show that the set of all 2-element subsets of $\mathbb{N}$ is countable
could someone guide me through this problem?
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1Isn't it naturally a subset of $\mathbb{N} \times \mathbb{N}$? – tkr May 09 '13 at 17:32
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is $\mathbb{N}\times \mathbb{N}\subset \mathbb{N}$? – H.E May 09 '13 at 17:38
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2$\Bbb N\times\Bbb N$ isn't a subset of $\Bbb N$, but it is countable. And infinite subsets of countable sets are countable. – MJD May 09 '13 at 17:41
4 Answers
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Hint: Let $\{a,b\}$ be a pair of natural numbers, then $a<b$ or $b<a$. Without loss of generality $a<b$. Then the map $\{a,b\}\mapsto 2^a3^b$ is injective.
Asaf Karagila
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Hint: Use the same technique as you did to prove that the set of rationals is countable.
MJD
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More generally, the set of all finite subsets of $\mathbb{N}$ is countable.
For any such set, $K = \{k_i\}_{i=1}^m$ where each $k_i \in \mathbb{N}$, map $K$ into $\prod_{i=1}^m p_i^{k_i}$ where $p_i$ is the $i$-th prime.
By unique factorization, the map is into, so the set of finite subsets is countable.
marty cohen
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The set of subsets $\{a, b\}$ with $a < b$ is countable, and each of them is countable. So what you are looking at is a countable union of countable sets, thus countable.
José Carlos Santos
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vonbrand
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It seems like what you argument shows is that $\mathbb{N}$ itself is countable. – Trevor Wilson May 10 '13 at 15:42