To determine how many elements a set has based on the number of its subsets, we can use a fundamental concept from set theory. The number of subsets of a set is calculated using the formula:
Number of subsets = 2n
where n is the number of elements in the set.
If we are given that the set has 1024 subsets, we can set up the equation:
2n = 1024
Next, we need to express 1024 as a power of 2. By calculation, we find:
1024 = 210
Now we can equate the powers:
2n = 210
This implies that:
n = 10
Thus, the set contains 10 elements.
In summary, if a set has 1024 subsets, it must contain 10 elements.