MATH 461 Homework 2

Aiden Cullo

February 9, 2020

Section 5: 4d, e, f

4. Let m, n ∈ Z. Let X 6= ∅.

(d) Find the bijective map h : X n × X ω → X ω

1. Proof. We define h as h(β = ((x1 , ..., xn ), (x01 , x02 , ...))) = (y1 , ..., yn , yn+1 , ...) where yi = xi

for 1 ≤ i ≤ n and yi = x0i−n for all i > n.

β1 6= β2 =⇒ either ai 6= bi or a0p 6= b0p =⇒ ck 6= dk =⇒ h(β1 ) 6= h(β2 ) for some

1 ≤ i ≤ n and some p, k ∈ Z where β1 = ((a1 , ..., an ), (a01 , ...)), β2 = ((b1 , ..., bn ), (b01 , ...)),

h(β1 ) = (c1 , ..., cn , cn+1 , ...), and h(β2 ) = (d1 , ..., dn , dn+1 , ...).

If α = h(β) = (e1 , ..., en , en+1 , ...) we can convert back to β with the opposite rule ji = ei

0
for 1 ≤ i ≤ n and ji−n = ei for all i > n and get a β = ((j1 , ..., jn ), (j10 , ...)) that satisfies

α = h(β). ∴ h is a bijection from X n × X ω to X ω .

(e) Find the bijective map l : X ω × X ω → X ω

1. Proof. We define l as l(β = ((x1 , ...), (y1 , ...)) = (x1 , y1 ...) = (z1 , ...) such that zi = x i+1 if i
2

is odd zi = x i+1 if i is even.

2

β1 6= β2 =⇒ either ai 6= bi or a0i 6= b0i =⇒ ck 6= dk =⇒ l(β1 ) 6= l(β2 ) for some i, k ∈ Z

where β1 = ((a1 , ...), (a01 , ...)), β2 = ((b1 , ...), (b01 , ...)), l(β1 ) = (c1 , ...), and l(β2 ) = (d1 , ...).

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 If α = h(β) = (e1 , ...) we can convert back to β = with the opposite rule j i+1 = ei if i is
2

odd j i+1 = ei if i is even where i ∈ Z and get a β = ((j1 , ...), (j10 , ...)) that satisfies α = l(β).
2

∴ l is a bijection from X ω to X ω → X ω .

(f) If A ⊂ B, find an injective map m : (Aω )n → B ω .

(1) (2) (1) (2) (n) (1)

1. Proof. We define m as m(β = ((a1 , ...) × (a1 , ...) × ...) = (a1 , a1 , ..., a1 , a2 , ...) =
(j)
(z1 , ...) such that z(i−1)n+j = ai for 1 ≤ j ≤ n and i ∈ Z.
(j) (j)
β1 6= β2 =⇒ ai 6= bi =⇒ ck 6= dk =⇒ l(β1 ) 6= l(β2 ) for some i, k ∈ Z and 1 ≤ j ≤ n
(1) (2) (1) (2)
where β1 = ((a1 , ...) × (a1 , ...) × ...), β1 = ((b1 , ...) × (b1 , ...) × ...), m(β1 ) = (c1 , ...), and

m(β2 ) = (d1 , ...). If α = h(β) = (e1 , ...) we can convert back to β with the opposite rule
(j)
ji = e(i−1)n+j for 1 ≤ j ≤ n and i ∈ Z that satisfies α = m(β). ∴ m is a bijection from

(Aω )n to B ω .

Section 6: 4, 6, 7

4. Let A be a non empty finite simply ordered set.

(a) Show that A has a largest element.

1. Proof. We will show this by induction on the cardinality of A. For A with one element,

there is a largest element because a ∈ A is larger than all other elements in A. Assume any

set with n elements has a largest element. Suppose we have a set A with n + 1 elements.

Hence ∃ bijection f : A → {1, ..., n + 1}. It follows that ∃ bijection g : A − a0 → {1, ..., n}.

By definition A − a0 has n elements and by our assumption has a maximum. Now we can

define a maximum on A as a0 if max(A − a0 ) < a0 or max(A − a0 ) if max(A − a0 ) > a0 .

(b) Show that A has the order type of a section of the positive integers.

