Chapter 3: Q29E (page 112)
Let be a finite set. A binary relation on S is simply a collection R of ordered pairs . For instance, S might be a set of people, and each such pair might mean 鈥 x knows y 鈥.
An equivalence relationis a binary relation which satisfies three properties:
- Reflexivity: localid="1659006645990" for all
- Symmetry: If then
- Transitivity: if and then localid="1659006784500"
For instance, the binary relation 鈥渉as the same birthday as鈥 is an equivalence relation, whereas 鈥渋s the father of鈥 is not, since it violates all three properties.
Show that an equivalence relation partition set S into disjoint groups (in other words, ) such that:
- Any two members of a group are related, that is, for any localid="1659006702579" , for any i .
- Members of different groups are not related, that is, for all , for all localid="1659006762355" and, we have .
(Hint: Represent an equivalence relation by an undirected graph.)
Short Answer
It can be shown that equivalence relation partitions set into disjoint groups by the connected and disconnected branches.