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Pigeonhole principle and inclusion–exclusion

Two counting ideas that prove things without listing anything.

Pigeonhole: more pigeons than holes means some hole holds two. Inclusion–exclusion: |A ∪ B| = |A| + |B| − |A ∩ B|, and the alternating sum continues for more sets. Picture it: a Venn diagram; the overlap is what you counted twice. Think it: inclusion–exclusion is the Möbius function of the subset lattice.

Umzekelo osebenzelayo: {1,2,3,4} union {3,4,5,6}

Set-Theory · Sets

{1,2,3,4} union {3,4,5,6}

Inyathelo ngenyathelo

  1. A = \left\{1, 2, 3, 4\right\},\quad B = \left\{3, 4, 5, 6\right\}

    The two sets.

  2. A \cup B = \left\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6\right\}

    Keep everything in either set.

  3. |A| = 4,\ |B| = 4,\ |A \cup B| = 6

    Cardinalities. Note |A ∪ B| = |A| + |B| − |A ∩ B|.

Bonisa impendulo
A \cup B = \left\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6\right\}

Symbols used here

A \cup B,\ A \cap B,\ A \setminus B
union, intersection, difference
In either; in both; in A but not B.
\leq,\ \geq
less/greater than or equal
Inequalities that allow equality; < and > exclude it.
n!
factorial
n × (n−1) × … × 1; the number of orderings of n things. 0! = 1.
\binom{n}{k}
binomial coefficient, "n choose k"
Number of k-element subsets of n things: n!/(k!(n−k)!).
\sum_{k=1}^{n} a_k
summation
Add a_k for k = 1 up to n.
\prod_{k=1}^{n} a_k
product
Multiply a_k for k = 1 up to n.
\emptyset,\ |A|
empty set, cardinality
The set with no elements; the number of elements of A.

How to: Pigeonhole principle and inclusion–exclusion

  1. The two sets.
  2. Keep everything in either set.
  3. Cardinalities. Note |A ∪ B| = |A| + |B| − |A ∩ B|.

Questions people ask

Permutation or combination?

Ask whether order matters. A lock code is a permutation (order matters); a hand of cards is a combination (it does not).

What is a graph in this sense?

Dots (vertices) joined by lines (edges) — not a plot. Road maps, social networks and molecules are graphs; questions like "is there a route" and "how few colours" are graph theory.

Zama ngokwakho

IiNkqubo Combinatorics & Graph Theory

The counting principlesBinomial coefficients and Pascal's triangleRecurrences and generating functionsGraphs: vertices, edges, degreesPaths, cycles, trees, Euler and HamiltonColouring and planar graphs