1. Introduction
Many real-world problems have uncertainties, inconsistent information and data are not crisp. Zadeh [
1] established the theory known as fuzzy set (FS) to deal with imprecise data. Many generalizations of fuzzy sets can be found which are developed to handle real world problems. Soft sets (SS) are one such extension which are introduced by Molodtsov [
2]. This theory can handle uncertain information in a parametric way. Sabir and Naz [
3] initiated the concept of soft topological space which presents the parametrized (precomputed) set values of topologies in the primary universe. In addition, Aygunoglu et al. [
4] extended soft topological space to fuzzy set theory as fuzzy soft set topology in 2014.
The intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) concept was developed by Atanassov [
5] in 1986. Like FS theory, IFS can also handle imprecise information with each element in the set having both satisfaction and dis-satisfaction grade values, provided that the addition of these two values should not exceed one. Maji et al. [
6] initiated the notion of intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets (IFSSs) by incorporating IFS and SS. Bayramov and Gunduz [
7] developed intuitionistic fuzzy soft topological spaces. In their work, they have investigated the properties of continuous mapping. Picture fuzzy set (PFS), [
8] introduced by Coung et al. in 2014, is an amplification of Atanassov’s IFS theory and Zadeh’s FS theory. Picture fuzzy set and its application in decision making [
9] is developed to explain when we have the three different answers (yes, avoid, no). Yager [
10,
11] initiated the concept of Pythagorean fuzzy set (PyFS) and it is introduced to overcome a circumstance when the sum of satisfaction and dis-satisfaction grades exceeds unity. q-rung orthopair fuzzy [
12,
13] set (q-ROFS) is an extension of PyFS, IFS whose sum of q-power of satisfaction and dis-satisfaction grade values are less than unity. q-rung orthopair picture fuzzy (q-ROPFS) [
14] set is an extension of IFS whose sum of q-power of truth, abstinence and false grade values are less than unity. Riaz and Hashmi [
15] unravelled the notion of linear Diophantine fuzzy set (LDFS) which is an amplification of fuzzy, intuitionistic fuzzy and picture fuzzy sets provided the addition of
and
should not exceed unity, where
are the reference parameters and
are the true and false membership grades.
Forging decisions is an essential element of our day to day lives. A highly renowned graphic designer, James Victor, was asked by an interviewer what prompted him to be so versatile. He just stated, “I make decisions.” Every day, we make millions of micro-choices, from how to communicate with someone, what to focus our energy on, how to respond to an email, what to consume to meet our health needs. One may easily state that becoming a better and faster decision-maker is the quickest way to increase one’s productivity levels. Every individual, whether a layperson or a politician, an employer or an employee, a teacher or a student, a mature man or a child, takes hundreds and thousands, if not millions, of decisions in his or her everyday existence. When a newborn is hungry and unable to communicate, she/he determines to uproar in order to attract the concentration of her/his caregiver and to demonstrate that her/his belly is unfilled through body motions.
We are frequently duped by our tumults into making significant judgments in life, only to have regret afterwards. Assume we are faced with a difficult decision that will have a huge influence on our lives. Every time we believe we’ve made a decision, the other choice pulls us back. We return to where we began: it’s a tie. Should we construct ever-more-detailed lists of advantages and disadvantages and seek advice from increasingly more reliable sources? Should we trust our instincts? Another critical difficulty is deciding how to decide. Mathematics, in addition to its numerous applications, assists us in making scientific judgments. Many researchers in [
16,
17,
18,
19,
20] presented diverse decision making (DM) techniques utilizing the LDFSs with their applications.
MCDM is designed to make a optimum decision by a single person or group with the help of ranking. The application of MCDM can be seen when shortlisting people for interview, selecting new gadgets, machines, etc. The idea of TOPSIS is that the selected alternant should have a minimum distance positive ideal solution (PIS) and far from negative ideal solution (NIS). The TOPSIS method is used in MCDM because it can choose the optimum alternative among a group of alternants based on MCDM. The VIKOR method is proposed to deal with MCDM. This technique is used to choose an optimum alternative among a group of alternatives by ranking them in the presence of conflicting criteria. Like TOPSIS and VIKOR, aggregation operator is used in MCDM and the main aim of the aggregation operator in MCDM is to aggregate the set of inputs to a single number.
