Does Equal Cardinality in Nested Infinite Sets Imply Equality Throughout?

In summary, to prove that if A, B, and C are nonempty sets such that A is a subset of B, B is a subset of C, and |A|=|C|, then |A|=|B|, we can apply the Schroder-Bernstein theorem by showing that there exists an injection from A to B and an injection from B to A, which can be achieved by using the bijection f:A->C.
  • #1
rideabike
16
0

Homework Statement


Prove that if A,B, and C are nonempty sets such that A [itex]\subseteq[/itex] B [itex]\subseteq[/itex] C and |A|=|C|, then |A|=|B|

The Attempt at a Solution


Assume B [itex]\subset[/itex] C and A [itex]\subset[/itex] B (else A=B or B=C), and there must be a bijection f:A[itex]\rightarrow[/itex]C...
 
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  • #2
rideabike said:

Homework Statement


Prove that if A,B, and C are nonempty sets such that A [itex]\subseteq[/itex] B [itex]\subseteq[/itex] C and |A|=|C|, then |A|=|B|

The Attempt at a Solution


Assume B [itex]\subset[/itex] C and A [itex]\subset[/itex] B (else A=B or B=C), and there must be a bijection f:A[itex]\rightarrow[/itex]C...

So far you are just stating what the problem told you. Don't you have some theorems you might apply?
 
  • #3
rideabike said:

Homework Statement


Prove that if A,B, and C are nonempty sets such that A [itex]\subseteq[/itex] B [itex]\subseteq[/itex] C and |A|=|C|, then |A|=|B|

The Attempt at a Solution


Assume B [itex]\subset[/itex] C and A [itex]\subset[/itex] B (else A=B or B=C), and there must be a bijection f:A[itex]\rightarrow[/itex]C...

Why not start with the given condition, that A [itex]\subseteq[/itex] B [itex]\subseteq[/itex] C and |A|=|C|?
 
  • #4
Dick said:
So far you are just stating what the problem told you. Don't you have some theorems you might apply?
I know, I don't really know where to start. Schroder-Bernstein maybe?
 
  • #5
rideabike said:
I know, I don't really know where to start. Schroder-Bernstein maybe?

That's the one! Try and apply it. Here's a hint. If A is subset of B, then there's an injection from A into B, right?
 
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  • #6
Dick said:
That's the one! Try and apply it. Here's a hint. If A is subset of B, then there's an injection from A into B, right?

Right. And we want to show there's an injection from B to A. Would it be that since there's an injection from B to C and and injection from C to A, there must be an injection from B to A?
 
  • #7
rideabike said:
Right. And we want to show there's an injection from B to A. Would it be that since there's an injection from B to C and and injection from C to A, there must be an injection from B to A?

Sure. That's wasn't so hard, was it? You might want to spell out some of the details, like what the actual injections are in terms of your bijection f:A->C. But that's the idea.
 

Related to Does Equal Cardinality in Nested Infinite Sets Imply Equality Throughout?

What is the concept of cardinality?

The concept of cardinality refers to the size or number of elements in a set. It is a measure of the set's magnitude or quantity, and can be used to compare the sizes of different sets.

What is the cardinality of a finite set?

The cardinality of a finite set is simply the number of elements in the set. For example, if a set contains 3 elements, its cardinality is 3.

Can infinite sets have different cardinalities?

Yes, infinite sets can have different cardinalities. This is known as the Cantor's diagonal argument, which shows that not all infinite sets have the same size. For example, the set of natural numbers (countably infinite) has a different cardinality than the set of real numbers (uncountably infinite).

What is the cardinality of the set of natural numbers?

The cardinality of the set of natural numbers (N) is denoted by aleph-null (∞0) and is considered to be the smallest infinite cardinal number. It represents the size of an infinite set that can be put into a one-to-one correspondence with the set of natural numbers.

How is the cardinality of infinite sets determined?

The cardinality of infinite sets is determined by the existence of a one-to-one correspondence between the elements of the sets. If such a correspondence exists, the sets are said to have the same cardinality. Otherwise, they have different cardinalities.

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