Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science

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180 CHAPTER 3 Relations


R = {(1, 2), (2, 3), (3, 4)}

(a) Find the reflexive closure of R.
(b) Find the symmetric closure of R.
(c) Find the transitive closure of R.
(d) Find the reflexive and transitive closure of R.


  1. Let X = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}, and define a relation R on X as


R = {(1, 2), (2, 1), (2, 3), (3, 4), (4, 5), (5, 6)}

(a) Find the reflexive closure of R.
(b) Find the symmetric closure of R.
(c) Find the transitive closure of R.
(d) Find the reflexive and transitive closure of R.

13. Let A = {1, 2, 3, 4). Find the transitive closure of the relation R defined on A as

R = {(1, 2), (2, 1), (2, 3), (3, 4))


  1. Let R be the relation on (a, b, c, d, e, f g} defined as


R = {(a, b), (b, c), (c, a), (d, e), (e, f), (f, g))

Find the smallest integers m and n such that 0 < m < n and R' = Rn. Identify the
transitive closure of R as well as the transitive, reflexive, and symmetric closures of R.

15. Let X = (4, 5, 6, 7, 8), and define the relation R on X as {(4, 5), (5, 6), (6, 7), (7, 8),

(8, 4)). Find the smallest integers m and n such that R' = Rn, where 0 < m < n.


  1. Find the reflexive, symmetric, and transitive closures of the following relations:
    (a) = onN
    (b) < onN•
    (c) < onN


(d) R on N where R(x, y) if and only if y = x + 1

(e) R on R where R(x, y) if and only if y = x + 1

(f) R on R where R(x, y) if and only if Ix - y I < 0.0005


  1. Show that the transitive closure of a relation R on a set X is the intersection of all
    transitive binary relations R' on X where R C R'.

  2. Is there a reasonable notion of antisymmetric closure? Why, or why not?

  3. Prove Theorem 5(c) as follows:
    (a) Prove by induction that if R is a binary relation on a set X, then R' o Rn = Rm+n
    where m, n E N.
    (b) Prove that R+ is transitive.
    (c) Prove by induction that if R C S and S is a transitive binary relation, then Rn C S.
    Conclude that R+ C S.

  4. Prove Theorem 5(d).

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