if a

By the Heine-Borel Theorem, a set is compact if and only if it is bounded and closed. Therefore,
the
set is either not bounded or not closed, then the set is not compact. Since we showed that
countable set Z was not bounded, it must be the case that Z is not compact. Therefore, Claim 2 is
true, namely:

,If Z is the collection of countable sets, then there exists a setZ in Z such thatZ is not compact."

Problem 2
Exercise 3.3.9.

Consider each of the following sets. For each one that is not compact, find an open cover for which
there is no finite subcover.

(a) Q
(b) Q n [0,1]
(c) R
(d) v. n [0,10]

G)

$,),I,tn,|,...]

o {1,:,'e,1,!,-..}
First we begin by proving which sets are compact, since by Theorem 3.3.8.s, if the set is compact, we
cannot find an open cover for which there is no finite subcover.
Claim3: The sets

(d)Z n [0,10] and (t)

{7,:,'i,1,!,- }are compact'

Proof that (d)T' n l0,70lis compact

0,defined as an open cover of V, n [0,10], be given. Then, for every element of V' n [0,10], choose
an open set of 0 which contains it. Since there are a finite number of elements of Z n [0,10], we
have chosen a finite number of open sets of 0 whose union contains every;pmentof Z n [0,10].
Thus, for any 0 we can find a finite subcover.
\-/
Let

Then by Theorem 3.3.8., since we can find a finite subcover of

the set

V,

10,L0]is

n [0,10] givenany2fien cover 0,

comPact.

K be a subset of IR. Then the following are equivalent: (i) K

open cover for K has a finite subcover.
Let

V'

is compact. (ii)

is closed and bounded. (iii) Any

First we show that 1 is a limit point of the

{t,},i,i,i,...}

set{t,},f,,1,;, ...}. Define this set as

= (BJ u {1},

Now we show that the sequence

where

(B) = {#,n

(8") converges to 1. Let e )

N," > 1}

0 be given, then choose N such

--1<N
e
Then for all N < n we have
1,

--71n

Multiply both sides by e

t-elne
Subtract n on both sides

t-ne-e(0
Add n on both sides

I-ne - e *n<n

distributive properry of multiplication

(1 - e)(n+ 1) < n
Divide both sides by (n + 1)
1-e( n n*'J.
Subtract 1 from both sides
n
_6<__1
By the

n*L

Sincea-1<0wehave
n+7

-(----------=-1<0
n*t

Andsince0(e

-1----------=-1(0(e
n*L
n

n*1,

|tn*'[,
" -rl <e
I

Since the above is true for all

N, given any 0

e,

then 1 is a limit point of (Br,).

that

Then by Theorem 2.5.26,we know that there exist no subsequences of (B,r) converging to a limit
different than 1. Thus, there are no limit points not equal to 1 in the set (Bn) U

{1}.

And since (Br,) U {1} obviously contains 1, we know that the sequence {r,},i,i,i,
of its limit points. Therefore the set is closed by the definition of "closed".
Since the set is clearly bounded, by the Heine-Borel Theorem the set

{t,),'r,i,!,

...

...

l/

contains all

i, .o

I
Now we need to find an open cover for the sets (a), (b), (c) and (e) for which there is no finite
subcover.
Before proceeding, we should note that all four arguments will be using unions of open intervals on
the real line. By Example 3.2.2.7,we know that these open intervals are, in fact, open sets. Thus, if
the union ofthese open intervals contain the set in question, they are open covers.
We

will subsequently define all open intervals

(c,d)

as

follows

{x R : c 1 x 1 d}

Claim4: "Define0 = Uf,=r On,ne N, where 0r= (-n,n).Then0 isanopencoverofthesets(a)

Q and (c)W for which there is no finite subcover."
Proof of Claim 4:
First we will show that 0 is an open cover of the reals and the rationals by the Archimedean
principle. Then we re-apply the Archimedean principle to show that no finite subcollection of 0 will
cover all the reals or rationals.
If we take the union of any of these open intervals we note that it is equal to the largest open
interval since the rest are contained in it. For example

(-n,n) u (-(n - L),n- 1) u (-(n - 2),n - 2) = (-n,n)

(-n,n), we know every real (or rational) greater than -n and less
than n is contained in the open interval (-n,n). But say there exists some numb er x - it could be
real or rational - greater than n or less than -n. Then our open cover does not contain all ofthe
By definition of the open interval

reals or rationals.

l/"'

Subsequences of a convergent sequence converge to the same limit as the original sequence.

i(ii)...considertheopeninterval

(c,d)= {xe R.c<x <d}.Toseethat(c,d)isopeninthesensejustdefined,

letxG (c,d)bearbitrary.lf wetakeE=min{x -c,d.-r},thenitfollowsthatlz.(x) c(c,d).