Many authors such as Biswas and Sarkar [
21], Boran et al. [
22], Kumar and Garg [
23], Xu and Zhang [
24], Xu [
25], Hashmi et al. [
26], Eraslan and Karaaslan [
27], Peng and Yuan [
28], Liu et al. [
29], and Garg and Arora [
30] applied the concept of VIKOR, TOPSIS and aggregation operator methods for DM problems with the extension of FSs and systems in different disciplines such as graph theory, operations research, etc. Khalid Naeem et al. [
31] developed the notion of Pythagorean m-polar fuzzy topological space with the TOPSIS approach. Recently, Gul & Aydogdu [
32] introduced and studied TOPSIS in an LDF environment.
Mathematics, in addition to its numerous applications, assists us in making scientific judgments. In this paper, we present an LDFSS decision-making application. Assume we have an aggregate LDFSS; therefore, we must select the optimal alternate form of this set. Using the following approach, we may use an MCDM based on LDFSSs.
The objective of the paper is given below:
- (i)
In IFS, each element has satisfaction and dis-satisfaction grades. Each element in LDFS has three grades namely, satisfaction, dissatisfaction and refusal with reference parameters provided the sum of product of grades with reference parameters does not exceed unity. Few theories such as IFS, PFS, q-ROFS fail to meet their own conditions in few cases.
- (ii)
Our goal is to initiate the concept of LDFSS to fill the research gap. In addition, we introduce a notion of linear Diophantine fuzzy soft topological space (LDFSTS) whose members in this LDFSTS are LDFSS.
- (iii)
LDFSSs, which are the inference of LDFSs and FSSs, are a more valuable medium in DM situations since they are dealing with two parametrized families of LDFS. TOPSIS, VIKOR, and AO techniques are also useful for decision-making challenges. In this work, we created three approaches in the Linear Diophantine fuzzy soft environment by integrating the modelling benefits of LDF flexible sets with the advantages of TOPSIS, VIKOR, and AO methods.
- (iv)
LDFSS-TOPSIS, LDFSS-VIKOR and the LDFSS-aggregation operators method are designed to apply the proposed notion in MCDM. A real life problem is considered and applied these proposed algorithm.
The structure of the manuscript is as follows: fundamental definitions are bestowed in
Section 2. The definition of LDFSTS, neighbourhood, interior, closure, frontier and base are introduced and the properties of LDFSTS are studied in
Section 3. We explained the importance of the targeted method for MCDM based on LDFSSs via LDFSS-TOPSIS, LDFSS-VIKOR, LDFSS-AO methods with numerical real life examples in
Section 4,
Section 5 and
Section 6 respectively. The suggested MCDM approaches are exemplified by numerical examples in the previous sections and are supported by comparative analysis with various current techniques in
Section 7.
Section 8 detailed this lucubration work with a definite conclusion.
2. Preliminaries
We review and give some fundamental definitions of the LDFSs in this section.
Definition 1 ([
15])
. An LDFS is an element on the non-void reference or connecting set that composes:where, , are the satisfaction grade and dis-satisfaction grade, and are the connecting parameters, respectively. These grades gratify the condition for all and with . Comparison parameters aid classifying a specific system. By traversing the tangible meaning of these parameters, we might classify the system. They increase the amount of space available in LDFS for grades and remove restrictions. The rejection (refusal) grade is defined as follows: , where is the rejection connecting parameter. Linear Diophantine fuzzy number (LDFN) is outlined as and with , . Definition 2 ([
15])
. An LDFS on is called a- (i)
void LDFS, if .
- (ii)
absolute LDFS, if .
Definition 3 ([
15])
. Let be an LDFN, then- 1.
the score function (SF) is displayed by and is depicted as where
- 2.
the accuracy function (AF) is displayed by and is depicted aswhere where is the foregathering of every LDFNs on
Definition 4 ([
15])
. Two LDFNs and can be comparable using SF and AF. It is defined as follows:- (i)
if
- (ii)
if
- (iii)
If , then
- (a)
if
- (b)
if
- (c)
if
Definition 5 ([
15])
. Let for be a convene of LDFNs on and then- (i)
- (ii)
- (iii)
- (iv)
- (v)
- (vi)
- (vii)
- (viii)
- (ix)
Example 1. Let and be two LDFNs, then
- (i)
- (ii)
by the Definition 9 (iii)
- (iii)
- (iv)
- (v)
- (vi)
If , then we have the following
- (vii)
- (viii)
Definition 6 ([
15])
. The euclidean distance within the two LDFSs and is determined as .
