MATH F214: ELEMENTARY REAL ANALYSIS

ASSIGNMENT SHEET-2

M.THAMBAN NAIR

(1) Let F be a field. For x, y, z ∈ F, Verify the following:

(a) x + y = x + z ⇒ y = z;
(b) x + y = x ⇒ y = 0;
(c) x + y = 0 ⇒ y = −z;
(d) −(−x) = x.
(e) x ̸= 0 and xy = xz imply y = z;
(f) x ̸= 0 and xy = x imply y = 1;
(g) x ̸= 0 and xy = 1 imply y = 1/x;
(h) x ̸= 0 implies 1/(1/x) = x.
(i) 0x = 0,
(j) x ̸= 0, y ̸= 0 ⇒ xy ̸= 0;
(k) (−x)y = −(xy) = x(−y);
(l) (−x)(−y) = xy.
(2) Let F be a field with an order relation1 and x, y, z ∈ F. Verify that the following
are equivalent:
(a) x < y, z > 0 ⇒ xz < yz;
(b) x > 0, y > 0, ⇒ xy > 0.
(3) Let F be an ordered field2. and x, y, z ∈ F. Verify the following:
(a) x > 0 ⇐⇒ −x < 0;
(b) x < y, z < 0 ⇒ xz > yz;
(c) x ̸= 0 ⇒ x2 > 0;
(d) 1 > 0;
(e) 0 < x < y ⇒ 0 < 1/y < 1/x.
(4) Let F be an ordered field. Show the following:
(a) If A ⊆ F has a least upper bound (lub), then it is unique.
(b) If A ⊆ F has a greatest lower bound (glb), then it is unique.

Date: September 14, 2022.

1Recall that a relation < on a set S is an order relation if it has the properties: (i) For x, y, z ∈ S,

x < y, y < z ⇒ x < z and (ii) For x, y ∈ S, one and only one of the relations: x < y, x = y, y < x
hold.
2Recall that an ordered field is a field with an order relation such that Problem 2 (a) is satisfied.
1
2 M.THAMBAN NAIR

Department of Mathematics, BITS Pilani Goa Campus, Goa 403 726, INDIA
Email address: mtnair@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in; mtnair@faculty.iitm.ac.in