Q.Let R be the relation in the set N given by R={(a,b):a=b−2,b>6}. Choose the correct answer. (A) (2,4)∈R (B) (3,8)∈R (C) (6,8)∈R (D) (8,7)∈R
🔒You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.
🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Relation Properties
Properties of a Relation
A relation R on a set A pairs elements of A with one another. Some relations behave in regular, predictable ways, and we name these behaviours properties. Three matter most for CBSE Class 12 — reflexive, symmetric, transitive (together they build an equivalence relation); a fourth, antisymmetric, is worth knowing for order relations.
Reflexive — everything relates to itself
R is reflexive if aRa for every a∈A. "Has the same age as" is reflexive; "is taller than" is not. If even one element misses its self-pair, reflexivity fails: on {1,2,3}, {(1,1),(2,2)} is not reflexive because (3,3) is absent.
Symmetric — the relation runs both ways
R is symmetric if aRb⟹bRa. "Is married to" is symmetric; "is taller than" is not. Symmetry does not demand that every pair be related — only that any pair which appears also appears reversed. So {(1,2),(2,1),(3,3)} is symmetric, but {(1,2),(2,1),(1,3)} is not, since (3,1) is missing.
Transitive — relations chain
R is transitive if aRb and bRc together force aRc. "Is an ancestor of" is transitive; "is a friend of" is not. A single broken chain breaks the property: {(1,2),(2,3)} is not transitive because (1,3) is missing.
Antisymmetric — two-way ties force equality
R is antisymmetric if aRb and bRa together force a=b. The order relation ≤ is antisymmetric: a≤b and b≤a give a=b. It does not ban self-pairs like (1,1); it only rules out distinct elements related both ways.
Test the properties in order of ease — reflexivity first, then symmetry, transitivity. A single counterexample is enough to disprove any of them.
| Property | Condition |
|---|---|
| Reflexive | ∀a, aRa |
The key idea is that a relation is defined by a specific condition — here, each ordered pair (a,b) must satisfy a=b−2 and b>6.
Step 1: Check condition b>6 for each option.
- (A) b=4 → not >6, so reject.
- (B) b=8 → 8>6 holds.
- (C) b=8 → 8>6 holds.
- (D) b=7 → 7>6 holds.
Step 2: Now check a=b−2 for the remaining options.
- (B) a=3, b−2=6 → 3=6, reject. …
The relation R is defined only for pairs where the second element b is greater than 6 and the first element a is exactly b−2. Checking each option against these two conditions shows that only option (C) satisfies both.
We need to understand what the relation R actually means before we check any of the given pairs. The definition is R={(a,b):a=b−2,b>6}, where a and b are natural numbers (N). This is not a vague "related if" condition — it's a precise rule: for a pair (a,b) to belong to R, two things must be true simultaneously.
First, the second element b must be strictly greater than 6. Second, the first element a must equal b−2. That's it. There is no other condition. So if we take any natural number b that is 7 or more, then a=b−2 is automatically determined, and that pair is in R. For example, (5,7) is in R because 7>6 and 5=7−2. Similarly, (6,8) would be in R because 8>6 and 6=8−2.
Now let's test each option one by one.
-
Option (A): (2,4)
Here b=4. The condition b>6 fails because 4 is not greater than 6. So this pair cannot be in R regardless of the a value.
Result: Not in R.
-
Option (B): (3,8)
Here b=8, which is greater than 6 — so the first condition is satisfied. Now check a=b−2: 8−2=6, but the given a is 3. Since 3=6, the second condition fails.
Result: Not in R.
-
Option (C): (6,8)
b=8>6 — good. Now b−2=6, and the given a is exactly 6. Both conditions hold.
Result: In R.
-
Option (D): (8,7) …
Method: Checking whether a pair belongs to a defined relation
When a relation is defined by a condition on (a,b), a pair belongs to it only if it satisfies EVERY part of the condition at once.
Steps
Step 1: Split the definition into separate conditions
Here R={(a,b):a=b−2, b>6} carries two conditions joined by "and": (i) a=b−2 and (ii) b>6.
Step 2: Apply the cheapest filter first …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Reading the two conditions as "or" instead of "and".
Why it's wrong: a pair is in R only if a=b−2 AND b>6 both hold; satisfying just one is not enough. Correct approach: require both — e.g. (3,8) has b>6 but 3=8−2, so it is rejected.
Mistake 2: Swapping the roles of a and b. …
Showing the 12 most recent of 41 on this concept.
