Chapter 9: Problem 14

Are the elements of a set ordered or unordered?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Explain your answer briefly. Answer: The elements in a set are unordered. This means that the arrangement of the elements does not matter, and two sets are considered equal if they have the same elements, regardless of the order in which they are listed.

Step by step solution

Definition of a Set

A set is a collection of distinct objects, called elements. Sets are usually denoted by capital letters, while elements are denoted by lowercase letters. A set can be written explicitly by listing its elements, enclosed in curly brackets. For example, A = {a, b, c}.

Ordered vs. Unordered Elements

The elements in a set are unordered, which means that the arrangement of the elements does not matter. In other words, a set with elements {a, b, c} is equal to a set with elements {c, b, a} or any other arrangement of these elements because the order of the elements does not have any significance in a set.

Comparing Sets

When comparing sets, only the presence or absence of elements matters, not their order. For example, if set A has the elements {1, 2, 3}, and set B has the elements {3, 1, 2}, we would consider A and B to be equal sets ({A} = {B}) because they have the same elements, even though they are listed in a different order.

Conclusion

The elements of a set are unordered. The order in which they are listed does not change the set, and two sets are considered equal if they have the same elements, regardless of the order in which they are listed.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Are the elements of a set ordered or unordered?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Definition of a Set

Ordered vs. Unordered Elements

Comparing Sets

Conclusion

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

Computer Systems

Databases

Game Design in Computer Science

Theory of Computation

Problem Solving Techniques

Algorithms in Computer Science

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.