1. Proof. We will show this by induction on the cardinality of A. For n=1, we show that a set

A = {a1 } has the same order type as {1}. Since there aren’t two different elements in A

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 and A has a bijection to {1} by its cardinality, the order relation is preserved. Thus, A and

{1} have the same order type. For the inductive step, assume any set A with n elements

has the same order type of a section of the positive integers {1, ..., m}. Since cardinality of

A is uniquely defined (as n), m = n. Now, consider the set A0 with n + 1 elements and the

bijection f : A → {1, ..., n + 1}. By Lemma 6.1, ∃ a bijection g : A0 − {a00 } → {1, ..., n}.

From our assumption, g preserves order. Now, define h such that:

h(a00 ) = n + 1

h(x) = g(x) x ∈ A0 − {a00 }

Finally, we will show h is bijective and preserves order. If a01 , a02 ∈ A − {a00 }, then a01 <

a02 =⇒ h(a01 ) < h(a02 ) because g preserves order. If a01 ∈ A − {a00 } a01 ∈ A − {a00 } and

a02 = a00 , then a01 < a02 =⇒ h(a01 ) < h(a02 ) because h(a02 ) = n + 1 and n + 1 is greater than

all other elements in {1, ..., n + 1}. h is a bijection because a01 6= a02 =⇒ h(a01 ) 6= h(a02 )

because h preserves order. For y = h(a01 ) ∈ {1, ..., n} ∃a01 ∈ A − {a00 } since g is bijective and

if y = n + 1, then a00 maps to y. ∴ h is bijective and preserves order. ∴ Any finite, simply

ordered, nonempty set has the order of a section of positive integers.

6. (a) Let A = {1, ..., n}. Show there is a bijection of P(A) with the cartesian product X n , where X

is the two-element set {0, 1}.

1. Proof. Define f : P(A) → X n as f (p) = (x1 , ..., xn ) where xi = 1 if i ∈ p and xi = 0

otherwise for 1 ≤ i ≤ n. f (p1 ) = f (p2 ) =⇒ xi = x0i for 1 ≤ i ≤ n =⇒ p1 and p2 have the

same elements =⇒ p1 = p2 . If α = f (β) = (x1 , ...) ∈ X n , there is a corresponding subset

of A in P (A) that contains all i ∈ Z s.t. xi in α equals 1. ∴ f is a bijection from P(A) to

X n.

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 (b) Show that if A is finite, then P(A) is finite.

1. Proof. We know there exists a bijection g : {1, ..., n} → A since A is finite. Define f :

P(A) → X n , where n is the cardinality of A, as f (p) = (x1 , ..., xn ) where xi = 1 if g(i) ∈ p ∈

P(A) and xi = 0 otherwise for all 1 ≤ i ≤ n. f (p1 ) = f (p2 ) =⇒ xi = x0i for 1 ≤ i ≤ n =⇒

p1 and p2 have the same elements =⇒ p1 = p2 . If α = f (β) = (x1 , ...) ∈ X n , there is

a corresponding subset of A in P (A) that contains all ai ∈ A s.t. xi in α equals 1. ∴ ∃

bijection from P(A) to X n . Since X n is the cartesian product of a finite number of finite

sets, it is finite. Thus, we have a bijection from P(A) to X n and X n to a section of the

positive numbers =⇒ ∃ a bijection from P(A) to a section of the positive integers and

P(A) is finite.

7. If A and B are finite, show that the set of all functions f : A → B is finite.

1. If f is a function f : A → B then f ⊂ A × B. The cartesian product of two finite sets is finite

so A × B is finite. In 6b, we proved the power set of a finite set is finite so P(A × B) is finite.

By definition, P(A × B) contains all of the subsets of A × B and thus contains all functions

f : A → B. The set of all functions f : A → B is a subset of P(A × B) and since P(A × B) is

finite so it the set of all functions f .

Section 7: 4, 6, 7

4. (a) A real number x is said to be algebraic (over the rationals) if it satisfies some polynomial equation

of positive degree:

xn + an−1 xn−1 + · · · + a1 x + a0 = 0

with rational coefficients ai . Assuming each polynomial equation has only finitely man roots,

show the set of algebraic numbers is countable.

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 1. For every polynomial, there is a finite set A of n real numbers that satisfy it. The amount

of possible polynomials is determined by possible combinations of n rational coefficients.

Which is an n cartesian product of Q. A finite product of countable sets is countable =⇒

Qn is countable. Qn × A is also countable since Qn and A are countable. ∴ the set of

algebraic numbers is countable.

(b) A real number is said to be transcendental if it is not algebraic. Assuming the reals are un-

countable, show that the transcendental numbers are uncountable. (It is a somewhat surprising

fact that only two transcendental numbers are familiar to us: e and . Even proving these two

numbers transcendental is highly nontrivial.)

