Subset of a Set
Definition

A subset is a set whose elements are all members of another set.


The symbol "⊆" means "is a subset of".

The symbol "⊂" means "is a proper subset of".


Example
Subset example

Since all of the members of set A are members of set D, A is a subset of D. Symbolically this is represented as A ⊆ D.

Note that A ⊆ D implies that n(A) ≤ n(D) (i.e. 3 ≤ 6).


Note that A is also a proper subset of D since set D has members that do not belong to set A (A ≠ D). Symbolically this is represented as A ⊂ D.

Note that A ⊂ D implies that n(A) < n(D) (i.e. 3 < 6).


Since some of the members of set C are NOT members of set D, C is NOT a subset of D. Symbolically this is represented as C is not a subset of D.


Since all of the members of set A are members of set B, A is a subset of B. Symbolically this is represented as A ⊆ B.

Although A ⊆ B, since there are no members of set B that are NOT members of set A (A = B), A is NOT a proper subset of B.


Any set is considered to be a subset of itself.

No set is a proper subset of itself.

The empty set is a subset of every set.

The empty set is a proper subset of every set except for the empty set.