Operations on Sets
Subset
A set whose every element is also in another set, written ⊂.
| English | Subset |
|---|---|
| Bahasa Melayu | Subset |
| 中文 | 子集 |
How it is used
If A = {2, 4} and B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, then A ⊂ B because every element of A is also in B. The number of subsets of B is 2⁵ = 32.
Where it shows up in SPM
In the Sets and Operations on Sets chapters (Form 4). Paper 1 asks whether A ⊂ B and tests the number of subsets 2ⁿ; Paper 2 uses subset relations when reasoning about regions of a Venn diagram.
Don't confuse it with
Open the chapter: Operations on Sets →
Frequently asked questions
How many subsets does a set have?
A set with n elements has 2ⁿ subsets. So {a, b, c} has 2³ = 8 subsets, which include the empty set { } and the set itself.
Both of these always count as subsets.
Is the empty set a subset of every set?
Yes. The empty set ∅ is a subset of every set, and every set is a subset of itself.
That is why the count 2ⁿ includes both ∅ and the set itself among the subsets.