1. Algebraic numbers are a countable subset (call it A) of R. R is uncountable. We know

that the countable union of two countable sets is countable. Thus, if the countable union

of two sets is uncountable =⇒ at least one of the constituent sets is not countable. Since

R \ A ∪ A = R and A is countable, we know R \ A or the transcendental numbers are

uncountable.

6. We say that sets A and B have the same cardinality if there is a bijection of A with B.

(a) Show that if B ⊂ A and if there is an injection

f : A −→ B ,

then A and B have the same cardinality. IHint: Define A1 = A, B1 = B , and for n > 1, An =

f (An−1 ) and Bn = f (Bn−1 ) . (Recursive definition again! Note that A1 ⊃ B1 ⊃ A2 ⊃ B2 ⊃

A3 ⊃ · · · Define a bijection


 f (x)
 if x ∈ An − Bn for some n
h : A → B by the rule h(x) =

 x

otherwise. ]

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 1. We will show that every h(x) ∈ B for every x ∈ A and prove h is a bijection. If x ∈ An \ Bn

then h(x) = f (x) and f (x) will always be in B (or a subset). If x ∈

/ An \ Bn , the x ∈ Bn

and h(x) = x ∈ B. Thus, h(x) is well-defined. If a1 6= a2 , and a1 , a2 ∈ An \ Bn then

h(a1 ) = f (a1 ) 6= f (a2 ) = h(a2 ). Hence, h(a1 ) 6= h(a2 ). If a1 , a2 ∈

/ An \Bn and h(a1 ) = h(a2 )

then h(a1 ) = a1 = a2 = h(a2 ). If a1 ∈

/ An \Bn , a1 ∈ An \Bn and a1 6= a2 , then h(a1 ) ∈ f (An )

and h(a1 ) ∈ A \ B and since f (An ⊂ B), h(a1 ) ∈ A \ f (An ). Hence, h(a1 ) and h(a2 ) are

in disjoint subsets of A and cannot be equal otherwise the sets wouldn’t be disjoint. Thus

a1 6= a2 =⇒ h(a1 ) 6= h(a2 ) Given y ∈ B, ∃ either an x ∈ A \ B s.t. h(x) = y or an

x ∈ B ⊂ A s.t. h(x) = y. ∴ h is a bijection and A and B have the same cardinality.

(b) Theorem (Schroeder-Bernstein theorem). If there are injections f : A → C and g : C → A, then

A and C have the same cardinality.

1. There is an injection from C to A and A to the image of A (call it C0 ). Thus there is an

injection from C to C0 in C, which is a subset of C. Since C0 ∪ C and ∃ bijection C to C0 .

We also know there is a bijection from A to C0 because it is injective by the hypothesis and

surjective by definition. Since there is a bijection between A and C0 as well as C0 and C.

∴ there is a bijection between A and C. Thus A and C have the same cardinality.

7. Show that the sets D and E of Exercise 5 have the same cardinality.

1. the set of all functions on Z × Z, we will call it A, is a subset of P(Z × Z). Since Z × Z is

countably infinite, ∃ a bijection g : Z → Z × Z. Thus we can assign a positive integer to each

member of Z × Z. We will use this to create a bijection from the set of functions on Z × Z to

the set of functions on Z × {0, 1}(we will call this set B). Define a bijection f : A → B as

f (a = (a1 , ...)) = b = (b1 , ...) for a ∈ A, b ∈ B where bi = 1 if g(i) ∈ a. That is, if the pair in

Z × Z mapped to by g is in a where a is a function from Z to Z. Set bi = 0 if g(i) 6∈ a. If the

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functions α1 6= α2 for α1 , α2 ∈ A then some pair p of positive integers is in α1 and not in α2 or

in α2 and not in α1 . Either way, β1 = f (α1 ) and β2 = f (α2 ) will differ at the index g −1 (p). Say

the pair k = (1, 2) is in α1 and not α2 then the positive integer the maps to k will be g −1 (k) and

for β1 this index in the tuple will be 1 while for β2 it will be 0. ∴ α1 6= α2 =⇒ f (β1 ) 6= f (α2 ).

For a given β ∈ B there will be a corresponding α ∈ A s.t. β = f (α) where for every position i

with a 1 in the tuple β, g(i) is in α. ∴ f is surjective and injective =⇒ f is a bijection and A

and B have the same cardinality.