Chapter 4 • Unit II

Exercise 4.4: Venn Diagrams & Operations on Sets

Comprehensive guide and practice questions for CBSE Class 11 Applied Mathematics curriculum (2026-27).

Comprehensive Concepts & Principles

Venn Diagrams & Operations on Sets forms an essential building block in CBSE Class 11 Applied Mathematics (Sets). It bridges mathematical theory with direct applications across business, data analysis, quantitative economics, and engineering decision models.

Core Focus Areas:
  • Union of sets (A ∪ B)
  • Intersection of sets (A ∩ B) and disjoint sets
  • Difference of sets (A - B) and symmetric difference (A Δ B)
  • Complement of a set (A') and properties of complements (De Morgan’s Laws)

Mathematical Framework & Key Formulas

Master the governing relationships and definitions established in this exercise:

$$A \cup B = \{x : x \in A or x \in B\}$$
$$A \cap B = \{x : x \in A and x \in B\}$$
$$A - B = \{x : x \in A and x \notin B\}$$
$$(A \cup B)' = A' \cap B', \quad (A \cap B)' = A' \cup B'$$

Worked Benchmark Examples

Example 1 (Market Research & Two-Set Venn Diagram): In a market survey of $500$ consumers, it was found that $280$ purchase Brand A, $220$ purchase Brand B, and $100$ purchase both brands. Determine:
(i) How many consumers purchase at least one of the two brands?
(ii) How many consumers purchase neither Brand A nor Brand B?
(iii) How many consumers purchase only Brand A?
Show Step-by-Step Solution
Given Data:
Total consumers $n(U) = 500$
Consumers purchasing Brand A: $n(A) = 280$
Consumers purchasing Brand B: $n(B) = 220$
Consumers purchasing both brands: $n(A \cap B) = 100$

Part (i) Consumers purchasing at least one brand $n(A \cup B)$:
Using the addition principle of sets:
$$n(A \cup B) = n(A) + n(B) - n(A \cap B)$$ $$n(A \cup B) = 280 + 220 - 100 = 400$$ Hence, $400$ consumers purchase at least one brand.

Part (ii) Consumers purchasing neither brand $n((A \cup B)')$:
$$n((A \cup B)') = n(U) - n(A \cup B) = 500 - 400 = 100$$ Thus, $100$ consumers purchase neither brand.

Part (iii) Consumers purchasing only Brand A $n(A - B)$:
$$n(A - B) = n(A) - n(A \cap B) = 280 - 100 = 180$$ Therefore, $180$ consumers purchase Brand A exclusively.
Example 2 (Three-Set Business Student Survey): In a commerce faculty of $120$ students, $65$ study Accounting ($A$), $50$ study Economics ($E$), and $40$ study Business Law ($L$). Further, $25$ study Accounting and Economics, $20$ study Economics and Law, $18$ study Accounting and Law, and $10$ study all three subjects. Find:
(i) How many students study at least one of the three subjects?
(ii) How many students study none of these three subjects?
(iii) How many students study exactly one subject?
Show Step-by-Step Solution
Given Data:
$n(U) = 120, \quad n(A) = 65, \quad n(E) = 50, \quad n(L) = 40$
$n(A \cap E) = 25, \quad n(E \cap L) = 20, \quad n(A \cap L) = 18$
$n(A \cap E \cap L) = 10$

Part (i) Number of students studying at least one subject $n(A \cup E \cup L)$:
Applying the 3-set inclusion-exclusion formula:
$$n(A \cup E \cup L) = n(A) + n(E) + n(L) - [n(A \cap E) + n(E \cap L) + n(A \cap L)] + n(A \cap E \cap L)$$ $$n(A \cup E \cup L) = 65 + 50 + 40 - (25 + 20 + 18) + 10 = 155 - 63 + 10 = 102$$ So, $102$ students study at least one subject.

Part (ii) Students studying none of these subjects:
$$n((A \cup E \cup L)') = n(U) - n(A \cup E \cup L) = 120 - 102 = 18 \text{ students}$$
Part (iii) Students studying exactly one subject:
• Studying only Accounting $= n(A) - [n(A \cap E) + n(A \cap L) - n(A \cap E \cap L)] = 65 - [25 + 18 - 10] = 65 - 33 = 32$
• Studying only Economics $= n(E) - [n(A \cap E) + n(E \cap L) - n(A \cap E \cap L)] = 50 - [25 + 20 - 10] = 50 - 35 = 15$
• Studying only Business Law $= n(L) - [n(A \cap L) + n(E \cap L) - n(A \cap E \cap L)] = 40 - [18 + 20 - 10] = 40 - 28 = 12$
Total students studying exactly one subject $= 32 + 15 + 12 = 59$.
Example 3 (De Morgan's Laws Verification with Empirical Sets): Let $U = \{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10\}$ be the universal set of positive integers $\le 10$. Let $A = \{2, 4, 6, 8, 10\}$ (even numbers) and $B = \{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6\}$. Verify De Morgan's First Law: $(A \cup B)' = A' \cap B'$.
Show Step-by-Step Solution
Step 1: Compute LHS $(A \cup B)'$
Find $A \cup B$ by listing all unique elements in $A$ or $B$:
$$A \cup B = \{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10\}$$ Take the complement of $(A \cup B)$ relative to $U$:
$$(A \cup B)' = U - (A \cup B) = \{7, 9\}$$
Step 2: Compute RHS $A' \cap B'$
Find individual complements:
$$A' = U - A = \{1, 3, 5, 7, 9\}$$ $$B' = U - B = \{7, 8, 9, 10\}$$ Find the intersection of $A'$ and $B'$ (elements common to both):
$$A' \cap B' = \{7, 9\}$$
Conclusion:
Since $\text{LHS} = \{7, 9\}$ and $\text{RHS} = \{7, 9\}$, we have verified that $(A \cup B)' = A' \cap B'$.
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