In mathematics, a set is a collection of distinct, well-defined objects forming a group. Sets can contain any number of items, such as a collection of whole numbers, months of a year, types of birds, and so on. Each item in the set is known as an element of the set, and sets are usually represented using curly brackets {} . There are different ways to represent sets, including roster form, statement form, and set builder form. Some common types of sets include the empty set, finite set, infinite set, equal set, subsets, and universal set. Sets are used in various branches of mathematics, and set theory has been the standard way to provide rigorous foundations for all branches of mathematics since the first half of the 20th century).