Question

Let A = {1, 2, 3}. Then number of relations containing (1, 2) and (1, 3) which are reflexive and symmetric but not transitive is ______.

Options

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Answer 1

Let A = {1, 2, 3}. Then number of relations containing (1, 2) and (1, 3) which are reflexive and symmetric but not transitive is 1.

Explanation:

The given set is A = {1, 2, 3}.

The smallest relation containing (1, 2) and (1, 3) which is reflexive and symmetric, but not transitive is given by:

R = {(1, 1), (2, 2), (3, 3), (1, 2), (1, 3), (2, 1), (3, 1)}

This is because relation R is reflexive as (1, 1), (2, 2), (3, 3) ∈ R.

Relation R is symmetric since (1, 2), (2, 1) ∈ R and (1, 3), (3, 1) ∈ R.

But relation R is not transitive as (3, 1), (1, 2) ∈ R, but (3, 2) ∉ R.

Now, if we add any two pairs (3, 2) and (2, 3) (or both) to relation R, then relation R will become transitive.

Hence, the total number of desired relations is one.