# Uniqueness proof for $\forall A\in\mathcal{P}(U)\exists!B\in\mathcal{P}(U)(C\setminus A=C\cap B)$

I managed to prove existence for the following theorem: $$\forall A\in\mathcal{P}(U)\ \exists!B\in\mathcal{P}(U)\ \forall C\in\mathcal{P}(U)\ (C\setminus A=C\cap B)$$ where U is any set. My assumption is that $B=U\setminus A$, and it works for existence, but I'm stuck with proving uniqueness part with $B$ being defined this way.

For uniqueness we need to prove $$\forall B'\in\mathcal{P}(U)\ \forall C\in\mathcal{P}(U)\ (\ (C\setminus A=C\cap B')\rightarrow B'=B)$$ where A is arbitrary element of $\mathcal{P}(U)$ but I don't how to connect $x\in B'$ or $x\in B$ to the assusmed identitiy $C\setminus A=C\cap B'$.

Any pointers are much appreciated.

EDIT

Here is my attempt of proof.

Proof: Let $A$ be an arbitrary element of $\mathcal{P}(U)$ and let $B=U\setminus A$.
Existence: Let $C$ be an arbitrary element of $\mathcal{P}(U)$. $(\rightarrow)$ Let $x$ be an arbitrary element of $C\setminus A$. Since $C\subseteq U$, then $x\in U\setminus A$. Therefore $x\in C\cap B$. $(\leftarrow)$ Let x be an arbitrary element of $C\cap B$. Then $x\in C\cap (U\setminus A)$, so we can conclude $x\in C\setminus A$.
Uniqueness: Let $B'$ be an arbitrary element of $\mathcal{P}(U)$ and suppose $\forall C\in\mathcal{P}(U)(C\setminus A=C\cap B')$.
$(B'\subseteq B)$ Since $B'\in\mathcal{P}(U)$, then in particular $B'\setminus A=B'\cap B'=B'$, so clearly $B'\cap A=B'\cap (U\setminus B)=\varnothing$. Then $\forall x(x\not\in B'\lor x\not\in U\lor x\in B)$, which is equivalent to $\forall x(x\in B'\cap U\rightarrow x\in B$). Since $B'\subseteq U$, $B'\cap U=B'$, we now have $\forall x(x\in B'\rightarrow x\in B)$, and therefore $B'\subseteq B$.
$(B\subseteq B')$ Let $C=B$. Then $B\setminus A=B\cap B'$, and because $B\cap A=\varnothing$, we have $B=B\cap B'$, so we can conclude $B\subseteq B'$.

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## 3 Answers

Hint: Plug $B$ into the $C$ from the $B'$ assertion to get that $B\setminus A\subseteq B'$, and similarly for $B'$ into $C$ from the $B$ assertion, to have $B'\setminus A\subseteq B$.

Now show that $B'\setminus A=B'$ and $B\setminus A=B$ (plug $C=\varnothing$ into both assertions) and you are done.

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I don't see any inference rule that would bring me from supposing $x\in B$ or $x\in B'$ to $x\in C$ or $x\not\in C$, except for proving by cases $x\in C$ and $x\not\in C$. If not going for elementhood, how exactly do I plug B or B' into C? –  LavaScornedOven Dec 8 '12 at 12:57
If the claim is true for all $C$ then it is true for $C=B'$, for example, therefore $B'\setminus A=B\cap B'$. Show that $B'\setminus A=B'$ then you have that $B'=B\cap B'$; similarly $B=B\cap B'$. From this you can directly deduce the conclusion of equality. –  Asaf Karagila Dec 8 '12 at 13:02
Oh, I see. (Palmface...) :) I missed the fact that I can plug into $C\setminus A=C\cap B'$ whatever I wont from $\mathcal{P}(U)$. Thanks for the help. –  LavaScornedOven Dec 8 '12 at 13:18
No problem! (I think it's facepalm, by the way, not palmface :-)) –  Asaf Karagila Dec 8 '12 at 13:52
Facepalm would do, but check this out: d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/3657230_700b.jpg –  LavaScornedOven Dec 8 '12 at 14:49

HINT: An easier way is to show that if $B\ne U\setminus A$, there is a $C\in\wp(U)$ such that $C\setminus A\ne C\cap B$. You’ll want to consider two cases, $B\cap A\ne\varnothing$ (loosely, ‘$B$ is too big’) and $A\cup B\ne U$ (loosely, ‘$B$ is too small’).

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Here is my attempt at a direct proof for this theorem. Note that $A$, $B$, etc. denote subsets of our 'universe' $U$, and $x$ denotes an element of U.

We start out by simplifying everything inside $\exists!$, as follows: \begin{align*} & \langle \forall C :: C \setminus A \;=\; C \cap B \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"extensionality; definitions of \setminus and \cap"} \\ & \langle \forall C :: \langle \forall x :: x \in C \land x \notin A \;\equiv\; x \in C \land x \in B \rangle \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"logic: move x \in C out of \equiv, then into range"} \\ & \langle \forall C :: \langle \forall x : x \in C : x \not\in A \equiv x \in B \rangle \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"logic: what Dijkstra calls shunting"} \\ & \langle \forall x : \langle \exists C :: x \in C \rangle : x \not\in A \equiv x \in B \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"range is true: take C:=\lbrace x \rbrace"} \\ & \langle \forall x :: x \not\in A \equiv x \in B \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"definition of complement"} \\ & B = A^c \\ \end{align*} This trivially proves existence and uniqueness, but for completeness I will spell it out anyway. Using the following not-so-well-known definition of $\exists!$ (where $w$ is a fresh variable) $$\langle \exists! v :: P \rangle \;\equiv\; \langle \exists w :: \langle \forall v :: P \:\equiv\: v=w \rangle \rangle$$ the original theorem is proven as follows: \begin{align*} & \langle \forall A :: \langle \exists! B :: \langle \forall C :: C \setminus A \;=\; C \cap B \rangle \rangle \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"by the above calculation"} \\ & \langle \forall A :: \langle \exists! B :: B = A^c \rangle \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"by the above definition"} \\ & \langle \forall A :: \langle \exists B' :: \langle \forall B :: B = A^c \:\equiv\: B = B' \rangle \rangle \rangle \\ \Leftarrow & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"what Dijkstra calls Leibniz' rule"} \\ & \langle \forall A :: \langle \exists B' :: A^c = B' \rangle \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"logic: what Dijkstra calls the one-point rule"} \\ & \langle \forall A :: \mathrm{true} \rangle \\ \equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"logic"} \\ & \mathrm{true} \\ \end{align*}

Hope this helps...

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Where could I find material with that proving "style"? It looks interesting to explore. –  LavaScornedOven Mar 19 '13 at 12:13
@LavaScornedOven See the note at the end of another answer of mine./11994. –  Marnix Klooster Mar 19 '13 at 13:39
Thanks for the reply. I'm currently investigating different approaches, and your suggestion comes as very helpful. –  LavaScornedOven Mar 20 '13 at 2:14