R and S are two symmetric relations on set A

(i) To prove: R ⋂ S is symmetric

Symmetric: For Symmetric, we need to prove that-

If (a, b) ∈ R, then (b, a) ∈ R

Let (a, b) ∈ R ⋂ S

⇒ (a, b) ∈ R and (a, b) ∈ S

⇒ (b, a) ∈ R and (b, a) ∈ S

[∴ R and S are symmetric]

⇒ (b, a) ∈ R ⋂ S

⇒ R ⋂ S is symmetric

To prove: R ⋃ S is symmetric

Symmetric: For Symmetric, we need to prove that-

If (a, b) ∈ R, then (b, a) ∈ R

Let (a, b) ∈ R ⋃ S

⇒ (a, b) ∈ R or (a, b) ∈ S

⇒ (b, a) ∈ R or (b, a) ∈ S

[∴ R and S are symmetric]

⇒ (b, a) ∈ R ⋃ S

⇒ R ⋃ S is symmetric

(ii) R and S are two relations on a such that R is reflexive.

To prove : R ⋃ S is reflexive

Reflexivity : For Reflexivity, we need to prove that-

(a, a) ∈ R

Suppose R ⋃ S is not reflexive.

This means that there is a ∈ R ⋃ S such that (a, a) ∉ R ⋃ S

Since a ∈ R ⋃ S,

∴ a ∈ R or a ∈ S

If a ∈ R, then (a, a) ∈ R

[∵ R is reflexive]

⇒ (a, a) ∈ R ⋃ S

Hence, R ⋃ S is reflexive