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PROBLEMS INVOLVING SETS

The Venn Diagram

There are many simple real life problems that could be solved applying the concepts
of Venn diagram but this is impossible if you don’t have the idea about the set-up of this
diagram. Let us explore further how this diagram could solve the many real life problems.
Consider the situation below.
A class of 25 students were surveyed and asked if they have a brother or a sister. Eight
students said they have only a brother, 6 students said they have only a sister, another six said
they have both a brother and a sister and 5 said they don’t have a brother or a sister.

Below is a set-up of the Venn diagram based on the given problem.

Identify My Elements
A group of students were interviewed on what colors they like. Below are their responses.

yellow How many students like blue color? _____

U How many students like yellow and red? _____
11 How many students like yellow or blue?
_____
How many students like yellow only?
7 5 3 _____
How many students like yellow, blue and red?
9 4 17 _____
How many students like blue or red but not yellow?
_____
blue red 2 How many students like neither yellow, blue nor red?
_____
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Problems Involving Sets

(The Start Inside Out Technique)
In solving set problems, it is easier to follow the technique “start inside out”. This is
done by putting the common elements first in the center of two or three overlapping sets.
Most of the time, when putting the elements, working backward starting from the last given
data helps solve set problems easily. Let’s apply this technique in answering the problem
mentioned earlier.

Problem 1: Out of fifty students, 23 joined Mathematics club and 32 joined

English club. If 8 joined in both Mathematics and English club, how
many have joined the English club only? How about in Mathematics
club only? How many are neither in Mathematics nor in English club?

The
How to do it
technique
Start from  Arrange the given data this way
inside out Out of fifty students
23 joined Mathematics club
32 joined English club
8 joined in both Mathematics and English club
a. How many have joined the English club only?
b. How about in Mathematics club only?
c. How many are neither in Mathematics nor in English club?
 You can start filling the diagram starting from the center of two
overlapping sets as marked by the arrow (see illustration below).
Then work backward starting from the last given data. The last given
data here is: 8 joined in both Mathematics and English club
U
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Let us solve the given problem by applying this technique. Here we go…
Think of This How to do it Illustrate
 Make a  Draw two overlapping circles
U
Venn representing two sets (Math Math club English club

diagram Club and English club) inside

the U.

Take Note: Use the Technique

“Start inside out” (start filling the sets from the inside out)
 8 joined in  Put 8 at the center where the
both two sets overlap. U
Math club English club
Mathematics
and English 8
club
 32 joined  Subtract 8 from 32 Math club English club
English club. from means you need to write
8 24
32 first before 8 that is,
U
(32 – 8 = 24)
 Put 24 in English club only, this
completes the 32 students.

 23 joined  Subtract 8 from 23

Math club English club
Mathematics (23 – 8 = 15)
club  Put 15 in Mathematics club only, 15 8 24
this completes the 23 students. U
 Out of fifty  Add all the elements of the two
students sets (15 + 8 + 24 = 47).
 Since the total is 47 and not equal
Math club English club
to 50, subtract 47 from 50
(50 – 47 = 3)
3 15 8 24
 Put 3 outside the two sets but U
inside the U, this completes the
50 students.
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a. How many have joined the

 Fill in the
Mathematics club only? 15 Math club English club
Venn
b. How many have joined the
diagram with 3 15 8 24
English club only? 24
all the U
c. How many are neither in
elements
Mathematics nor in English
and answer
club? 3
the
questions.

What if there are problems which involve 3 sets? Can you still use the technique? Please
try this out.
Problem 2:
A group of 50 students went to a tour in Palawan province. Out of the 50 students,
24 joined the trip to Coron, 18 went to Tubbataha Reef, 20 visited El Nido, 12 made a
trip to Coron and Tubbataha Reef, 15 saw Tubbataha Reef and El Nido, 11 made a trip
to Coron and El Nido and 10 saw the three tourist spots.
Questions:
a. How many students went to Coron only?
b. How many students went to Tubbataha Reef only?
c. How many joined the El Nido trip only?
d. How many did not go to any of the tourist spots?

In solving set problems with 3 sets, you can also apply the technique “ “start inside
out”. Let’s answer the given problem by first arranging given data.

50 students went in a tour in Palawan province.

24 joined the trip to Coron,(C)
18 went to Tubbataha Reef, (T)
20 visited El Nido, €
12 made a trip to Coron and Tubbataha Reef,
15 saw Tubbataha Reef and El Nido,
11 made a trip to Coron and El Nido
10 saw the three tourist spots.

Think of This How to do it Illustrate

 Make a  Draw three overlapping sets inside
C U
Venn the U. You can represent the given

diagram sets with any letter of the alphabet.