- CBSE 2020Set 65/1/11 markQ.If for all a1,a2∈A, (a1,a2)∈R implies (a2,a1)∈R, then the relation R defined on set A is called a _________ relation.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The property described — whenever (a1,a2)∈R then (a2,a1)∈R — is the definition of a symmetric relation. The blank should be filled with symmetric.
Let’s understand why this is the correct classification.
A relation R on a set A is simply a collection of ordered pairs (x,y) where x,y∈A. Different properties of relations describe what patterns these pairs follow. The three most common properties you encounter in exam problems are:
- Reflexive: Every element is related to itself — (a,a)∈R for all a∈A.
- Symmetric: If a is related to b, then b is related back to a — exactly the condition given.
- Transitive: If a is related to b and b is related to c, then a is related to c.
The statement in the question is the textbook definition of symmetry. There is no extra condition — it does not say “for all a1,a2” means every pair must be present; it only says whenever a pair is present, its reverse must also be present.
-
Identify the condition: The given statement is:
For all a1,a2∈A, if (a1,a2)∈R then (a2,a1)∈R.
This is a conditional statement — it does not force any particular pair to exist; it only imposes a requirement on pairs that do exist.
-
Match to the known property:
- Reflexive would require (a,a)∈R for every a, which is not mentioned.
- Transitive would involve three elements and a chain condition, not just swapping two elements.
- Symmetric is exactly: “if aRb then bRa”. The phrasing “(a1,a2)∈R implies (a2,a1)∈R” is the formal way to write this.
-
Check a simple example:
Let A={1,2,3} and R={(1,2),(2,1)}.
- For (1,2)∈R, we have (2,1)∈R — condition holds. …
- CBSE 2026Set V11 markMCQQ.If a relation R in the set {1,2,3} be defined by R={(1,1),(2,2)} then R is(a) symmetric but not transitive(b) transitive but not symmetric(c) symmetric and transitive(d) neither symmetric nor transitive
›Reveal solutionSolution
R={(1,1),(2,2)} is both symmetric and transitive, so the answer is (c).
Symmetry: whenever (a,b)∈R we need (b,a)∈R. Here the only pairs are (1,1) and (2,2), and each is its own reverse, so symmetry holds. …
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.What type of a relation is "less than" in the set of real numbers?(a) Only symmetric(b) Only transitive(c) Only reflexive(d) Equivalence
›Reveal solutionSolution
"<" on R is transitive only.
Consider the relation "a<b" on R:
- Reflexive? a<a is false for every a, so NOT reflexive.
- Symmetric? a<b does not imply b<a, so NOT symmetric. …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If R is the relation {(1,1),(2,2),(3,3),(1,2),(2,3),(1,3)} on A={1,2,3}, then which one of the following is true for R?(a) Reflexive but not symmetric(b) Reflexive but not transitive(c) Symmetric and transitive(d) Neither symmetric nor transitive
›Reveal solutionSolution
R is reflexive (it contains every (x,x)) but not symmetric, since (1,2)∈R while (2,1)∈/R.
Given: R={(1,1),(2,2),(3,3),(1,2),(2,3),(1,3)} on A={1,2,3}.
Reflexivity: R is reflexive if (x,x)∈R for every x∈A. Here (1,1),(2,2),(3,3) are all present, so R is reflexive.
Symmetry: R is symmetric if (x,y)∈R⇒(y,x)∈R. Here (1,2)∈R but (2,1)∈/R. So R is not symmetric.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Let R be the relation in the set N given by R={(a,b):a=b−2,b>6}, choose the correct answer:(a) (2,4)∈R(b) (3,8)∈R(c) (6,8)∈R(d) (8,6)∈R
›Reveal solutionSolution
Check each pair against both conditions a=b−2 and b>6.
R={(a,b):a=b−2, b>6}
- (2,4): a=b−2⇒2=2 ✓, but b>6⇒4>6 ✗. Not in R.
- (3,8): a=b−2⇒3=6 ✗. Not in R. …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Choose the correct answer : Let R be a relation in the set {1,2,3,4} given by R={(1,2),(2,2),(1,1),(4,4),(1,3),(3,3),(3,2)}. Then(a) R is reflexive and symmetric but not transitive(b) R is reflexive and transitive but not symmetric(c) R is symmetric and transitive but not reflexive(d) R is an equivalence relation
›Reveal solutionSolution
Test R against the three defining properties (reflexive, symmetric, transitive) one at a time, directly from its listed ordered pairs.
R={(1,2),(2,2),(1,1),(4,4),(1,3),(3,3),(3,2)} on {1,2,3,4}.
Reflexive? Need (a,a)∈R for every a∈{1,2,3,4}: (1,1) ✓, (2,2) ✓, (3,3) ✓, (4,4) ✓. All present — R is reflexive.
