|$ is $1$.

Simple case $X={1,2}$ and $Y={2,3}$ then $Xcap Y = {2}|$ and $|Xcap Y| = 1$ and $R(X,Y)$.

Further more if $Z = {3,4}$ then $R(Y,Z)$ but $Xcap Z =emptyset$ so $not R(X,Z)$ even though $R(X,Y)$ and $R(Y,Z)$. So not transitive.

....

Any way $X cap X = X$ so $R(X,X)$ only if $|X| = 1$. So if $|X| ne 1$ we do not have $R(X,X)$ so it is not reflexive.

$Xcap Y=Ycap X$ so $|Xcap Y| = |Ycap X|$ so $R(X,Y) iff R(Y,X)$ so symmetry holds.

Transitivity: There no way to determine $Xcap Z$ from $Xcap Y$ and $Xcap Z$. It is certainly possible for $X$ and $Y$ to have only one thing in common and $Y$ and $Z$ to have one thing in common but $X$ and $Z$ to have nothing or many things in common.

Let $X = $ the prime natural numbers. Let $Y = $ the even natural numbers. And let $Z=$ then numbers between $11$ through $13$ inclusively.

$X cap Y= {2}$. $Ycap Z={12}$ and $Xcap Z = {11,13}$. Not transitive.

Correct answer by fleablood on March 6, 2021

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