Metric Spaces and Topology

M2PM5 - Spring 2010 Problem Sheet 3 February 4th, 2010

Exercise 1 Let X be any set, and Ei X, i I (I any index set). Prove

de Morgans laws:

(a)


X \ iI Ei = iI X \ Ei

(b)


X \ iI Ei = iI X \ Ei

Solution:


(a) Let x X \ iI Ei , then x 6 iI Ei , so there exists (at least
one) i0 I such
that x 6 Ei0 , that is, x X
\ Ei0 . It follows that
x iI X \ Ei . Conversely, if x iI X \ Ei then x X \ Ei0 for
(at least one) i0 I, that
is, x 6 Ei0 . It follows that x 6 iI Ei , and
therefore x X \ iI Ei .

(b) Analogously to (a).

Exercise 2 Let T = {A, T } be a topological space, and let H A.

(i) Define
TH {V H | V = U H for some U T }.
Prove that TH is a topology in H. (H with this topology is called a
subspace of A).

(ii) Prove that V H is closed in H (i.e., in the topology TH ) iff V = HW

for some W closed in A.

(iii) Assume H A is closed, and let V H. Prove that V is closed in H

iff V is closed in A.

(iv) Let i : H A be the inclusion map, let T 0 = {A0 , T 0 } be a topological

space, and let f : A A0 , g : A0 H be maps. Prove that

(iv.1) If f is continuous, then so is f i.

(iv.2) g is continuous iff i g is continuous.

Solution:

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Metric Spaces and Topology
M2PM5 - Spring 2010 Problem Sheet 3 February 4th, 2010

(i) (T1) Since H = A H, A T , and = H, T , we have that

, H TH . (T2) Assume V1 , V2 TH , that is, there exists U1 , U2 T
such that Vi = Ui H, i = 1, 2. Then, by (T2) for T , U1 U2 T , and
so
V1 V2 = U1 U2 ) H , U1 U2 T ,
so V1 V2 TH . (T3) Assume Vi TH , i I (I any index set). Then
there exist Ui T , i I, such that Vi = Ui H. By (T3) for T ,
iI Ui T . Then (check!)


iI Vi = iI (Ui H) = iI Ui H , iI Ui T ,

so iI Vi TH .

(ii) Assume V H is closed in H, then H \ V TH , that is, there exists

U T such that H \ V = H U . But since U A is open (in A),
W A \ U is closed (in A), and we claim that V = W H. In fact, let
x V , then x H, but x 6 U (since x H and x U x H \ V
- contradiction). So, x H, x A \ U = W , that is, x W H.
Similarly, x W H implies that x H, x 6 U , so x H, x 6 H \ V ,
so x V .
Conversely, assume V = H W for some W closed in A, and let
U A \ W . Then U is open in A, and we claim that H \ V = H U .
In this case, H \ V is, by the definition of TH , open in H, so V is closed
in H.
In fact,

x H \ V x H 6 V x H x 6 W
xH xA\W xH xU xH U.

(iii) Assume V is closed in H. By (ii), V = H W for some W closed in

A. But since the intersection of closed sets is closed (see Exercise 3 (i)
(C3) below), and H is assumed closed in A, it follows that V is closed
in A.
Convesely, assume V H is closed in A. Then V = V H, with H
closed in A, so V is closed in H, by (ii).

(iv.1) It is enough to prove that i is (TH , T )-continuous (since the composition

of two continuous maps is continuous). Let U T , then i1 (U ) =
U H TH . So i is (TH , T )-continuous.

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M2PM5 - Spring 2010 Problem Sheet 3 February 4th, 2010

(iv.2) If g is (T 0 , TH )-continuous then i g is (T 0 , T )-continuous, using the

