Sigma Percentile
JEE Main 2024 (08 Apr Shift 2)
LEVELJEE Main

Animated Solution for Mathematics - Sets and Relations: Let and . Let be a relation on defined by if and only if is an even integer. Then the relation is

Select Answer:

Visualized Solution

Understanding the Relation

  • Given sets: and
  • Relation on is defined as:
  • is an even integer

Checking for Reflexivity

  • For reflexivity, we check if for all
  • Substitute and into the condition

Reflexivity Conclusion

  • Expression becomes:
  • Since is a multiple of , it is always even.
  • Therefore, is reflexive

Checking for Symmetry

  • For symmetry, assume
  • This means (where is an integer)

Algebraic Proof for Symmetry

  • We need to check if
  • This requires checking if is even
  • Rewrite:
  • Split the terms: and

Symmetry Conclusion

  • Substitute :
  • Expression becomes
  • This is a multiple of , hence an even integer.
  • Therefore, is symmetric

Checking for Transitivity

  • For transitivity, if and , then must hold
  • We will test this using a counter-example from sets and

Counter-example: Step 1

  • Let and
  • Check :
  • is even, so is true

Counter-example: Step 2

  • Let
  • Check :
  • is even, so is true

Transitivity Failure

  • Now check :
  • is an odd integer!
  • Therefore, is NOT related to

Final Verdict

  • is reflexive and symmetric but not transitive
  • The correct option is (2)
  • Key takeaway: Always test transitivity with specific values if a general proof seems difficult

The Sigma Insight: Types of Relations

Solution Diagram

Analyzing the Setup

We are given a relation on defined by the condition that is an even integer. To determine the properties of this relation, we must test for reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity.

The Reflexivity Check

To check for reflexivity, we must determine if holds true for all . By substituting and into our condition, we obtain:
Since is a multiple of , the expression is always even, regardless of the values of and . Therefore, reflexivity is satisfied.

The Symmetry Dance

Next, we test for symmetry. We assume is true, meaning for some integer . We must now evaluate the condition for the reverse pair , which is .
We can rewrite as . By splitting into and into , we transform the expression:
Since this result is a multiple of , it is necessarily even. Thus, symmetry holds.

The Transitivity Trap

Finally, we examine transitivity: if and are true, does it imply ? Rather than attempting a complex general proof, we test for a counter-example.
Let , , and .
First, check :
Next, check :
Finally, check :
Because the result is odd, the chain is broken. Transitivity fails.

Conclusion

We have systematically proven that the relation is reflexive and symmetric, but not transitive. This problem highlights the importance of using counter-examples to efficiently disprove properties that do not hold universally.

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