An Introduction to Intelligent Systems / Draft

FUZZY RELATION
A relation refers to linkages between two or more entities. The relationship can be causal,
i.e. cause and effect relationship. Examples are: rains cause roads wet, heavy rains cause flooding,
no lubrication causes overheating, etc.
Fuzzy relations measure the strength of relation between fuzzy quantities or fuzzy sets. The
presence of full or complete relation is denoted by 1, absence of relation by 0, and partial
relationship by a number (0,1). Crisp relation can be described by only two values, 1 for full
relation, and 0 for no relation.
Relation is a structure representing the degree of correlation or interaction between sets.
Relation between two universes, X and Y, is defined as Cartesian product combining all elements
in X and Y, xX and yY, in ordered pair to form unconstrained matches between x and y.
The strength of the relation between ordered pair of the two universes is measured by the
membership function expressing the degree of strength of the relation on unit interval [0, 1].
Consider fuzzy universes X and Y with elements x X and y Y . Consider a fuzzy set A
(y )
(x )
in X and B in Y, i.e. A A i and B B j . If there exists a relation between X
y

xi
j
i
j

and Y, R(X,Y), then there exists relation between A and B, R(A,B). It follows that there exist
relations between all elements in A with all elements in B, r ( xi , y j ) i = 1, n and j = 1, m, as
depicted in Figure 3.7.

Figure 3.7. Fuzzy relation between A and B

The strength of the relations between an element in A and an element in B, R ( x, y ) , is

given by R ( x, y ) A ( x), B ( y ) . Thus, for all elements the relation between A and B, R(A,B)
= A ( xi ), B ( y j ) i, j .
The relation R(AB) can be expressed in matrix form. The size of the matrix is n x m
representing the number of primary values of the two fuzzy sets. The relation can also be
represented graphically as shown in Figure 3.8.

Copyright 2012 by Nahrul Khair

An Introduction to Intelligent Systems / Draft

R ( x1 , y1 ) R ( x1 , y 2 ) R ( x1 , y m )
( x , y ) ( x , y ) ( x , y )
R
2
2
R
2
m
R 2 1

R( A, B)

R ( x n , y1 ) R ( x n , y 2 ) R ( x n , y m )

Fuzzy relation is a fuzzy set and can also be represented as

R ( x1 , y1)
(x , y )

R n m
( x, y )
( xn , y m )
( x1 , y1 )

R ( x, y )

R( A, B)

Figure 3.8. Graphical representation of R(AB)

Example: Find the relation between the two fuzzy sets below:
0.2

0.9

= { +

0.3

0.5

= { +

+ }
3

Solution

0.2 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.2 1 0.2 0.2 0.2

R( A, B) A B

0.9 0.3 0.9 0.5 0.9 1 0.3 0.5 0.9

Copyright 2012 by Nahrul Khair

An Introduction to Intelligent Systems / Draft

Fuzzy Composition
Let the relation between X and Y be R(X,Y), and further Y is related to Z by S(Y,Z).
Therefore, there must be relation between X and Z. Let this relation be T(X,Z). The relations
between the sets are as illustrated in Figure 3.9.

Figure 3.9. Fuzzy composition

The relation T(X,Z) is given by fuzzy composition operation

T ( X , Z ) R( X , Y ) S (Y , Z ) , where is the composition operator.

R ( x1 , y1 ) R ( x1 , y 2 ) R ( x1 , y m )
( x , y ) ( x , y ) ( x , y )
R
2
2
R
2
m
R 2 1

Let R( X , Y )

R ( x n , y1 ) R ( x n , y 2 ) R ( x n , y m )
S ( y1 , z1 ) S ( y1 , z 2 ) S ( y1 , z p )
(y , z ) (y , z ) (y , z )
S
2
2
S
2
p
S 2 1
be the two relations. Then the

and S (Y , Z )

S ( y m , z1 ) S ( y m , z 2 ) S ( y m , z p )

relation between X and Z is given by

R ( x1 , y1 ) R ( x1 , y 2 ) R ( x1 , y m ) S ( y1 , z1 ) S ( y1 , z 2 ) S ( y1 , z p )
( x , y ) ( x , y ) ( x , y ) ( y , z ) ( y , z ) ( y , z )
2
1
S
2
2
S
2
p
R
2
2
R
2
m S
R 2 1

T(X , Z)

R ( x n , y1 ) R ( x n , y 2 ) R ( x n , y m ) S ( y m , z1 ) S ( y m , z 2 ) S ( y m , z p )

Copyright 2012 by Nahrul Khair

An Introduction to Intelligent Systems / Draft

T ( x1 , z1 ) T ( x1 , z 2 ) T ( x1 , z p )
( x , z ) ( x , z ) ( x , z )
T
2
2
T
2
p
T 2 1

T ( x n , z1 ) T ( x n , z 2 ) T ( x n , z p )

The strength of the relation T ( x, z ) can be determined using the composition operator. There are
two commonly used composition operator used to determine the resulting membership value of
the relations between the elements of X and Z. They are
i. Max-min operation
In general, this operation is given by T ( x, z ) R ( x, y) S ( y, z ) , for example

T ( x1 , z1 ) R ( x1 , y1 ) S ( y1 , z1 ), R ( x1 , y 2 ) S ( y 2 , z1 ) R ( x1 , y m ) S ( y m , z1 )
ii. Max-product operation
In general, this operation is given by T ( x, z ) R ( x, y) S ( y, z ) , for example

T ( x1 , z1 ) R ( x1 , y1 ) S ( y1 , z1 ), R ( x1 , y2 ) S ( y 2 , z1 ) R ( x1 , y m ) S ( y m , z1 )
Example: Find the relation matrix T using max-min and max-product compositions
0.9 0.6 0.2
0.7 0.5
=[
] and = [
]
0.1 0.7 0.5
0.8 0.4
Solution

0.7 0.5 0.9 0.6 0.2

T=RoS=

0.8 0.4 0.1 0.7 0.5

Using max-min composition operation:

0.7 0.9, 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.6, 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.2, 0.5 0.5
T

0.8 0.9, 0.4 0.1 0.8 0.6, 0.4 0.7 0.8 0.2, 0.4 0.5
0.7,0.1 0.6,0.5 0.2,0.5 0.7 0.6 0.5

0.8,0.1 0.6,0.4 0.2,0.4 0.8 0.6 0.4

Using max-product composition operation:

Copyright 2012 by Nahrul Khair

An Introduction to Intelligent Systems / Draft

0.7 0.9, 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.6, 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.2, 0.5 0.5
T

0.8 0.9, 0.4 0.1 0.8 0.6, 0.4 0.7 0.8 0.2, 0.4 0.5
0.63,0.05 0.42,0.35 0.4,0.25 0.63 0.42 0.25

0.72,0.04 0.48,0.28 0.16,0.20 0.72 0.48 0.20

Problems
1.

0.4

0.2

0.5

0.1

0.3

Let A, B, and C be fuzzy sets = { + + }, = { + } , = { + }. Find

the fuzzy relation R = A x B, S = C x B. Then find T = CR using max-min and max-product
composition operation.

2.

Construct the membership/ relation matrix from the linkage diagram below
Y

0.9

x1
x2

0.4

y2

1.0

x3

y1

1.0

y3
0.2

x4
x5

0.4
0.5

y4
y5

0.2
x6

Copyright 2012 by Nahrul Khair