In: Math
Let X be a finite set. Describe the equivalence relation having the greatest number of distinct equivalence classes, and the one with the smallest number of equivalence classes.
Let
be a finite set with
elements then
A relation
on the set
is equivalnce if it satisfies
1) Reflexive Property :
2) Symmetric Property : If
then
3) Transitive Property :
and
then
Each element of the set
has an equivalence class
The equivalence class an element
is the set of all those elements of the set
with which the element
has a relation
.
The equivalence class of an element
is denoted by
.
The equivalence relation has the smallest number of equivalence classes .
The smallest equivalence relation must always contain the diagonal that is
Since every element is related to itself therefor it contains
equivalence classes.
Since the set
is non empty it contains
elements. So, the smallest number of equivalence classes is equal
to
.
The largest number of equivalence classes in the
set
which contains
elements is equal to
because the largest relation in a set is the cartition product that
is
it contains
elements.
For example the set
with the relation
.
The smallest ordered set is
which has three elements that is the smallest number of equivalnce
classes.
The largest ordered set of relation is
Which has
elements which is the largest number of equivalence classes.