Solutions to FINAL

Spring 2014
1.Show that every map f : S k+l S k S l , k, l > 0, induces the
(S k S l )
trivial homomorphism of reduced cohomology groups f : H
(S k+l ).
H
SOLUTION: The cohomology ring H (S m ) = Z[]/(2 ) with || =
m. Since the groups H r (S m ) are free for all r and m, the cohomology
ring H (S k S l ) is isomorphic to Z[]/(2 ) Z[]/( 2 ). Since k, l <
k + l, we obtain H k (S k+l ) = 0 = H l (S k+l ). Hence f () = 0 = f ().
Thus, f is zero homomorphism in dimensions > 0.
2. Show that there is no map f : CP m CP n with m > n inducing
a nontrivial homomorphism f : H 2 (CP n ) H 2 (CP m ).
SOLUTION: Note that H (CP r ) = Z[r ]/(rr+1 ) with |r | = 2. If
f (n ) 6= 0, then f (n ) = km with k 6= 0. Then we would have a
contradiction:
n+1
0 = f (nn+1 ) = f (n )n+1 = k n+1 m
6= 0.

3. Show that RP 2n+1 is not homotopy equivalent to RP 2n S 2n+1 .

SOLUTION: The cohomology rings taken with Z2 coefficients
H (RP 2n+1 ) = Z2 []/(2n+2 )
and
H (RP 2n S 2n+1 ) = H (RP 2n )H (S 2n+1 ) = Z2 []/( 2n+1 )Z2 []/( 2 )
are not isomorphic since the first contains an element whose (2n+1)st
power 2n+1 is nonzero and in the second x2n+1 = 0 for all elements.
4. Let U Rn be an open set. Show that the groups Hi (U ) are
countable for all i.
SOLUTION: Consider the partition of R into intervals [n, (n + 1)],
n Z of length . It defines a CW complex structure on R. An 
cubical n-complex is a subcomplex of Rn with respect to the product
CW structure. For an open set U Rn we denote by Cn the union of
1
-cubes that are contained in U . Note that Cn is a finite CW complex,
2n
Cn+1 Cn , U = Cn , and every compact set X U lies in some Cn .
Then Hi (U ) = lim Hi (Cn ). Since Hi (Cn ) are countable, n Hi (Cn ) is
countable and, hence, lim Hi (Cn ) is countable.
1

5. Show that a compact manifold does not retract onto its boundary.
SOLUTION: Let M be a compact n-manifold with boundary. We
consider the homology exact sequence of the pair (M, M ) for Z2 coefficients:

Hn1 (M ; Z2 )
Hn (M ; Z2 ) Hn (M, M ; Z2 ) Hn1 (M ; Z2 )

If M is a retract of M , then i is injective. Since M is Z2 orientable,

Hn (M, M ; Z2 ) 6= 0. Note that Hn (M ; Z2 )
= Hn (M \ M ; Z2 ) =
0. Therefore, is nonzero homomorphism and i cannot be injective.
Contradiction.
6.Show that Hcn+1 (X R) = Hcn (X) for all n.
SOLUTION: We use the fact (proven in class) that the cross product
with the generator of H 1 (I, I) induces an isomorphism H n (Y )
H n+1 (Y I, Y I). In the case of the relative cohomology, this cross
product defines an isomorphism H n (Y, A) H n+1 (Y I, Y I A
I). Then we obtain a chain of isomorphisms
Hcn+1 (X R) = lim

Ccomp X,mN

H n+1 (X R | C [m, m]) =

= lim H n+1 (X R, X R \ (C [m, m]) =

(h.e.) = lim H n+1 (X R, X R \ (C (m, m)) =

(excision) = lim H n+1 (X [m, m], X [m, m] \ (C (m, m)) =

= lim H n+1 (X [m, m], X [m, m] (X \ C [m, m]) =

(cross product isomorphism) = lim H n (X, X \ C) = Hcn (X).

7. Show that the tensor product commutes with direct limits:

(lim G ) A = lim(G A).

