Symmetric Difference

🅟 Feb 17, 2026

  🅤 Feb 22, 2026

Set Theory > Sets

DEF-SYMDIF. Symmetric Difference.

The symmetric difference between $X$ and $Y$ is defined as

\[X\mathbin{\triangle}Y = (X\smallsetminus Y)\cup(Y\smallsetminus X).\]

PROP-SYMDIF-EMP.

For any $X$:

  • $X\mathbin{\triangle}\varnothing=X$.
  • $X\mathbin{\triangle}X=\varnothing$.

PROP-SYMDIF-DIF.

For any $X$ and $Y$,

\[X\mathbin{\triangle}Y = (X\cup Y)\smallsetminus (X\cap Y).\]

PROP-SYMDIF-COM. Commutativity.

For any $X$ and $Y$,

\[X\mathbin{\triangle}Y=Y\mathbin{\triangle}X.\]

PROP-SYMDIF-ASS. Associativity.

For any $X$, $Y$ and $Z$,

\[(X\mathbin{\triangle}Y)\mathbin{\triangle}Z=X\mathbin{\triangle}(Y\mathbin{\triangle}Z).\]