Files
abstract-algebra-theorems-a…/part-1/chapters/chapter-0/equivalence-relations.tex

20 lines
900 B
TeX

\section{Equivalence Relations}
\begin{definition}[Equivalence Relation]
An \textit{equivalence relation} on a set $S$ is a set $R$ of ordered pairs of elements of $S$ such that
\begin{enumerate}
\item $(a, a) \in R$ for all $a \in S$ (reflexive property).
\item $(a, b) \in R$ implies $(b, a) \in R$ (symmetric property).
\item $(a, b) \in R$ and $(b, c) \in R$ imply $(a, c) \in R$ (transitive property).
\end{enumerate}
\end{definition}
\begin{definition}[Partition]
A \textit{partition} of a set $S$ is a collection of nonempty disjoint subsets of $S$ whose union is $S$.
\end{definition}
\begin{theorem}[Equivalence Classes Partition]
The equivalence classes of an equivalence relation on a set $S$ constitute a partition of $S$. Conversely, for any partition $P$ of $S$, there is an equivalence relation on $S$ whose equivalence classes are the elements of $P$.
\end{theorem}