How many subset can you form in algebra? - Answers

If you have a set with "n" elements, you can form 2 to the power n subsets. This is because each element of the original set has two options: to be included, or not to be included, in a subset. So, for instance, for a set with four elements, you have 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 different possibilities to create subsets (2 to the power 4).Note 1: This includes the empty set, and the original set itself. Note 2: The set of all subsets is known as the power set. Note 3: It has been proven that the power set (of size 2 to the power n) is ALWAYS larger than the original set (of size n) - even for infinite sets. That means that the power set of an infinite set gives you a larger kind of infinity.