Disjoint Sets

🅟 Feb 17, 2026

  🅤 Apr 15, 2026

DJ#DEF. Disjoint Sets.

  • $X$ and $Y$ are disjoint if

    \[X\cap Y = \varnothing.\]
  • $X$ is a disjoint collection if

    \[\bigcap X = \varnothing.\]
  • Not disjoint sets are called joint / overlapping.


DJ#PROP-SLF.

$\varnothing$ is the only set disjoint to itself.

Proof.

  • \[\varnothing\cap\varnothing = \varnothing.\]
  • If $X$ is disjoint to itself,

    \[X = X\cap X = \varnothing.\]

DJ#PROP-ALL.

$\varnothing$ is the only set disjoint to any other set.

Proof.

  • $\varnothing$ is disjoint to any set by IT#PROP-EMP (II).

  • If $X$ is non-empty,

    \[Y = X\cup\{X\}\]

    is always joint to $X$. By ZF#PROP-SLF, $X\neq Y$.