Final answer:
Yes, the power set includes the empty set. The power set is the set of all subsets of a given set, which always contains the empty set as it is a subset of every set.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea of a power set in mathematics refers to the set of all subsets of a given set, including both the original set itself and the empty set. To demonstrate this concept, let's consider a simple set, A = {1, 2}. The power set of A, denoted as P(A), includes the following subsets: the empty set (∅), the singleton sets {1} and {2}, and the entire set {1, 2}. Therefore, the power set of A is P(A) = {∅, {1}, {2}, {1, 2}}. As illustrated, the empty set is invariably a member of any power set because it is considered a subset of every set.