ClaimS:"DefineO = Uff=r 0n,nEN, where Or=(-2,|-)u (**i,Z)'rnur0 isanopen

cover of the set (b) Q n [0,1], for which there is no finite subcover."

Proof of Claim 5:
First we must prove that 0 is an open cover of the set Q ft [0,1]. Our plan is to show that 0 will
1) , (* , t]. Since 1 is not a rational number, we will have
contain every rational in the set
[0,

captured every rational on the closed interval [0,1]'

First, let us show that we can capture all the rationals in the interval [0,1)
of Or, name ry

0<

So

r(

1,

(-Z,i-

*). *.

,ting

only the "left side"

do this by showing that given any rational number r, such

tf,. iigftt bound of our interval will

be between

let a rational number r be given, such that 0 <

and

].

that

u'/

r ( l. fn"n we need to show that there always

exists an n such that

o<r(1-1.1
TINTI
Subtract 1 through the inequalities

-1=,
Ttftn -1.-1.
Multiply through by

-1

77

TTTN
Then by the Archimedean principle we are guaranteed that given the positive real
an integer n such that

]-

r there exists

.J.
I
--r>Trn

Therefore, for any rational number between 0 and 1, we can get the right bound of the "left side" of
C,,

between the rational number and 1. And since the left bound of the "left side" of C' is less than 0,

we can capture all of the rationals on the interval [0,1) in our open cover 0.
We follow the same method to show that we can capture all the rationals in the interval (1,

the "right side" of Or, namely

C*i,r).

f] uting

Let a rational number

exists an n such

Subtract

be given, such that 1

that

<

, a 1. Now we need to show that there always

1 1 1
;<;*--1r<

6.1NTTI
<r-1=

t-1

through the inequality

Then by the Archimedean principle, we are guaranteed that for any positive real numb

there always exists an n such that the above inequality is true.

!
"r, -

Since the right bound of the "right side" of Or, is 2, which is greater than L, we are guaranteed to

always be able to capture every rational number on the interval

(i,t]

Thus, using our open cover 0 we have captured every rational number on the interval [0,1]. Thus 0
is an open cover of Q n [0,1].
Now we need to show that there does not exist a finite subcover of 0. So let any finite subco ver of 0
be given. Define it as

(qn[0,1])=Ur,
,'N

Note that by the definition of

(e n [0,1])

c' the following is true

= U_
2N

0^

0max{

}=

since for all 2

< max{2}, o7 e

(-r,:-,rial,

(i -

o^^"171.

ffi,r)

But since we were given a finite subcover, then max{Z} is fixed.

Now by Theorem 1.4.38 we know that there exists a rational number 0

7-

(r(

1 such

that

1- .,v., 1--1
\;--"*{a

Tr m"*{i}\'

Therefore,therationalnumberrisnotinthesubcoverandthusr(Qn[0,1]).Butre(en[0,1])
by definition so we have a contradiction for any finite subcover of 0.
Thus, for the open cover O, there does not exist a finite subcover of

(e n [0,1]).

'Foreverytwo real numbers aandb with a < b, there existsa rational numberrsatisfying a 1r

1b

6: "Define 0 = U|=tOn,n e N , where On = C,r).

{t,},1,i,:, ..}, for which there is no finite subcover.
Claim

Then

0 is an open cover ofthe set (e)

Proof of Claim 6
First we show that the left bound of the set 0 will converge to 0 as n
Then choose an N such that

Then for all N

'-+ @. So

let an 0

e be given.

!.,
N_

n we have

l*-ol.'
Thus the sequence of left bounds

] n"t " limit point at 0.

Since the sequence 1 can get inside any e-neighborhood

the set

of0, and since e can be any number from

given
{r,},I,1,I, ...},*" are assured the left bound of the set 0 will be between 0 and any

number from the tut

{r,J,l,},+,

..

Therefore 0, made up of the unions of open sets Or, will contain all of the elements of the set

{r,},1,;,:,

...} and is therefore an open cover of the set.

Now we need to show that there does not exist a finite subcover of 0. So for contradiction, let a
finite subcover be given and define it as,

{t'}.'!r'i'!r'}=U*
.lN
Note that by the definition of

{t,t

Cr,

the following is true since for all 2 < max{2}, 07 e 0^7y171

},tr,:,

o^ =

}=
^U

But then the left bound of the subcover is fixed

guaranteed that given some positive real

;.'*

o*^*t, =

"t;h.

number;h,

(;fu, r)

By the Archimedean principle we are

there exists an integer k such that

Butthenlirnotinthesubcoverandthus,isnotinthet"t{r,},},},;, }Thuswen^Y

our contradiction since every rational

f it in the set. Therefore, since this finite subco ver of 0:vds

arbitrary, there does not exist any finite subcover of 0 for the set

{t,),i,i,t, .}