Intersection Distributes over Union

Theorem
Set intersection is distributive over set union:


 * $R \cap \left({S \cup T}\right) = \left({R \cap S}\right) \cup \left({R \cap T}\right)$

General Result
Let $S$ and $T$ be sets.

Let $\mathcal P \left({T}\right)$ be the power set of $T$.

Let $\mathbb T$ be a subset of $\mathcal P \left({T}\right)$.

Then:
 * $\displaystyle S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T = \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$

Intersection Subset of Union
Let $\displaystyle x \in S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T$.

We need to show that $\displaystyle x \in \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$ and then by definition of subset we will have shown that $\displaystyle S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T \subseteq \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$.

So, we have that $\displaystyle x \in S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T$.

By definition of set intersection, $x \in S$ and $\displaystyle x \in \bigcup \mathbb T$.

From $\displaystyle x \in \bigcup \mathbb T$ we know that:
 * $\exists X \in \mathbb T: x \in X$

and so:
 * $\displaystyle \exists X \in \mathbb T: x \in S \cap X$

So by definition of set union:
 * $\displaystyle x \in \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$

So:
 * $\displaystyle S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T \subseteq \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$

Union Subset of Intersection
Let $\displaystyle x \in \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$.

We need to show that $\displaystyle x \in S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T$ and then by definition of subset we will have shown that $\displaystyle \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right) \subseteq S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T$.

So, we have that $\displaystyle x \in \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$.

By definition of set union:
 * $\exists X \in \mathbb T: x \in S \cap X$

By definition of set intersection, we have that $x \in S$ and $x \in X$.

By definition of set union:
 * $\displaystyle x \in \bigcup \mathbb T$

So by definition of set intersection, we have that:
 * $\displaystyle x \in S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T$

So:
 * $\displaystyle \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right) \subseteq S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T$

So we have that:
 * $\displaystyle S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T \subseteq \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$

and
 * $\displaystyle \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right) \subseteq S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T$

and so by definition of Equality of Sets:
 * $\displaystyle S \cap \bigcup \mathbb T = \bigcup_{X \in \mathbb T} \left({S \cap X}\right)$

Also see

 * Union Distributes over Intersection