How many reflexive and antisymmetric relations are there on an n-element set?
Solution
VerifiedIf one event can occur in ways AND a second event can occur in ways, then the number of ways that the two events can occur in sequence is then .
A relation on a set is if and implies .
A relation on a set is if for every element .
Moreover, a relation is not antisymmetric when its corresponding matrix is a matrix that is not symmetric, while the reflexive property requires that all main diagonal elements are 1's.
When contains elements, then the relation is represented by a matrix.
When we know all elements on or above the main diagonal of the symmetric matrix, then the other elements of the matrix can be determined due to symmetry.
Since an matrix contains elements with elements on the main diagonal, there are elements that are not on the main diagonal.
Since exactly half of the non-main diagonal elements are on either side of the main diagonal, there are elements above the main diagonal.
For each of the elements on or above the main diagonal, there are options: the element is a 0 or a 1.
Use the multiplication principle:
Thus there are possible symmetric matrices that are not antisymmetric but reflexive (with 1's on the main diagonal).
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