What's the Cartesian Product of $\{x\}$ and $\{x\}$?

The exercise I'm working on is "Show that $\{x\} \times \{x\} = \{\{\{x\}\}\}$".

The solution I'm seeing says that this is equal to $\{\{\{x\}\}\}$, but I don't get this yet.

Here's what I do understand:

  • $\{x\}\times\{x\}$ should be the set of ordered pairs whose first coordinate is in $\{x\}$ and whose second coordinate is also in $\{x\}$.
  • The only thing in $\{x\}$ is $x$.
  • The cartesian product is a set.
  • An ordered pair is a set.

So if $x$ is the only thing in $\{x\}$, then the only ordered pair of $\{x\} \times \{x\}$ should be $\{x\}$, and the cartesian product should be the set of all of those ordered pairs, i.e. $\{\{x\}\}$.

Any hints as to what I'm missing?


The set $\{x\}\times \{x\}$ is the singleton containing the ordered pair $(x,x)$, i.e. $\{x\}\times\{x\} = \{(x,x)\}$. By definition, $(x,x) = \{\{x\},\{x,x\}\}$. This last set is equal to $\{\{x\},\{x\}\}$ since $\{x,x\} = \{x\}$, and this final set is equal to $\{\{x\}\}$ since $\{x\} = \{x\}$. Hence $\{x\}\times\{x\} = \{\{\{x\}\}\}$.