Combinatorial Topology (MAS430)

Homework 1
Duong Q. Dinh - 20121095

Problem 5, 4.2, Armstrongs Basic Topology

Solution:
To show X and Y are not homeomorphic, we will show that X is not compact while
Y is not.
Let {U }A be an open cover of X. Since (0, 0) X, there is some 0 A such that
(0, 0) U0 . Then U0 = X E, where E is an open subset of E2 . It is clear that only
a finite number of circles {C }B are not contained completely in U0 . For each B,
the part of the circle C not contained in U0 is homeomorphic to a closed interval in the
real line, and is thus compact. Then, from the open cover {U C }A of C , we can
extract a finite subcover of C , say {U C }T A . It is easy to see that {U0 , U }T A ,
S
where T =
T , is a finite cover of X. Therefore X is compact.
B

Note that we can also prove the compactness of X by showing its boundedness and
closedness in E2 .
Let be the canonical projection to the quotient space Y = R/Z. Consider the
S
open subset N =
(z 1/2, z + 1/2) of R. Since simply identifies the integers
zZ

together, 1 (N ) = N . Since R/Z has the quotient topology, (N ) is open. Let

Mz = (z + 1/4, z + 3/4) for z Z. Clearly then {(N )} {(Mz )}zZ is an open cover of
R/Z. However, we cannot extract any finite subcover out of this, since for any z, z + 1/2
is contained in only one open subset of form (z + 1/4, z + 3/4). Thus Y is not compact.

Problem 6, 4.2, Armstrongs Basic Topology

Solutions:
1

We use the following lemma: If f : X Y is a continuous function and has a

continuous right inverse, i.e. g : Y X such that f g = idY , then f is a an identification
map. Proof: The existence of g guarantees the surjectivity of f . Let U be a subset of Y .
1
1
1
Suppose f 1 (U ) is open in X. Then U = id1
(U )) is open
Y (U ) = (f g) (U ) = g (f

due to the continuity of g. So f is an identification map.

Consider the map : R2 R, (x, y) = x. Define A R2 by A = {(x, y)|y =
0 or x 0}, and define f = |A . Then f is clearly continuous, and has an (obviously
continuous) right inverse defined by g : R R2 , g(x) = (x, 0). By the lemma above, f is
an identification map.
Let the graph of y = 1/x be G, a closed subset of A. f (G) = (0, ) is not closed in
R. So f is not a closed map.
Consider the subset B = ((0, 2), 1) A in S. Since ((0, 2), 1) is open in R, B is open
in A. f (B) = [0, 1) is not open in R. So f is not open.

Problem 10, 4.2, Armstrongs Basic Topology

Solution:
It is easy to see that f (x, y, z) = (x2 y 2 , xy, xz, yz) is a (continuous) map. Since S 2 is
compact and E4 is Hausdorff, f is a closed map. Since the projective plane can be obtained
by identifying antipodal points on S 2 and a one-one closed map is an embedding, if we
can show that f (x, y, z) = f (x0 , y 0 , z 0 )

either (x, y, z) = (x0 , y 0 , z 0 ) or (x, y, z) =

(x0 , y 0 , z 0 ), then f is an embedding.

Clearly the map is well-defined (f (x, y, z) = f (x, y, z)), and f (x, y, z) = f (x, y, z).
Suppose f (x, y, z) = (A, B, C, D) = f (x0 , y 0 , z 0 ). Then x2 y 2 = A = x02 y 02 and

xy = B = x0 y 0 . Solving for x and y, we obtain x = (A + A2 + 4B 2 )/2, y = 2B/(A +

A2 + 4B 2 ). Since (x, y) is interchangeable with (x0 , y 0 ) in the solving procedure, we must

conclude that either (x, y) = (x0 , y 0 ) or (x, y) = (x0 , y 0 ). Plugging in x into xz = C
and then y into yz = D, we see that either either (x, y, z) = (x0 , y 0 , z 0 ) or (x, y, z) =
(x0 , y 0 , z 0 ).

