Finite sets

Definition

Finite sets are sets that have a specific number of distinct elements. The number of elements in a finite set is countable and there exists a natural number n which represents the size of the set.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. A finite set has a countable number of elements.
2. The cardinality of a finite set is a non-negative integer.
3. If two finite sets have the same number of elements, they are said to have the same cardinality.
4. Finite sets can be represented using curly braces with their elements listed inside, e.g., {1, 2, 3}.
5. Operations like union, intersection, and difference can be performed on finite sets.

Review Questions

• What distinguishes a finite set from an infinite set?
• How do you determine the cardinality of a finite set?
• Can two different finite sets have the same cardinality? Provide an example.

Related terms

Infinite Sets: Sets that do not have a countable number of elements.

Cardinality: The number of elements in a set.

Subset: A set where all its elements are also contained within another set.