(TH , T )-continuity of i and that the composition of two continuous
maps is continuous. Suppose therefore that i g is (T 0 , T )-continuous
and let V TH . Then V = U H for some U T , by the definition
of TH , and U H = i1 (U ), so g 1 (V ) = g 1 (i1 (U )) = (i g)1 (U ).
Since i g is (T 0 , T )-continuous this last set is in T 0 . So g is (T 0 , TH )-
continuous.
Exercise 3 Let T = {A, T } be a topological space.
(i) Prove that
(C1) , A are closed.
(C2) If E1 , E2 are closed, then E1 E2 is closed (and that therefore, if
Hi , i = 1, . . . , n, are closed, then ni=1 Hi is closed).
(C3) If Ei , i I (I any index set) are closed, then iI Ei is closed.
(ii) Let T 0 = {A0 , T 0 } be another topological space, and let f : A A0 be
a map. Prove that f is continuous iff f 1 (E) is closed in A for all E
which are closed in A0 .
Solution:
(i) (C1) Since = A \ A and A is open, is closed. Since A = A \ and
is open, X is closed. (C2) Since E1 , E2 are closed, Ui = A \ Ei , i = 1, 2,
are open, so U1 U2 is open. Therefore, by de Morgans laws,
E1 E2 = (A \ U1 ) (A \ U2 ) = A \ (U1 U2 ),
and so E1 E2 is closed. (C3) Since Ei , i I, are closed, Ui = A \ Ei ,
i I, are open, and therefore, iI Ui is open. By de Morgans laws,
iI Ei = iI (A \ Ui ) = A \ (iI Ui ),
and so iI Ei is closed.
(ii) Recall that f is continuous iff f 1 (U ) is open in A for all U which are
open in A0 . Assume that f is continuous, and let E A0 be closed.
Then U = A0 \ E is open (in A0 ), so f 1 (U ) A is open. Note that
(prove this!)
f 1 (U ) = f 1 (A0 \ E) = A \ f 1 (E) .
It follows that f 1 (E) is closed.
Conversely, assume f 1 (E) is closed in A for all E which are closed in
A0 . It then follows from the above that f 1 (U ) is open in A for all U
which are open in A0 , and so f is continuous.

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Metric Spaces and Topology
M2PM5 - Spring 2010 Problem Sheet 3 February 4th, 2010

Exercise 4
(i) Let H T , and define

CH {E T | E H and E is closed (in T )}.

Prove that H = ECH E.

(ii) Prove that

(ii.1) For any indexing set I, iI Hi iI Hi , where Hi T for each

i I.
(ii.2) H1 H2 . . . Hn = H1 H2 . . . Hn , where Hi T for each
i = 1, 2, . . . , n.

(iii) Give an example of open sets H, K R such that H K, H K, H K,

and H K are all different. (Here, R is given the usual topology.)
Solution:
(i) If E is closed and H E, then H E = E. Therefore, H ECH E.
On the other hand, since H is closed, and H H, it follows that
H CH , so ECH E H.

(ii.1) Since K iI Hi is an intersection of closed sets, it is closed. Also, it

contains iI Hi (since Hi Hi for all i I), and so it also contains
iI Hi (since E F E F , and F = F if F is closed).

(ii.2) Let K H1 H2 . . . Hn and H H1 H2 . . . Hn . For each

i = 1, 2, . . . , n, Hi H, so Hi H. It follows that K H. (Note that
this argument works for any family of subsets {Hi }iI .) Conversely K,
being the union of a finite number of closed sets, is closed. Also, K H.
Therefore K H. So K = H.

(iii) Let H = (0, 2) (3, 4), K = (1, 3). Then H = [0, 2] [3, 4], K = [1, 3],
and H K = (1, 2], H K = [1, 2), H K = [1, 2]{3}, H K = [1, 2].

Exercise 5 Let

B {Bq (s) R2 | s = (s1 , s2 ), s1 , s2 Q, q Q+ } .

Prove that B is an (analytic) basis for the usual topology on R2 .

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Metric Spaces and Topology
M2PM5 - Spring 2010 Problem Sheet 3 February 4th, 2010

Solution: Given U open in R2 and x = (x1 , x2 ) U , there exists  > 0 such

that B (x) U . Choose q1 , q2 Q such that qi (xi , xi + /5), i = 1, 2. Let
s = (q1 , q2 ). Then d2 (x, s) < ( 2)/5 < /3. Choose now q Q such that
q (/3, 2/3). Then x Bq (s) B (x) U . Therefore, U is a union of sets
from B, so this is a basis for the usual topology on R2 .

Thomas stergaard Srensen