Master Power Sets in CBSE Class 11 Applied Mathematics. Learn to calculate the number of subsets, power set elements, and properties with solved examples.
The power set of a set A, denoted by P(A), is the set of all possible subsets of A, including the empty set and the set A itself. If a set A contains n elements, then its power set P(A) contains 2ⁿ elements. This concept is fundamental in understanding the collection of all possible groupings within a given set.
Step 1: Identify the elements of A, which are 1 and 2. n=2.
Step 2: List all subsets: ∅, {1}, {2}, {1, 2}.
Step 3: Enclose them in a set bracket.
Answer: P(A) = {∅, {1}, {2}, {1, 2}}
Every element of a power set is itself a set. For any set A, the empty set ∅ is always an element of P(A), and the set A itself is always an element of P(A). The number of elements in the power set grows exponentially as the number of elements in the original set increases.
Step 1: Count elements in A: n=3.
Step 2: Apply formula: 2³ = 8.
Step 3: The power set will contain 8 distinct subsets.
Answer: 8 elements
The cardinality of a power set, denoted by |P(A)| or n(P(A)), is determined solely by the number of elements in the base set A. Even if the elements of A are themselves sets, the power set construction remains consistent. This property is vital for combinatorial analysis in applied mathematics.
Step 1: n(A) = 1.
Step 2: n(P(A)) = 2¹ = 2.
Step 3: n(P(P(A))) = 2² = 4.
Answer: 4