Definition 7 ([
2])
. Let be the set of attributes and be a crisp set. The soft set will be outlined as , where and is the set-valued function. is the shortest method of writing the couplet . Definition 8 ([
33])
. Let be the set of parameters and be the universal set. If we suppose that and LDF signifies the assembly of all linear Diophantine fuzzy subsets over and is a mapping. An LDFSS on is denoted by or and outlined by .where delineates functions called satisfaction function, dis-satisfaction function, satisfaction parameter function, dis-satisfaction parameter function, respectively. Specifically, denotes the satisfaction grade, represents the dis-satisfaction grade, denotes the parameter of the satisfaction grade, represents the parameter of the dis-satisfaction grade of the alternative to the set having the following constraints:
For each attribute , the value evinces -approximate point.
The multitude of all LDFSS over taken from is defined as LDFS class and is represented as LDFS.
Let us consider
,
,
and
where
run from from one to
and
run from one to
. Thus the LDFSS
may be written in tabular form as cited in
Table 1.
The corresponding matrix form is
The matrix displayed above is said to be linear Diophantine fuzzy soft matrix (LDFSM).
Definition 9 ([
33])
. Let and be a convene of LDFSSs on , then- (i)
=
- (ii)
, if and , for all .
- (iii)
, if and , for all .
- (iv)
, if and , for all .
Definition 10 ([
33])
. If τ is a collection of linear Diophantine fuzzy subsets of a non-void set and if- (i)
- (ii)
, for any
- (iii)
where , for any
then the couplet is known as an LDFTS, where τ is known as an LDFTS on .
3. Linear Diophantine Fuzzy Soft Topological Spaces
The concept of LDFSTS is constituted and to a greater extent we explored its peculiarities.
Let be the inception of the universal set and represents the kindred of LDFSs on .
Definition 11. An LDFSS aloft is known as
an absolute LDFSS (), if and only if for every ,
an empty LDFSS (), if and only if for every ,
where are the value of the grade of satisfaction, grade of dis-satisfaction, the parameter of the satisfaction grade and the parameter of the dis-satisfaction grade, respectively of the absolute and empty LDFSSs over .
Definition 12. Let , then on is said to be an LDFSTS, if the following constraints hold good
The triple over is called an LDFSTS. The objects of are known as linear Diophantine fuzzy soft open sets (LDFSOS) and their complements are said to be linear Diophantine fuzzy soft closed sets (LDFSCS).
Definition 13. Let and be any two LDFSTS. If for every is in , then is linear Diophantine fuzzy soft coarser (weaker) than or is linear Diophantine fuzzy soft finer than .
Example 2. Let be the reference set (distinct models of bikes) and be the attributes or parameters set, where =affordable, =caliber, =comfort, =recovery service. Let and . Then we contemplate two LDFSS and are given by:
, and where
Here,
- 1.
is a LDFSTS.
- 2.
and are two LDFSTSs. It is obvious that . Thus, is said to be LDFSS-finer than and is said to be LDFS-coarser .
Theorem 1. If , where and are two LDFSTSs over , then is also an LDFSTS on .
Proof. (i) It is obvious that
(ii) Let . This implies that and , this implies that and , this implies that .
(iii) Let . This implies that and , this implies that and , this implies that .
Therefore, is an LDFSTS on . □
Remark 1. The union of two LDFSTSs might not be such.
Let the reference set be and the attribute set be . Let and . Now let us take two LDFSSs and such that:
, and , where
,
.
Then, the two LDFSTSs over are and . The opposite hand, since . However, , . Thus, is not an LDFSTS on . But is an LDFSS on .
Definition 14. Let and be an LDFSTS on . Then is called a neighbourhood (nbd) of , if ∃ an LDFSOS (i.e., ) ∋.
Theorem 2. A LDFSS is an LDFSOS if and only if is a nbd of each LDFSS .
Proof. Let be an LDFSSs in , where is an LDFSOS. As we have is a nbd of . Thereupon, if we suppose is an nbd for all LDFSS . Since , ∃ an LDFSOS ∋. Thus, is open and . □
Theorem 3. Let and be an LDFSTS. is said to be the nbd system or nbd filter of , the set of all nbds, upto topology (in short, ).
