set.issuperset() method in python

The issuperset() method is used to check whether a set is a super set of another set given as argument.

A set is a super set if it contains all the elements of the other set and possibly more. For example, set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} is a super set of both, {2, 4} and {1, 3, 5} as it contains all the elements of both sets.

Logically, any set its own super set.

set1.issuperset(set2)

The method returns True if the set is a super set of the given set2, else False.

integers = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}

odds = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}
evens = {0, 2, 4, 6, 8}

#check whether set integers is a supers set
print(integers.issuperset(integers)) #it is its own superset
print(integers.issuperset(odds))
print(integers.issuperset(evens))

In the above example, the issuperset() method returns True in all cases because the integers set is a super set of all the sets passed as arguments including itself.

odds = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}
evens = {2, 4, 6, 8}

print(odds.issuperset(evens))
print(evens.issuperset(odds))

In the above snippet, the issuperset() method returns False in both case.

Using the >= operator instead

The >= operator is the equivalent operator version of the superset() method. It also determines if a set is a super set of another set.

set1 >= set2

It returns True if set1 is a superset of set2, else False.

integers = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}

odds = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}
evens = {0, 2, 4, 6, 8}

#returns True
print(integers >= odds)
print( integers >= evens)

#returns False
print(odds >= integers)
print(odds >= evens)
print(evens >= odds)

Check if a set is a strict super set

A strict super set is a set that contains all elements of another set, but there must be at least one more additional element in the super set. It is also known as a proper super set.

A set is not its own strict super set.

To check whether a set s a strict super set, we use the > operator.

set1 > set2

The operation returns True if set1 is a strict super set of set2.

integers = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}

odds = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}
evens = {0, 2, 4, 6, 8}

print(integers > integers) #it is NOT its own strict superset
print(integers > odds)
print(integers > evens)