Binary Operations & Relations

HPFP 1111 - Mathematics I

Nephat Mwanza, Msc

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Contents

1 Binary Operations

2 Relations

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Binary Operations
Definition.
A binary operation denoted by ‘o’ or ‘∗’ on a non-empty set X is a
rule which associates to each pair of elements a, b in X a unique
element a ∗ b of X .

Example
1 Addition (+) is a binary operation on a set of natural
numbers N, since if a and b are natural numbers then a + b is
also a natural number. However, subtraction is not a binary
operation on the set of natural numbers since a − b may not
be a natural number. e.g 4 − 6 = −2 and −2 is not a natural
number.
2 Both addition and subtraction are binary operation on Z the
set of integers. Whenever ∗ is binary on a set X , we say X is
closed under the operation ∗ or we say the closure property is
satisfied in X with respect to the operation ∗.
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Example
Let X = {−1, 0, 1} be a set. Determine whether each of the
following operations is binary on X or not

(a). addition (c). multiplication

(b). subtraction (d). division

Solution.
(a). Addition is Not. e.g 1 + 1 = 2 ̸∈ X .
(b). Subtraction is Not. e.g −1 − 1 = −2 ̸∈ X .
(c). Multiplication is binary on X .
(d). Division is Not, you cannot divide by zero.

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Example
2 +b
Let the operation ∗ be defined by a ∗ b = 2a where a, b ∈ R.
1 Is the operation binary on R
2 Evaluate 3 ∗ 2

Solution.
The operation is evidently binary, since if a ∈ R and a2 ∈ R and
2
b ∈ R then a2 + b ∈ R which implies that 2a +b ∈ R.
2 +2
3 ∗ 2 = 23 = 29+2 = 211 .

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Definition
The binary ∗ on X is
1 commutative if for every pair a, b ∈ X ,

a∗b =b∗a

2 associative if for all a, b, c ∈ X ,

a ∗ (b ∗ c) = (a ∗ b) ∗ c

Example
Let X = Z be the set of integers. Both addition and subtraction
are binary on Z.
Question.
1 Are they both commutative?
2 Are they both associative?

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Solution.

1 Addition is both commutative and associative on Z e.g

−3 + 5 = 5 + (−3) = 2

2 Subtraction is neither associative nor commutative, e.g

a ∗ b = a − b on Z, then 7 ∗ 2 = 7 − 2 = 5 but
2 ∗ 7 = 2 − 7 = −5 since 7 ∗ 2 = 5 ̸= −5 = 2 ∗ 7 subtraction is
not commutative.
We have that

13 ∗ (7 ∗ 2) = 13 ∗ (7 − 2) = 13 ∗ 5 = 13 − 5 = 8.

But (13 ∗ 7) ∗ 2 = (13 − 7) ∗ 2 = 6 ∗ 2 = 6 − 2 = 4. Since

13 ∗ (7 ∗ 2) = 8 ̸= 4 = (13 ∗ 7) ∗ 2, subtraction is not
associative.

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Example
Let a ∗ b be a binary operation on the set of integers Z defined by
a ∗ b = a2 b − 4.
Evaluate:
1 (1 ∗ −3) ∗ 2 and 1 ∗ (−3 ∗ 2)
2 Determine whether ∗ is associative or commutative.

Solution.
1 (1 ∗ −3) ∗ 2 = (12 (−3) − 4) ∗ 2 = (−3 − 4) ∗ 2
= −7 ∗ 2 = (−7)2 (2) − 4
= 94

1 ∗ (−3 ∗ 2) = 1 ∗ ((−3)2 (2) − 4) = 1 ∗ (18 − 4) = 1 ∗ 14 = 10

2 ∗ is not associative since (1 ∗ −3) ∗ 2 = 94 ̸= 10 = 1 ∗ (−3 ∗ 2)

It is not commutative since 3 ∗ 5 = 41 ̸= 71 = 5 ∗ 3.

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Example
An operation ∗ is defined by a ∗ b = ab for a, b ∈ R.
1 Is ∗ a binary operation on R.
2 Evaluate (3 ∗ −2) ∗ 3

Solution.
1 No, it is not closed on the set of real numbers since
√
−4 ∗ 21 = (−4)1/2 = −4 is not a real number.
 
1
2 (3 ∗ −2) ∗ 3 = (3−2 ) ∗ 3 = ∗3
32
1
= ∗ 3 = 9−3
9
1
= 3
9
1
= .
729

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Example
The binary operation ∗ on R is defined by

a ∗ b = (a − b)2 − 2ab

Determine whether the binary operation ∗ is commutative.

Solution.
We show that a ∗ b = b ∗ a

b ∗ a = (b − a)2 − 2ba = (−(a − b))2 − 2ba

= (−1)2 (a − b)2 − 2ab
= (a − b)2 − 2ab
= a ∗ b.

Thus, ∗ is commutative.

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Relations
Definition.
Let X and Y be two sets. If a ∈ X and b ∈ Y then (a, b) is called
an ordered pair.

Definition.
The Cartesian product of two sets X and Y is the set of ordered
pairs defined by

X × Y = {(a, b) : a ∈ X and b ∈ Y }.

Example
Let X = {2, 3, 4, 5} and Y = {4, 6}. Then

X × Y = {(2, 4), (2, 6), (3, 4), (3, 6), (4, 4), (4, 6), (5, 4), (5, 6)}

Y × X = {(4, 2), (4, 3), (4, 4), (4, 5), (6, 2), (6, 3), (6, 4), (6, 5)}

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Definition
If X and Y are two sets then a relation from set X to set Y is a
subset of X × Y which pairs elements of X with those of Y
according to some rule.

Example
Let X = {4, 6, 9, 11} and Y = {2, 3, 11}. Let the relation from X
to Y be defined by “is a multiple of”. This relation is given by
{(4, 2), (6, 3), (9, 3), (11, 11)}.

We can illustrate a relation using arrow diagram.

X Y
4
2
6
3
9
11
11
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Consider the relation is equal to from X to Y .

X Y
2 9
1 2
x
x 1
b b

Here we should be concerned with relations of the type where each

element in the first set is related to one element in the second set.
This relation is called a function or a mapping.

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 X Y

a x
b Function
c y

X Y
2
x
a
y Not a function
b because of c
z
c

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 X Y

a x
b y Not a function
c z

X Y
a
x
b
y Function
c
z
d

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 THE END!

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