SOLUTION: Note that the statement holds true when A = Z. Let

F1 F0 A 0 be a free resolution of A. Thus Fi = Z, i = 0, 1,
and the sequence is exact. The sequence
(lim G ) F1 (lim G ) F2 (lim G ) A 0

is exact since the tensor product is a right exact functor. For each
there is a commutative diagram:
(lim G ) F1 (lim G ) F2 (lim G ) A 0
x
x
x

G F1
x

G F0
x

G A
x

G F1

G F0

G A
Hence there is the limit diagram which is also commutative:

0.

(lim G ) F1 (lim G ) F2 (lim G ) A 0

x
x
x

lim (G F1 ) lim (G F0 ) lim (G A) 0.

The bottom row is exact as the direct limit of exact sequences. Two left
vertical arrows are isomorphism since Fi are free. By the Five Lemma
we obtain the result.
8. Let Mg+h = Mg #Mh be the connected sum of orientable surfaces
of genus g and h. Thus,
Mg+h = (Mg \ IntD2 ) D2 (Mh \ IntD2 ).
Show that for g > h there is no retraction of Mg+h onto Mg \ IntD2 .
SOLUTION: We use the following Fact proven in MT: There is no
map f : Mh Mg of degree one if g > h. Let r : Mg+h Mg \ IntD2
be a retraction. We define a map f : Mh Mg as follows. We set
f = r on Mh \ IntD2 and f = id on D2 . Since r is a retraction, these
two functions agree on D2 and f is continuous by the Pasting lemma.
Note that degf = 1 since the local degree of id is 1 and we can compute
the degree of f using local degrees of the preimage f 1 (c) where c is
the center of D2 . This contradicts to the Fact.
Proof of the Fact: If g > h then
f : H 1 (Mg ) = Z2g = Z < 1 . . . g , 1 . . . g > Z2h = H 1 (Mh )
has a nontrivial kernel. Let a ker(f ). Without loss of generality
we way assume that a has nonzero 1 -coordinate. Thus, a = n1 1 + w
where w does not contain 1 . Then a 1 = n1 1 1 = n1 u where u
is the generator of H 2 (Mg ). Since f has degree one, f (n1 u) 6= 0. On
the other hand,
f (n1 u) = f ((n1 1 ) 1 ) = f (a 1 ) = f (a) f (1 ) = 0.

Contradiction.
9. Let p : X M2 be a covering map that corresponds to a
subgroup generated by the element a1 b1 in 1 (M2 ) =< a1 , a2 , b1 , b2 |
[a1 , b1 ][a2 b2 ] = 1 >.
(a) Compute H1 (X) and H2 (X); (b) Compute H 1 (X) and H 2 (X).
SOLUTION: The element a1 b1 generates a cyclic subgroup of 1 (M2 )
of infinite order. Hence 1 (X) = Z. Therefore, H1 (X) = Z. Since
p1 (x0 ) is closed subset homeomorphic to Z (i.e. discrete infinite), the
space X is not compact. Since X is a non-closed 2-manifold, H2 (X) =
0.
The cohomology groups H (X) can be obtained from the Universal
Coefficient Theorem. They are H 1 (X) = Z and H 2 (X) = 0.
10. Prove that if a closed orientable manifold M of dimension 2k
has Hk1 (M ; Z) torsion free, then Hk (M ; Z) is also torsion free.
SOLUTION: By the Poincare Duality Hk (M ) = H k (M ). By the
Universal Coefficient theorem applied to a space with finitely generated
homology, H k (M ) takes the free part from Hk (M ) and the torsion part
from Hk1 (M ). Since the torsion part T Hk1 (M ) = 0. The result
follows.
REMARK. The fact that the groups Hi (M ) are finitely generated for
a closed n-manifolds which do not admit simplicial complex structure
can be obtained as follows. One can show that the topological (covering) dimension of M is n (see Munkers). Then M can be embedded
to S N for large enough N (Munkres). Then by the Alexander Duality and the fact stated in the Problem 4 it follows that all the groups
H j (M ) are countable. This contradicts to the following Proposition
proven in class: If Hn (X) is not finitely generated then either H n (X)
or H n+1 (X) is uncountable.