Let:
C represents Coron E
T
E represents El Nido
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T represents Tubbataha Reef

Take Note: Use the Technique

“Start inside out” (start filling the sets from the inside out)
 10 saw  Put 10 at the center where set C, C U
the three E, and T overlaps.
tourist 10
spots. E
T

 11 made a  Subtract 10 from 11 C U

trip to (11–10 = 1)
1
Coron and  Put 1 in set C and E only, this 10
El Nido completes the 11 students. E
T

 15 saw  Subtract 10 from 15 C U

Tubbataha (15 – 10 = 5)
1
Reef and  Put 5 in set T and E only, this 10
El Nido. completes the 15 students. 5
E T

 12 made a  Subtract 10 from 12 C U

trip to (12 – 10 = 2)
1
Coron and  Put 2 in set C and T only, this 10 2
Tubbataha completes the 12 students. 5
E T
Reef.
 20 visited  Add all the given elements of set E C U
El Nido. (10 + 5 + 1 = 16)
1
 Subtract the total from 20 10 2
4
(20–16=4) 5
E T
 Put 4 in set E only, this competes
the 20 students.
 18 went to  Add all the given elements of set T
C U
Tubbataha (10 + 5 + 2 = 17)
Reef  Subtract the total from 18 1
10 2
(18 – 17 = 1) 4
5 1
 Put 1 in set T only, this completes E T
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the 18 students.
 24 joined  Add all the given elements of set C
C U
the trip to (10+2+1=13). 11
1
Coron,  Subtract the total from 24 10 2
4
(24 – 13 = 11). 5
E T
 Put 11 in set C only, this completes
the 24 students.
 50  Add all the elements
C U
students (11+1+10+2+4+5+1=34)
11
went to a  Since the total is 34 and 34 is not 1
10 2
tour in equal to 50, subtract 34 from 50 4
5 1
Palawan (50 – 34 = 16) 16
E T
province  Put 16 inside U (outside the circles)
 Fill in the
a. How many of the students went to C U
Venn Coron only? 11
b. How many students went to 11
diagram with
1
the elements
Tubbataha Reef only? 1 10 2
c. How many students joined the El 4
and answer Nido trip only? 4 5 1
d. How many students did not go to 16
the questions
E T
any of the tourist spots? 16

Problems Involving Sets

(The Side to Side Technique)

In the previous lesson, you have learned solving set problems using the technique “start
inside out”. In this lesson you will learn one more technique. Let’s call this “side to side”.
This technique is so simple like the previous one. You simply work from left to right or right
to left of the given sets. Let’s try this out.

Problem
Among the 40 students of section Rizal, 23 loves singing and 25 loves dancing.
Questions:
a. How many students love singing and dancing?
b. How many students love singing only?

The technique “side to side” is best if we have problems on sets with unknown
elements in the center of two overlapping sets (see illustration below). Sometimes it is
confusing to solve this kind of problem. Hence, this technique will help you answer some
set problems with this kind of unknown elements.
Let’s apply this technique in answering the problem mentioned earlier.
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The Technique How to do it

“Side to side” Singing dancing U Unknown element

Let us start solving the problem by applying this technique. Here we go…

Think of This How to do it Illustrate

 Make a Venn  Draw two overlapping circles
singing dancing U
diagram representing the two sets (dancing
25
and singing) inside the U. Label the
second set (dancing) with its given
elements.

Take Note: Use the Technique “ Side to side”

(work from left to right, still start with the last given data)
 Among the  There are 40 students in all
singing dancing U
40 students, where 25 students love
25
25 loves dancing. To find students 15
dancing who love singing only,
(inside the subtract 25 from 40. (

singing dancing U
text box) (40 – 25 = 15)
 Put 15 in singing only 15
 Erase 25 to avoid confusion

 23 students  Subtract 15 from 23 singing dancing U

love singing (23 – 15 = 8)

 Put 15 in singing and 15 8
dancing.

 25 students  Subtract 15 from 25 singing dancing U

love dancing (25 – 8 = 17)

 Put 17 in dancing only. 15 8 17
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 Total number  Add all the elements to

of students check if there are 40 singing dancing U

students .
(15 + 8 + 17 = 40). 15 8 17
 Answer the questions
a. How many students love
singing and dancing? 8
b. How many students love
singing only? 15

