Activity 1 (In NCERT Text Book Activity No 2)
Objective: To verify that the relation R in the set L of all lines in a plane, defined by
R { l , m : l II m} is an equivalence relation.
Material Required: White paper, glue, coloured pens, items of geometry box etc.
Method of constructioin:
We take a white paper and draw lines on it with the help of coloured pens such that
some of them are parallel, some are perpendicular to each other and some are inclined as
shown in the figure.
Demonstration:
1. Let the names of the lines be l1 , l2 ,..., l8 .
2. l1 is perpendicular to each of the lines l2 , l3,l4 (See the figure).
3. l6 is perpendicular to l7 .
4. l2 is parallel to l3 , l3 is parallel to l4 and l5 is parallel to l8 .
Observation:
1. In the figure, every line is parallel to itself. So the relation R { l , m : l II m} is a
reflexive relation.
2. In the figure, we observe that
Since l2 II l3 , so l2 , l3 R and here also l3 II l2 , so l3 , l2 R
Since l3 II l4 , so l3 , l4 R and here also l4 II l3 , so l4 , l3 R
Since l5 II l8 , so l5 , l8 R and here also l8 II l5 , so l8 , l5 R
So the relation R is a symmetric relation.
Page 1 of 2
3. In the figure, we observe that
l2 II l3 and l3 II l4 . We also see that l2 II l4 .
So l2 , l3 R and l3 , l4 R l2 , l4 R
Similarly,
l3 II l4 and l4 II l2 . We also see that l3 II l2 .
So l3 , l4 R and l4 , l2 R l3 , l2 R
Thus the relation R is a transitive relation.
Result: Since the relation R is reflexive, symmetric and transitive, so R is an equivalence
relation.
Application: This activity is useful in understanding the concept of an equivalence relation.
Page 2 of 2