Symmetric? Need: whenever (a,b)∈R, also (b,a)∈R. Take (1,2)∈R: is (2,1)∈R? It is not in the list. So R is not symmetric.
Transitive? Need: whenever (a,b)∈R and (b,c)∈R, also (a,c)∈R. Checking every chain:
- (1,1),(1,2)⇒(1,2) ✓
- (1,1),(1,3)⇒(1,3) ✓
- (1,2),(2,2)⇒(1,2) ✓
- (1,3),(3,3)⇒(1,3) ✓
- (1,3),(3,2)⇒(1,2) ✓ …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If R be the relation in the set N given by R={(a,b):a=b−2,b>6}, then(a) (2,4)∈R(b) (3,8)∈R(c) (6,8)∈R(d) (8,7)∈R
›Reveal solutionSolution
Only (6,8) satisfies a=b−2 with b>6.
…
- CBSE 2025Set X11 markMCQQ.A relation R in a set A is called Reflexive relation if(a) (a,a)∈R for all a∈A(b) (a,a)∈R for atleast one a∈A(c) (a,b)∈R implies (b,a)∈R(d) (a,b)∈R and (b,c)∈R implies (a,c)∈R
›Reveal solutionSolution
Tests the definition of a reflexive relation — correct option is (a).
A relation R on a set A is reflexive when every element is related to itself. Formally, (a,a)∈R must hold for all a∈A — not just for at least one element. Option (c) states symmetry ((a,b)∈R⇒(b,a)∈R) and option (d) states transitivit …
- CBSE 2025Set IX1 markMCQQ.A relation R={(a,b):a=b−1, b≥3} is defined on set N, then(a) (2,4)∈R(b) (4,5)∈R(c) (4,6)∈R(d) (1,3)∈R
›Reveal solutionSolution
Only (4,5) satisfies a=b−1 with b≥3; option (b).
Concept. A pair (a,b) belongs to R only if it satisfies both conditions: a=b−1 and b≥3.
- (2,4): b−1=3=2. ✗ …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If A={1,2,3,4} and R={(a,b)∣a+b is an odd number, a,b∈A} is a relation from A to A, then which of the following is true for the relation R?(i) Reflexive(ii) Symmetric(iii) Transitive(iv) Equivalent
›Reveal solutionSolution
Check each property directly: R turns out to be symmetric only.
A={1,2,3,4}, R={(a,b):a+b is odd}.
Reflexive? (a,a) needs a+a=2a to be odd — but 2a is always even. So R is not reflexive.
Symmetric? If a+b is odd, then b+a=a+b is the same sum, also odd. So (a,b)∈R⇒(b,a)∈R. R is symmetric.
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Let A={a,b,c} and R={(a,a),(a,b),(b,a)}, then R is(a) reflexive and symmetric but not transitive(b) reflexive and transitive but not symmetric(c) symmetric and transitive but not reflexive(d) an equivalence relation
›Reveal solutionSolution
R is symmetric (the only cross-pair (a,b)/(b,a) both appear) and not transitive ((b,a) & (a,b) would force (b,b), which is missing) — matching option (a) once we note a reflexivity caveat below.
Step 1 — Reflexive? Full reflexivity on A = {a, b, c} needs (a,a), (b,b), (c,c) all in R. Only (a,a) is present; (b,b) and (c,c) are not. So strictly, R is not fully reflexive on {a,b,c}.
Step 2 — Symmetric? The only pair with a 'partner' is (a,b), and its reverse (b,a) is also in R. There is no pair in R whose reverse is missing. So R is symmetric.
Step 3 — Transitive? Take (b,a) ∈ R and (a,b) ∈ R: transitivity would require (b,b) ∈ R. It is not. So R is not transitive.
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Relation R = {(x, y) : x < y² where x, y ∈ R} is:(a) Reflexive but not symmetric.(b) Symmetric and transitive but not Reflexive.(c) Reflexive and Symmetric.(d) Neither reflexive nor symmetric nor transitive.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Test each property of R={(x,y):x<y2} with concrete counterexamples — all three fail.
Reflexive? Need x<x2 for every x∈R. Take x=21: is 21<41? No. So R is not reflexive.
Symmetric? Need x<y2⇒y<x2. Take x=0,y=1: 0<12 is true, so (0,1)∈R. But is 1<02=0? No. So (1,0)∈/R, and R is not symmetric.
…
🎓Unlock everything free for 14 days
- ✓Full step-by-step solutions
- ✓Concept-first explanations
- ✓Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- ✓PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.