Show that the set of all finite subsets of $\mathbb{N}$ is countable.

Define three new digits: $$\begin{align} \{ &= 10 \\ \} &= 11\\ , &= 12 \end{align}$$ Any finite subset of $\mathbb{N}$ can be written in terms of $0,1,\cdots,9$ and these three characters, and so any expression of a subset of $\mathbb{N}$ is just an integer written base-$13$. For instance, $$\{1,2\} = 10 \cdot 13^4 + 1 \cdot 13^3 + 12 \cdot 13^2 + 2 \cdot 13^1 + 11 \cdot 13^0 = 289873$$

So for each finite $S \subseteq \mathbb{N}$, take the least $n_S \in \mathbb{N}$ whose base-$13$ expansion gives an expression for $S$. This defines an injection into $\mathbb{N}$.


More generally, any set whose elements can be written as finite strings from some finite (or, in fact, countable) alphabet, is countable.


Consider an enumeration of the (positive) prime numbers by $n\mapsto p_n$. Then if you're given the set $\{n_1,...,n_k\}$, map that to $$p_{n_1}\cdots p_{n_k}.$$ For example, if we've enumerated the primes increasingly ($p_1=2$, $p_2=3$, and so on), then $$\{1,3,4\}\mapsto 70=2\cdot 5\cdot 7=p_1\cdot p_3\cdot p_4,$$ and $$\{1,3\}\mapsto 10=2\cdot 5=p_1\cdot p_3.$$

You'll need the fact that there are countably infinitely many prime numbers, and uniqueness of prime factorization. From there, it shouldn't be hard to prove this is an injection from the set of finite subsets of $\Bbb N$ into $\Bbb N$, so there are at most countably many such subsets. To show that there are at least (and so exactly) countably many finite subsets of $\Bbb N$, you need only find an injection from $\Bbb N$ into the set of finite subsets of $\Bbb N$, which should be easy.

Added: The described map "should" send $\emptyset$ to $1,$ the "empty product." Even if this doesn't make sense to you, though, you can define the function for non-empty finite subsets, and from there, use the easy-to-prove fact that the union of a countably infinite set and a singleton--in this case, $\{\emptyset\}$--is countably infinite.


Alternatively, just use base $2$, so send $\{a_1,...,a_n\}$ to $2^{a_1}+\cdots+2^{a_n}$. (Assuming your $\mathbb N$ includes $0$, this is $1-1$ and onto.)