Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Assignment 1

Topology(MTH304A) Bidyut Sanki

Topics:

• Basis of topology
• Sub-basis
• Order topology

(1) Consider the topologies on R:

(a) τ1 is the standard topology: having the intervals (a, b), −∞ < a < b < ∞, as a
basis.
(b) τ2 co-finite topology: U is open subset of X if X \ U is finite.
(c) τ3 is the topology having the intervals (a, b], −∞ < a < b < ∞, as a basis.
(d) τ4 is the topology having the intervals [a, b), −∞ < a < b < ∞, as a basis.
• Explain why the sets given in the third and fourth example are indeed bases
for some topology on R.
• Compare the τi which each other, i.e., examine which of them are comparable
with each other, and in case that they are comparable, which one is finer.
(2) Show that the topologies of Rl and Rk are not comparable.

(3) Let X and Y be topological spaces. Show that the set

S = {U × Y |U ⊂open X} ∪ {X × V |V ⊂open Y }
is a sub-basis for the product topology on X × Y .

(4) Consider the square I 2 = [0, 1] × [0, 1] with the lexicographical order
(x1 , y1 ) ≤ (x2 , y2 ) ⇐⇒ x1 < x2 or (x1 = x2 and y1 ≤ y2 ).
Let τlexi be the corresponding order topology on I 2 .
(a) Draw some pictures how open sets look like in this topology, in particular,
describe neigborhoods of the points (0, 0), (1, 1), (a, 0), (a, 1), 0 < a < 1.
(b) We obtain another topology on I 2 as follows: Let τ 0 be the order topology on
R2 coming from the lexicographical order on R2 . Let τsub be the corresponding
subspace topology on I 2 . Show that τlexi 6= τsub .

1
2

(5) Show:
(a) A = {∅, R} ∪ {(q, ∞)|q ∈ Q} is not a topology on R, but it is a basis of some
topology on R.
(b) τ = {∅, R} ∪ {(q, ∞)|q ∈ R} is a topology on R with basis R
(c) Compare τ from (b) with the standard topology on R; which of the topologies
is finer? Prove your answer.
(6) Let X be a set with a total order ≤ and corresponding order topology. Suppose
that a, b ∈ X are such that a < b. Show that there are open sets U, V ⊂ X with
a ∈ U, b ∈ V and such that for all x ∈ U and all y ∈ V we have x < y.

(7) Show that the collection

C = {[a, b) : a < b, a, b ∈ Q}
is a basis that generate a topology different from the lower limit topology on R.

(8) A map f : X → Y is said to be an open map if for every open set U of X, the set
f (U ) is open in Y . Show that π1 : X × Y → X and π2 : X × Y → Y are open maps.

(9) Show that there is a countable basis for the standard topology on Rn .