Multiple Choice
Directions: Read carefully each problem and choose the letter that answers each question.
Write it in your Mathematics notebook.
1. In a class of 50 students, each passed either in Mathematics or in Science or in both.
Ten students passed in both and 28 passed in Science. Find how many students
passed in Mathematics?
A. 10 C. 22
B. 18 D. 32
2. The population of Barangay Masagana is 1000. Out of these 540 persons read Manila
Bulletin (MB) and 470 read Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI). One hundred fifty persons
read both newspapers. Find the number of persons who do not read either of the two
newspapers.
A. 140 C. 320
B. 150 D. 390
3. The Grade 7 students of Mabini High School play volleyball or basketball or both.
Eighty-seven students play volleyball, 125 students play basketball and 64 students
play both games. What is the total number of Grade 7 students in the school?
A. 107 C. 132
B. 125 D. 148
4. A group of 30 students went on a tree planting activity. Twelve of them have planted
both Mahogany and Narra, and 20 planted Mahogany. How many students have
planted Narra only?
A. 8 C. 12
B. 10 D. 18
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5. In a class of 38 students, 10 are speaking both Filipino and English, and 15 students
are speaking Filipino only. If there are 14 students speaking English, how many are
neither speaking English nor Filipino?
A. 4 C. 10
B. 9 D. 15
6. One hundred kids were surveyed on which food they like eating most during birthdays.
Thirty-seven said they like to eat fried chicken and spaghetti, 15 kids like eating
spaghetti only. If 75 kids like fried chicken, how many kids like eating fried chicken
only?
A. 10 C. 38
B. 24 D. 42
7. There are 76 students who buy snacks in the canteen, 24 buys both banana cue and
ice candy while 49 buys ice candy. How many students buy banana cue?
A. 25 C. 49
B. 27 D. 51
For numbers 8 – 11, refer to the Venn diagram below.
The diagram shows the number of students who got perfect scores in English (E),
Mathematics (M) and Science (S).

E
10
7
8 4 2
5 12
M S
8. How many students got a perfect score in Science only?
A. 2 B. 4 C. 5 D. 12
9. How many students got perfect scores in Science and Mathematics?
A. 7 B. 8 C. 9 D. 24
10. How many students got perfect scores in English or Mathematics but not Science?
A. 6 B. 22 C. 25 D. 40
11. How many students got perfect scores in all three subjects?
A. 2 B. 4 C. 5 D. 7

For numbers 12 – 15, refer to the problem below. You may fill in the Venn diagram with
the elements of the sets base on the given problem.
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One hundred children are surveyed on what drinks they like

most: ice tea, buko juice or water. Below is the result of the
survey U

37 responded ice tea

60 responded buko juice
28 responded water
12 responed buko juice and ice tea
9 responded water and buko juice
10 responded ice tea and water
6 responded all
12. How many children like buko juice only?
A. 15 B. 21 C. 30 D. 45
13. How many children like ice tea and buko juice?
A. 10 B. 12 C. 15 D. 18
14. How many children like ice tea and water but not buko juice?
A. 4 B. 6 C. 15 D. 21
15. How many children like ice tea or buko jiuce but not water?
A. 21 B. 45 C. 51 D. 72
Understanding Integers and Absolute Value

Take Note What are they? Examples

An integer is any  Numbers on the right
number from the set of zero.
{ …–4, –3, –2,  Greater than zero
–
1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4…}  written with or
Positive {1, 2, 3, 4,...}
without (+) sign
The 3 dots
 Value increases as
means numbers move
continues farther from zero
without end.
 Numbers on the left
of zero.
 Less than zero
 Written with a (-) {–4,–3,–2,–1,...}
Negative
sign
 Value decreases as
numbers move
farther from zero
 Neither negative nor
Zero positive 0
 no (-) or (+) sign.
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Think of this
The (+) and (–) are symbols used to indicate addition and subtraction, but in
number line, they indicate the direction of a point from the 0-point, not as operations to
be performed. In the number line, (+) and (–) are used as signs of directions. Thus
read +2 “as positive 2” not “plus 2”
read –2 as “negative 2” not “minus 2”
A number line is a line drawn starting from zero and which extends to both sides
without ends. This means that there are infinitely many numbers on both sides from the
origin of the number line. Positive numbers

Number line
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Negative numbers
Take Note! Zero (neither positive nor negative)

Number line can also be drawn like this to show larger numbers.

-20 -18 -16 -14 -12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

-50 -45 -40 -35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

How to represent integers

In real life, there are situations where you can represent integers. Study the table
below. Situation Integers
–
Weight loss of 28 kilograms 28
Increase of Php 500 allowance 500
Situation Integers
Altitude of 1200 ft 1200
–500
Spending Php500
–
12 steps backward 12
Comparing Integers
You can always compare integers. On the number line, an integer is always less than to the
numbers on its right side and greater than to numbers on its left side .
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Ordering Integers

You can also arrange integers either in ascending or descending order. In ascending
order, integers are arranged from least to greatest while in descending order, integers are
arranged from greatest to least. It is easier to arrange integers in order by plotting them on
the number line. Here is an example.
Example:
Arrange the integers –1, –6, 4, 2, 0, –3 and 5 in descending and ascending order.

