Final answer:
The number of columns a formatter can contain in a variable set depends on the specific programming language or environment being used. It could be 1, if the formatter has a fixed number of columns, or it could be unlimited, if the formatter allows for a variable number of columns.
Step-by-step explanation:
A formatter is a tool used in computer programming to display data in a specific format. The number of columns a formatter can contain in a variable set depends on the specific programming language or environment being used. Some programming languages have pre-defined formatters with a fixed number of columns, while others allow for custom formatters with a variable number of columns.
For example, in a programming language like Java, the System.out.printf() method allows you to specify a format string with placeholders for variables. Each placeholder represents a column in the formatted output. The number of columns in the format string determines the number of columns in the formatter.
Therefore, the answer to the question depends on the specific programming language or environment being used. It could be 1, if the formatter has a fixed number of columns, or it could be unlimited, if the formatter allows for a variable number of columns.