Python Set | difference()

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The difference between the two sets in Python is equal to the difference between the number of elements in two sets. The function difference() returns a set that is the difference between two sets. Let’s try to find out what will be the difference between two sets A and B. Then (set A – set B) will be the elements present in set A but not in B and (set B – set A) will be the elements present in set B but not in set A.

Example:

set A = {10, 20, 30, 40, 80}
set B = {100, 30, 80, 40, 60}

set A - set B = {10, 20}
set B - set A = {100, 60}

Explanation: A - B is equal to the elements present in A but not in B
             B - A is equal to the elements present in B but not in A

Let’s look at the Venn diagram of the following difference set function. set-difference Syntax:

set_A.difference(set_B) for (A - B)
set_B.difference(set_A) for (B - A)

In this program, we will try to find out the difference between two sets set_A and set_B, both the way:

Python3

# Python code to get the difference between two sets
# using difference() between set A and set B
 
# Driver Code
A = {10, 20, 30, 40, 80}
B = {100, 30, 80, 40, 60}
print (A.difference(B))
print (B.difference(A))

Output:

{10, 20}
{100, 60}

We can also use – operator to find the difference between two sets.

Python3

# Python code to get the difference between two sets
# using difference() between set A and set B
 
# Driver Code
A = {10, 20, 30, 40, 80}
B = {100, 30, 80, 40, 60}
print (A - B)
print (B - A)

Output:

{10, 20}
{100, 60}

If we have equal sets then it will return the null set.

Python3

# Python code to get the difference between two sets
# using difference() between set A and set B
 
# Driver Code
A = {10, 20, 30, 40, 80}
B = {10, 20, 30, 40, 80, 100}
print (A - B)

Output:

set()

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Last Updated : 12 Dec, 2022