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Question

If A = {{1, 2, 3}}, then how many elements are there in the power set of A?

This question was previously asked in
NDA I 2022 GAT Previous Year Paper (10-Apr-2022)
The correct answer is

2

Understanding the Power Set of A = {{1, 2, 3}}

The question asks us to find the number of elements in the power set of a given set A, where A is defined as {{1, 2, 3}}. To solve this, we first need to understand what a power set is and how to determine the number of elements it contains.

What is a Power Set?

The power set of a set S is the set of all possible subsets of S, including the empty set and the set S itself. It is denoted by $P(S)$ or $2^S$.

Determining the Number of Elements in Set A

The given set is A = {{1, 2, 3}}. It is crucial to notice the structure of set A. Set A does not contain the numbers 1, 2, and 3 individually as its elements. Instead, set A contains only one element, which is the set {1, 2, 3}.

Let's denote the set {1, 2, 3} by B. So, A = {B}.

The number of elements in set A, also known as the cardinality of A and denoted by $n(A)$, is the count of distinct elements within the curly braces that define A. In this case, A contains only one element, the set {1, 2, 3}.

Therefore, $n(A) = 1$.

Calculating the Number of Elements in the Power Set of A

The number of elements in the power set of a set S with $n(S)$ elements is given by the formula $2^{n(S)}$.

For the given set A, we found that $n(A) = 1$.

Using the formula, the number of elements in the power set of A, $P(A)$, is:

Number of elements in $P(A) = 2^{n(A)}$

Number of elements in $P(A) = 2^1$

Number of elements in $P(A) = 2$

Listing the Elements of the Power Set of A

To confirm the result, let's list the elements of $P(A)$. The elements of $P(A)$ are all the subsets of A = {{1, 2, 3}}. The subsets are:

  • The empty set ($\emptyset$). The empty set is a subset of every set.
  • The set containing the single element of A, which is {{1, 2, 3}}.

So, the power set of A is $P(A) = \{\emptyset, \{\{1, 2, 3\}\}\}$.

Counting the elements in $P(A)$, we find there are exactly 2 elements.

Conclusion

The set A = {{1, 2, 3}} has only one element, which is the set {1, 2, 3}. The number of elements in its power set is $2^{n(A)} = 2^1 = 2$.

Set Elements Cardinality ($n$) Power Set ($P$) Number of Elements in Power Set ($2^n$)
{{1, 2, 3}} {{1, 2, 3}} (one element: the set {1, 2, 3}) 1 {$ \emptyset $, {{1, 2, 3}}} $2^1 = 2$

Revision Table: Power Set Calculation

Concept Definition Example for A = {{1, 2, 3}}
Set A The given set {{1, 2, 3}}
Cardinality of A ($n(A)$) Number of elements in A 1 (the element is the set {1, 2, 3})
Power Set of A ($P(A)$) Set of all subsets of A {$ \emptyset $, {{1, 2, 3}}}
Number of elements in $P(A)$ $2^{n(A)}$ $2^1 = 2$

Additional Information on Sets and Power Sets

Understanding the difference between an element and a set containing that element is key in set theory. Here are some related concepts:

  • Set: A well-defined collection of distinct objects. Objects in a set are called elements.
  • Element: An object belonging to a set. For example, 1 is an element of {1, 2, 3}.
  • Cardinality: The number of elements in a set. The cardinality of {a, b, c} is 3. The cardinality of {{a, b}} is 1.
  • Subset: Set B is a subset of set A if all elements of B are also elements of A. The empty set ($\emptyset$) is a subset of every set. Every set is a subset of itself.
  • Power Set: The set of all subsets of a given set. If a set has $n$ elements, its power set has $2^n$ elements.
  • Set containing a set: A set can have other sets as its elements. In A = {{1, 2, 3}}, the element is the set {1, 2, 3}. This is different from the set {1, 2, 3}, whose elements are 1, 2, and 3.
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