Homework 6

Math 766
Spring 2012

10.4.2 Let A and B be compact subsets of X. Prove that A ∪ B and A ∩ B are compact.
Proof: Let U = {uα }α∈Λ be an open cover of A ∪ B. Then U is also an open cover of A and B since
[
A ⊂ A∪B ⊂ Uα
α∈Λ
[
B ⊂ A∪B ⊂ Uα .
α∈Λ

Since A and B are compact, there exist finite subcovers {U1 , ...,Un } ⊂ {Uα }α∈Λ and {Un+1 , ...,UN } ⊂
{Uα }α∈Λ of A and B respectively. That is
n
[ N
[
A⊂ Uj B⊂ U j.
j=1 j=n+1

Then it follows that the finite collection {U1 ,U2 , ...,UN } ⊂ {Uα }α∈Λ , is in fact an open cover of
A ∪ B,
n
[ N
[ N
[
A∪B ⊂ Uj ∪ Uj = U j.
j=1 j=n+1 j=1

Therefore A ∪ B is compact.
Now we prove that A ∩ B is compact. Since A and B are compact, they are closed. Then A ∩ B is
closed as well. But then A ∩ B ⊂ A is a closed subset of the compact set A, and hence is a compact
set. 

10.4.8 a) If H1 , H2 , ... is a nested sequence of nonempty compact sets in X, then

∞
\
Hk 6= 0.
/
k=1

Proof: For a contradiction, assume that

∞
\
Hk = 0.
/
k=1

1
 2

Then it follows that {Uk = X\Hk } is an open cover of X, and in particular an open cover of H1 .
Then there exist {U1 , ...,UN } such that
N
[ N
[ N
\
H1 ⊂ Uj = X\H j = X\ H j = X\HN .
j=1 j=1 j=1

On the other, recall that H1 ⊃ HN , so

HN ⊂ H1 ⊂ X\HN .

But this implies that HN = 0,

/ which is a contradiction. Therefore
∞
\
Hk 6= 0.
/
k=1


√ √
b) Prove that ( 2, 3) ∩ Q is closed and bounded but not compact in the metric space Q intro-
duced in Example 10.5. √ √ √ √
Proof: We show that ( 2, √ √ 3)∩Q is closed by showing
√ √ that its complement in Q, Q\( 2, 3),
is open.
√ √ So let x ∈ Q\( 2, 3). √Then x ∈ /√( 2, 3) and since x ∈ Q we can even say that
x∈ / [ 2, 3]. Let ε = √ min(|x
√ − 2|, |x − 3|)
√ which
√ is larger than 0. √ It√also follows that
(x − ε, x + ε) ∩ Q
√⊂√ Q\( 2, 3) and that Q\( 2, 3) is open. Then √( √ 2, 3) ∩ Q is√closed.
It is clear√ ( 2, 3) ∩ Q is bounded, for example we may take ( √
that√ 2, 3) ∩ QB(0,
√ 3). To
see that ( 2, 3) ∩ Q is not compact, consider the collection
√ √1/n, 3) ∩ Q. For
Un = ( 2 +
each x ∈ Un , (x − ε, x + ε) ∩ Q ⊂√Un √ √ 2 + 1/n − x|, |x − 3|). So Un is open
where ε = min(|
for each √ n ∈ N. For each x √ ∈ ( 2, 3)√∩ Q, x − 2 > 0. So there exists N ∈ N such t hat
1
N < x − 2. Therefore x ∈ ( 2 + 1/N, 3) ∩ Q. Therefore

√ √ ∞
[
( 2, 3) ∩ Q ⊂ Un .
n=1
√ √
If ( 2, 3) ∩ Q is compact, then there exists a finite subcover

√ √ N
[
( 2, 3) ∩ Q ⊂ Un .
n=1
√ √ √
By by the density of the rational numbers, there exists x ∈ ( 2, 3) ∩ Q such that x − 2 < N1 .
√ √
Therefore x ∈
/ ( 2 + 1/N, 3) = UN . Note that Uk+1 ⊃ Uk for all k ∈ N and √ we have
√ that
x∈
/ Un for any
√ √n ≤ N. But this contradicts that {U1 , ...,UN } is an open cover of ( 2, 3) ∩ Q.
Therefore ( 2, 3) ∩ Q is not compact. 
c) Show that Cantor’s Intersection Theorem does not hold in an arbitrary metric space if compact
is replaced with closed and bounded.
Proof: Define √ √
Hk = ( 2, 2 + 1/k) ∩ Q.
 3

Applying the argument from part a), Hk is closed and bounded for each k. Now for a contra-
diction, assume that
∞
\
x∈ Hk .
k=1
Then for all k ∈ N
√ √ 1
2 < x < 2+ .
k
√ √ √
Then by the squeeze theorem, x = 2 ∈
/ ( 2, 2 + 1) = H1 , which is a contradiction. There-
fore ∞ \
Hk = 0/
k=1
and Cantor’s Intersection Theorem does not hold if we replace compact with closed and
bounded.