Definition:Symmetric Difference

The symmetric difference of two sets $$S$$ and $$T$$ is written $$S * T$$ and is defined as:

$$S * T = \left({S - T}\right) \cup \left({T - S}\right)$$, where :


 * $$S - T$$ is the set difference between $$S$$ and $$T$$, defined as $$S - T = \left\{{x: x \in S \land x \notin T}\right\}$$;
 * $$S \cup T$$ is the union of $$S$$ and $$T$$, defined as $$S \cup T = \left\{{x: x \in S \lor x \in T}\right\}$$.

Notation
There is no standard symbol for symmetric difference. The one used here: $$*$$ has been chosen somewhat arbitrarily; it's the one found by the author in the nearest work to hand.

The following are often found for $$S * T$$:


 * $$S \oplus T$$;
 * $$S + T$$;
 * $$S \Delta T$$.