Theorem 4. Let the nbd filter of the LDFSS be . Then,
- 1.
finite intersections of the members of .
- 2.
each LDFSS containing a member of .
Proof. - 1.
Let . Then ∋ and . Since, , we have, . Thus, .
- 2.
If and be an LDFSS containing , then ∋. This proves that
□
Definition 15. Let be an arbitrary LDFSS and let be an LDFSTS over . Then the interior and closure of are defined as follows:
- 1.
= is LDFSO and ,
- 2.
= is LDFSC and .
Remark 2. For any LDFSS in , we have
- 1.
= .
- 2.
= .
- 3.
is an LDFSCS if and only if .
- 4.
is an LDFSOS if and only if .
- 5.
is an LDFSCS in .
- 6.
is an LDFSOS in .
Theorem 5. Let be an LDFSTS with respect to . Let and be linear Diophantine fuzzy soft subsets of . Then the following holds:
- 1.
.
- 2.
is an LDFSCS if and only if .
- 3.
= and = .
- 4.
.
- 5.
= .
- 6.
= .
- 7.
=.
Proof. - 1.
From Definition 3.5 (ii),
- 2.
If is a linear Diophantine fuzzy soft closed set (LDFSCS), then is the tiniest LDFSCS carrying oneself and therefore . In the reverse way, if = , then is the tiniest LDFSCS containing itself and therefore is an LDFSCS.
- 3.
Since and are LDFSCSs in , and .
- 4.
If LDFSS is a subset of LDFSS , since LDFSS is a subset of , then LDFSS is a subset of . That is, is an LDFSCS containing . However, is the littlest LDFSCS containing . Therefore,
- 5.
Since the union of two LDFSSs and contains the LDFSS and the union of two LDFSSs and contains the LDFSS , . Then the closure of the union of two LDFSSs and contains the closure of LDFSS and the closure of the union of two LDFSSs and contains the closure of LDFSS . Hence, the union of closure of LDFSSs , is a subset of closure of the union of , . By the fact that , and since is the littlest LDFSCS containing , so . Thus, .
- 6.
Since and , .
- 7.
Since is a LDFSCS, then .
□
Theorem 6. be a LDFSTS over . Let be a linear Diophantine fuzzy soft subset of . Then
- 1.
= .
- 2.
= .
Theorem 7. Let be an LDFSTS in relation to . Let and be linear Diophantine fuzzy soft subsets of . Then the following claims are true:
- 1.
is an LDFSOS open if and only if .
- 2.
and .
- 3.
.
- 4.
.
- 5.
.
- 6.
.
Proof. - 1.
is an LDFSOS if and only if is an LDFSCS, if and only if , if and only if if and only if .
- 2.
As and are LDFSOSs in , and .
- 3.
If , since , then . That is, is an LDFSOS containing . However, is the largest LDFSOS contained in . Therefore,
- 4.
Since and , and . Therefore, . By the fact that , and since is the largest LDFSOS containing , so . Thus, .
- 5.
Since and , .
- 6.
Since is an LDFSOS, then = .
□
Definition 16. Let and be a LDFSTS over . Then LDFS frontier of is represented by and is outlined as .
Theorem 8. Let be an LDFSTS over and . Then,
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
if and only if is both open and closed.
- 4.
Proof. - 1.
.
- 2.
. Since .
- 3.
i.e., .
In addition, we know that . Thus . This shows that is open.
Furthermore, . Moreover, we know that . Thus . This shows that is closed.
Conversely, if is open and closed, then and . Now, .
- 4.
□
Definition 17. Let be an LDFSTS over . The accumulation is known as a base for . If can be written as the supercilious union of some objects of LDFSS , then is called as a linear Diophantine fuzzy soft basis (LDFSB) for the LDFST . Linear Diophantine fuzzy basic open sets are the elements of .
Theorem 9. Let be an LDFSTS over and an LDFSB for . Then, is the set of linear Diophantine fuzzy soft unions of components.
Proof. The evidence is unambiguous. □
Theorem 10. Let the two LDFSTS over be and . Moreover, let be an LDFSB for and be an LDFSB for . If , then .
Proof. The proof is straightforward. □