Let P(S) denote the power set of a set S. Which of the following is always true?

(a) Mr. X claims the following:
If a relation R is both symmetric and transitive, then R is reflexive. For this, Mr. X offers the following proof.

"From xRy, using symmetry we get yRx. Now because R is transitive, xRy and yRx togethrer imply xRx. Therefore, R is reflextive."

Briefly point out the flaw in Mr. X' proof.

(b) Give an example of a relation R which is symmetric and transitive but not reflexive.

Let (A, *) be a semigroup. Furthermore, for every a and b in A, if $$a\, \ne \,b$$, then $$a\,*\,b \ne \,\,b\,*\,a$$.

(a) Show that for every a in A
a * a = a
(b) Show that for every a, b in A
a * b * a = a
(c) Show that for every a, b, c in A
a * b * c = a * c

The binary relation R = {(1, 1)}, (2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3), (2, 4), (3, 1), (3, 2), (3, 3), (3, 4) } on the set A = { 1, 2, 3, 4} is