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Freshman Mathematics solution to an exercise on page 30, question #8

Page 30(Qn#8):
Is there a set 𝐴 with exactly the following indicated property?
a) Only one subset
b) Only one proper subset
c) Exactly 3 proper subsets
d) Exactly 4 subsets
e) Exactly 6 proper subsets
f) Exactly 30 subsets
g) Exactly 14 proper subsets
h) Exactly 15 proper subsets

Solution: this question is about subset and power set of any given set, say 𝐴.

[Recall the definition of a power set of a set]

Definition: Let 𝐴 be any set. The power set of 𝐴, dented (symbolized) by 𝑃(𝐴), is the set whose elements are all
subsets of 𝐴. That is,
𝑃(𝐴) = {𝐵: 𝐵 ⊆ 𝐴}.
Also remember, for a finite (𝑛 < ∞) set 𝐴 having 𝑛 elements, we know that
a) The number of subsets of 𝐴 is given by the formula 2𝑛 , and
b) The number proper subsets of 𝐴 is given by the formula 2𝑛 − 1.

For example, if 𝐴 is a set containing the letters of the word ‘cow’, 𝐴 contains the letters c, o and w. And it is
described as follows.

𝐴 = {𝑐, 𝑜, 𝑤}
So, 𝐴 has three (3) elements (we write 𝑛(𝐴) = 3) which is finite, we write 𝑐 ∈ 𝐴, 𝑜 ∈ 𝐴, and 𝑤 ∈ 𝐴. Also, the
subsets of A are i) Sets with no element ii) Sets with one element iii) Sets with two element and iv) Set with three
(all) elements.
i. Set with no (zero, 𝑛 = 0) element is an empty set (𝜙), this is because empty set is the subset of every set.
So,
𝜙 ⊆ 𝐴 ……………… (1 sets)
ii. Sets with one (𝑛 = 1) element are sets containing every single element of 𝐴 one by one. That is, since 𝑛 is
3, we will have three sets as follows:
{𝑐} ⊆ 𝐴, {𝑜} ⊆ 𝐴, and {𝑤} ⊆ 𝐴, ……………… (3 sets)
iii. Next, Sets with two (𝑛 = 2) elements are sets containing two elements of 𝐴(we form a set by combining
two elements). That is, since 𝑛 is 3, we will have a set containing 𝑐 with 𝑜, a set containing 𝑐 with 𝑤, and a
set containing 𝑜 with 𝑤 as follows:
{𝑐, 𝑜} ⊆ 𝐴, {𝑐, 𝑤} ⊆ 𝐴, and {𝑜, 𝑤} ⊆ 𝐴, ………………. (3 sets)
iv. (This process ends when 𝑛 is 3, the number of elements of 𝐴) Finally, we will have a set containing all the
elements. Which is 𝐴 = {𝑐, 𝑜, 𝑤} (the given set itself, this is because every set is the subsets of itself).
The power set of 𝐴 is a set containing all the subsets of 𝐴. That is
𝑃(𝐴) = {𝜙, {𝑐}, {𝑜}, {𝑤}, {𝑐, 𝑤}, {𝑐, 𝑜}, {𝑜, 𝑤} , {𝑐, 𝑜, 𝑤}}
When you count the number of elements in 𝑃(𝐴) , you get:

𝑛(𝑃(𝐴)) = 1 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 8 = 23 = 2𝑛(𝐴)

Remember: 𝑛(𝑃(𝐴)) = 8 means set 𝐴 ℎ𝑎𝑠 8 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠.

Now to back to the given question, Page 30(Qn#8)

a) Only one subset: [the question is: can we have a set having only one 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑃(𝐴) = 1 subset?]

JJU ©Dr. Dereje A. July 2022

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To answer this such questions, write the formula for the number of subsets of a set,

𝑛(𝑃(𝐴)) = 2𝑛

and insert 1 for 𝑛(𝑃(𝐴)). That is, 1 = 2𝑛 , now find the value of 𝑛. Since 1 = 20 , by low of exponent we
get 𝑛 = 0.
Therefore, we got the set with only one subset is a set with zero (0) element which is empty set (𝜙).
b) A set with only one (1) proper subset?
Again, to answer this such questions, write the formula for the number of proper subsets of a set,

𝑛(𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡) = 2𝑛 − 1

And insert 1 for 𝑛(𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡), that is:

1 = 2𝑛 − 1

So, the above equation gives, 2 = 2𝑛 which implies 𝑛 = 1. Therefore, the answer we got here is: the set
with only one proper subset is a set with one (1) element.
c) Exactly 3 proper subsets? Like the above question, write the formula for the number of proper subsets of
a set,

𝑛(𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡) = 2𝑛 − 1

And insert 3 for 𝑛(𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡), that is:

3 = 2𝑛 − 1

So, the above equation gives, 4 = 2𝑛 ⇒ 22 = 2𝑛 which implies 𝑛 = 2 . Therefore, the answer we got here
for the set with exactly 3 proper subsets is a set with two (2) elements.
d) Exactly 4 subsets?
To answer this such questions, write the formula for the number of subsets of a set,

𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠 = 𝑛(𝑃(𝐴)) = 2𝑛

and insert 4 for 𝑛(𝑃(𝐴)). That is, 4 = 2𝑛 , now find the value of 𝑛. Since 22 = 2𝑛 , by low of exponent we
get 𝑛 = 2.
Therefore, the answer we got here for the set with exactly 4 subsets is a set with two (2) elements.
e) Exactly 6 proper subsets? write the formula for the number of proper subsets of a set,

𝑛(𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡) = 2𝑛 − 1

And insert 6 for 𝑛(𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡), that is:

6 = 2𝑛 − 1
𝑛
So, the above equation gives, 7 = 2 . Since there is no natural number 𝑛 which satisfies the equation 7 =
2𝑛 , we conclude that there is no set with Exactly 6 proper subsets.

Homework: Like the above given solutions, I advise students to practice the rest of the equations (part f, g
and h) and comment their answer on my telegram page.

JJU ©Dr. Dereje A. July 2022