What is the singleton (unit) set?

A singleton set is like a special box that can only hold one thing. It’s a set that has only one element inside.

Real-life example

Suppose we have a box that can only fit one toy. If we put a toy car in the box, that box is like a singleton set because it only has one thing inside—the toy car.

So, a singleton set is like a tiny box that can hold just one special thing!

Examples of singleton set

Singleton set of prime numbers

Consider a set, SS, containing only the prime number 22. This set can be expressed as:

Here, the curly braces indicate a set, and the set SS is a singleton set because it consists of only one element, which is the prime number 22.

Singleton set in geometry

Consider a set, TT, representing a singleton set of geometric shapes, specifically a single square. This set can be expressed as:

In this example, the set TT is a singleton set because it contains only one element, which is the geometric shape squaresquare.

Solve the quiz below to test your understanding:

1

What is a singleton set?

A)

A set with two elements

B)

A set with only one element

C)

A set with no elements

Question 1 of 20 attempted

Free Resources

Copyright ©2025 Educative, Inc. All rights reserved