Equivalence Relation

🅟 Feb 21, 2026

  🅤 Feb 25, 2026

Set Theory > Relations

DEF-EQV. Equivalence Relation.

An equivalence relation is a binary relation that is reflexive, symmetric and transitive (DEF-RP).

DEF-EQV-CLS. Equivalence Class.

Let $\sim$ be an equivalence relation on $X$ and let $a\in X$. The equivalence class of $a$ with respect to $\sim$ is

\[[a] = \{x\in X:a\sim x\}.\]

PROP-EQV-CLS.

Let $\sim$ be an equivalence relation on $X$ and let $x$, $y\in X$. The following statements are equivalent:

  • $x\sim y$.
  • $[x]=[y]$.
  • $x\in[y]$.
  • $[x]\cap[y]\neq\varnothing$.

DEF-EQV-QUO. Quotient Set.

Let $\sim$ be an equivalence relation on $X$. The quotient set of $X$ by $\sim$, or $X$ modulo $\sim$, is the set

\[X/{\sim} = \{[x]:x\in X\}.\]