Illustrate!

Ascending order: –6, –3, –1, 0, 2, 4, 5 Descending order: 5, 4, 2, 0, –1, –3, –6

Remember This:
When ordering numbers using the number line:
 In ascending order, numbers are arranged from left to right
 In descending order, numbers are arranged from right to left
Absolute Value
Take Note Example Show me
An absolute value of a Find the
number is the distance on the absolute value The distance from 0 to 5 is 5

number line between the of 5 and –5.

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
number and zero without any Answer = 5
regard to its direction, so the The distance from 0 to -5 is 5

absolute value of any number

is a non-negative number.
Remember This!
For any number n,
n if n is a positive number
|𝑛 | 0 if n is zero
–
n if n is a negative number
 Opposite integers have the same absolute value since they have the same distance
from 0.

 Absolute value of an integer is always positive because there is no negative distance.

 Absolute value is denoted by | |.

 The absolute value of 0 is 0.
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More Examples Numerical Representations

 The absolute value of –17 and 17 is 17 |17| = 17 |−17| = 17

 The absolute value of 20 and –20 is 20 |20| = 20 |−20| = 20
 The absolute value of 100 and –100 is 100 |100| = 100 |−100| = 100

I. Represent me. Write the correct integer on the space provided.

1. 12 steps forward _______
2. weight loss of 8 kg _______
3. a gain of 500 pesos _______
4. 155 ft below sea level _______
5. going up the stairs by 8 steps _______
II. Small but Terrible. Write the letter of each integer with the least value.

C 1. A. 22 B. 14 C. 9 D. 0

__2. A. –4 B. 0 C. –36 D. –12

__3. A. –13 B. 18 C. 14 D. –1

__4. A. 25 B. –17 C. –10 D. 35

__5. A. –12 B. 23 C. –15 D. 13

III. Order please! Arrange the following integers in ascending and descending order. You may use
the number line.

1. { 4, –6, 0, –2, 18, 7, –5, –15} Ascending order: {–15, –6, –5, –2, 0, 4, 7,18}
Descending order:{18, 7, 4, 0, –2, –5, –6, –15}
2. { –2, 14,0, –23, 8, 21, –34, –5, –7}

Ascending order: ___________________ Descending order:__________________

3. { 5, –18, 0, –15, 7, –3, 11, –23}

Ascending order: ___________________ Descending order:__________________

IV. Evaluate. Write the absolute value of the following expressions.

1. |−16| = _____ 3. |18| = _____ 4. |35| = _____

2. |−24| = _____ 5. |0| = _____

MULTIPLE CHOICE:

1. Which of the following integers is the greatest?

A. – 21 B. – 17 C. – 8 D. – 1
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2. Given the following numbers {4, –6, 0, –2, 18, 7, –5, –15}, which comparison of two
numbers from the set is correct?

A. –9 > –3 B. –11< 0 C. 0 < –5 D. 6 > 17

3. Which statement is true with –7 and –11?
A. –7 is greater than –11 C. –7 is to the left of –11 on a number line
B. –11 is greater than –7 D. –11 is to the right of –7 on a number line
4. Which integer has the greatest value?
A. –6 B. –19 C. –
12 D. –
27
5. Which of the following best describes an absolute value?
A. The value of a number B. The opposite of a number
C. The distance of a number from zero D.The multiplicative inverse of a number
6. Which number is farthest from 0?
A. –11 B. –
9 C. 8 D. 10
7. What is the absolute value of –13?
A. –13 B. 0.13 C. 1.3 D. 13
8. Which statement is TRUE?
A. The opposite of 15 is 15 B. The absolute value of 8 is –8.
C. The absolute value of 12 is equal to the opposite of 12.
D. The opposite of –20 is equal to the opposite value of –20.
9. What integer represents this situation: a profit of Php150.00?
A. –150 B. 1.50 C. 15 D. 150
10. Which shows the integers from least to greatest?
A. 1, 0, –3, –5, –9, –12 C. 8, –12, 10, –17, 19
B. –3, –2, 0, 4, 5, 9, 10 D. 3, 4, –5, 11, –14, –19
11. Which of the following is an absolute value?
A. (20) B. {20} C. |20| D. [20]
12. Which of the following are the integers between –2 and 3?
A. –3, –4, –5, –6 B. –1, 0, 1, 2 C. 4, 5, 6, 7 D. 0, 1, 2, 3
13. Which of the following is the |−18|?
–18
A. B. 0.18 C. 1.8 D. 18
14. Which of the following represents a gain of 5 kilograms?
–
A. 5 B. 0.5 C. 1.5 D. 5
15. What is |−10|?
–
A. 10 B. -6 C. 4 D. 10