Show that for any sets A and B,

A = (A B) (A – B)

We know that (A B) A and (A – B) A


(A B) (A – B) A….(1)


Let and x ϵ (A B) (A – B)


x ϵ (A B) and x ϵ (A–B)


x ϵ A and x ϵ B and x ϵ A and x B


x ϵ A and x ϵ A [ x ϵ B and x B are not possible simultaneously]


x ϵ A


(A B) (A – B) A…(2)


From (1) and (2), we get


A = (A B) (A – B)


14