What background is needed to start Set Theory?

Question

So I'm doing calculus at this moment in my first year, but I think I'm lacking in terms of mathematical notation, logic, etc.

After some research I found that Set Theory is sort of mandatory for any mathematics major and I decided to start learning it on my own. I got the book "Naive Set Theory" by Halmos and have just started reading. However,I'm finding it time consuming.

Is the book good for starters? And is high school mathematics background enough to learn Set Theory on my own while doing calculus(currently doing functions, limits, etc) at university?

Thanks

Answer 1

In my opinion if you have some idea of what a $proof$ is then $Naive$ $Set$ $Theory$ does not need any particular prerequisites (atleast for first $10$ or $12$ chapters). However sometime it seems very dry due to the fact that a particular statement may look obvious to you (though it may not be!) but you'll find a proof for that in the book. The best strategy to read it (in my opinion) is to form a study group of $3-4$ people and discuss among each other.

Answer 2

If you're looking for a good beginning that incorporates both set theory and logic, I'd really recommend 'How to Prove it - A structured approach by Velleman as only the most basic of high school mathematics is assumed. While Halmos is good as a reference, it is not a good way to begin set theory. Velleman will provide you with all the rudiments you need to tackle proofs and proofs involving sets. Hope this helps!