3.
LetTbe a topological space such thatE,¯ET. LetEbe a connected set and suppose¯Eis separated;
that is,¯E=A[B whereA,Bare relatively open in¯E, nonempty, and disjoint sets. Then there exists
open setsU,VinTsuch thatA=U\¯E andB=V\¯E . Now,AU ,BV , andU,V6=? . Therefore,
U\E6=?6=V\E soU\E andV\E are nonempty, disjoint sets. ThenE=U[V soEis separated. We
have, thus, reached a contradiction and the closure of connected set is also connected.
4.
LetAbe the set of points(x,y)2R
2 withx=0,jyj61 , and letBbe the set withx > 0,y=sin(1=x) . Is
A[Bconnected?
This is known as the topologist's sine curve.0.20.40.60.81-1-0.50.51
Figure3.1: x2(0,1].
LetS=A[B . We claim that the closure ofBinR
2is¯B=S. Letx2S. Ifx2B, then take a constant
sequencefx,x,: : :g. Ifx2A , thenx= (0 ,y)forjyj61 or said another wayy=sin() for2[- ,].
We can writey=sin() asy=sin(+2k) fork2Z
+ . Letxk=1=(+2k)> 0 . Theny=sin(1=xk) .
Nowfxkg!0 whenk!1 . Then(xk,sin(1=xk)) = (xn ,y)!(0 ,y)2¯B sincejyj61 . Therefore,S¯B .
Letf(xn,yn)g2S such thatf(xn,yn)g!(x ,y)2R
2 . Thenlimn!1xn=x andlimn!1yn=y . From
the denition of the sets,x>0 andjyj61 sojyj=limn!1jynj61 . Ifx=0, then(0,y)2S since
jyj61 . Supposex > 0. Then there existm > Nsuch thatxm> 0 for allm > Nso(xn,yn)2B . Let
yn=sin(1=xn) since(xn,yn)2B . Notice that forz2(0 ,1),sin(1=zis continuous. Sincefxng!x and
yn=sin(1=xn), we have
y=lim
n!1
yn=lim
n!1
sin(1=xn) =sin(1=x).
Thus,(x,y)2¯BS so¯B=S. SinceA\¯B=A\S=A6=? ,Sis connected. However,Sis not path
connected. That is, being connected doesn't imply path connectedness.
SupposeSis path connected and there exists anf: [0,1]!S such thatf(0)2B andf(1)2A . SinceA
is path connected, supposef(1) = (0 ,1). Let=1=2 > 0. By continuity, for > 0,jf(t) - (0 ,1)j< 1=2
whenever1-6t61 . Sincefis continuous, the image off([1- ,1])is connected. Letf(1-) = (x ,y).
Consider the composite off: [1- ,1]!R
2 and its projection on thex-axis. Since both maps are
continuous as well as their composite, the image of the composite map is a connected subset ofR
1
which contains zero andx. Now zero is thex-coordinate off(1)andxthex-coordinate off(1-) . Since
R
1is convex, connected sets are intervals. Then the set ofx-coordinates forf(1-) isx02[0 ,x]. For
x02(0 ,x], there existst2[1- ,1]such thatf(t) = (x0 ,sin(1=x0)) . Ifx0=1=(2k-=2) fork1 , then
0 < x0< x . Now1=x0=(4k-1)=2 which is a2mutliple of-=2for allk. Therefore,sin(1=x0) = -1
so(x0,sin(1=x0)) = (1=(2k-=2) ,-1)for somet2[1- ,1]which lies within a distance of=1=2 of
(0,1). However, the distance between(1=(2k-=2) ,-1)and(0,1)for largekis greater than1which is
a contradiction. Thus,Scannot be path connected.
5.
LetEbe the set of points(x,y)2R
2 such that06x61 and eithery=0 ory=1=n for some positive
integern. What are the components ofE? Are they all closed? Are they relatively open? Verify thatE
is not locally connected.
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