Definition:Semiring of Sets

Definition
A semiring of sets or semi-ring of sets is a system of sets $\SS$, subject to:


 * $(1):\quad \O \in \SS$
 * $(2):\quad A, B \in \SS \implies A \cap B \in \SS$; that is, $\SS$ is $\cap$-stable
 * $(3):\quad$ If $A, A_1 \in \SS$ such that $A_1 \subseteq A$, then there exists a finite sequence $A_2, A_3, \ldots, A_n \in \SS$ such that:
 * $(3a):\quad \displaystyle A = \bigcup_{k \mathop = 1}^n A_k$
 * $(3b):\quad$ The $A_k$ are pairwise disjoint

Alternatively, criterion $(3)$ can be replaced by:
 * $(3'):\quad$ If $A, B \in \SS$, then there exists a finite sequence of pairwise disjoint sets $A_1, A_2, \ldots, A_n \in \SS$ such that $\displaystyle A \setminus B = \bigcup_{k \mathop = 1}^n A_k$.

Some sources specify that a semiring of sets has to be non-empty, but as one of the conditions is that $\O \in \SS$, this criterion is superfluous.

Also see

 * Equivalence of Definitions of Semiring of Sets


 * Set of Empty Set is Semiring of Sets: $\SS = \set \O$ is a semiring of sets
 * Half-Open Rectangles form Semiring of Sets: the half-open $n$-rectangles form a semiring of sets
 * Cartesian Product of Semirings of Sets: the Cartesian product of two semirings of sets is again a semiring of sets