Problem 11, 4.2, Armstrongs Basic Topology

Solution:
A natural way to construct a Klein bottle from [0, 2] [0, ] is identifying {0} [0, ]
with {2} [0, ] in a parallel manner, and [0, 2] {0} with [0, 2] {} in a antiparallel
2

manner. We will show that this indeed is the construction here. To do so, using the same
argument as in problem 10, we only need to show that f (x, y) = f (x0 , y 0 ) either (i)
(x, y) = (x0 , y 0 ), or (ii) x, x0 {0, 2} and y = y 0 , or (iii) y, y 0 {0, } and x0 = 2 x
(or x = x0 = 0 or x = x0 = 2, to account for the identification of all four corners of
[0, 2] [0, ]).
It is easy to see that the map is well-defined (f (x, y) = f (x, y)), f (0, y) = f (2, y),
and f (x, 0) = f (2 x, ).
Suppose f (x, y) = (A, B, C, D, E) = f (x0 , y 0 ). First, consider the case y 6= y 0 . The
equations cos 2y = B and sin 2y = C together determine a unique value of 2y on the
parametrized circle, so if y 6= y 0 , then clearly, say, y = 0 and y 0 = . So f (x, 0) = f (x0 , ).
Then cos x = A = cos x0 and sin x = D = sin x0 . Notice that x = x0 = 0 and x = x0 = 2
satisfy these equations. So suppose x, x0 (0, 2). Clearly only the relation x = 2 x0
satisfies the two trigonometric equations.
Now we consider the case y = y 0 (and x 6= x0 ): f (x, y) = f (x0 , y). From cos x =
A = cos x0 and sin x sin y = E = sin x0 sin y, which determine a unique point x on the
parametrized circle, the only satisfying relation is x, x0 {0, 2}.
So f induces an embedding of the Klein bottle.

Problem 12, 4.2, Armstrongs Basic Topology

Solutions:
Suppose
(2 + cos x) cos 2y = (2 + cos x0 ) cos 2y 0

(1)

(2 + cos x) sin 2y = (2 + cos x0 ) sin 2y

(2)

Consider the case y, y 0

/ {/4, 3/4}. Then cos 2y 6= 0 6= cos 2y 0 . Dividing (2) by
(1) yields tan 2y = tan 2y 0 . So either y = y 0 or y = y 0 + /2. If y = y 0 + /2, then
cos 2y = cos 2y 0 , so (1) yields 4 = cos x0 cos x, which is impossible. Therefore
y = y 0 . So cos 2y = cos 2y 0 , sin 2y = sin 2y 0 , and from (1) cos x = cos x0 .
Consider the case {y, y 0 } {/4, 3/4} 6= . Suppose y = /4. Then (1) yields
cos 2y 0 = 0, i.e. either y 0 = y = /4 or y 0 = 3/4. If y 0 = 3/4, then sin 2y 0 = sin 2y, so
(2) yields 4 = cos x0 cos x, which is impossible. So y 0 = y = /4. So cos 2y = cos 2y 0 ,
sin 2y = sin 2y 0 , and from (1) cos x = cos x0 . Similar argument for the case y = 3/4 leads
to the same argument.
Therefore, equations (1) and (2) necessarily yields cos 2y = cos 2y 0 , sin 2y = sin 2y 0 ,
and cos x = cos x0
3

Using the result above, we see that g(x, y) = g(x0 , y 0 ) f (x, y) = f (x0 , y 0 ). Therefore, we can use the same argument used in problem 11 to show that g is an embedding
of the Klein bottle in E4 .

Example 1.3, lecture note

Problem:
Define the equivalence relation on R as x y x y Q. Show that R/ is an
uncountable set with indiscrete topology (and therefore is not Hausdorff).
Solution:
We first prove that R/ is an uncountable set. It is clear that each equivalence class
has countably many representatives: for each equivalence class [r] with r R, we can
define a surjective map g : Q [r] by g(q) = r0 if there exists r0 [r] such that r0 r = q
and g(q) = r otherwise. Then, if R/ is a countable set, then R, being a countable
union of countable sets, must be countable (ridiculous).
Let U be an open, non-empty subset of R/ . We will show that U = R/ . The
key of the solution is that the preimage of any non-empty open subset of R/ , by the
dense-ness of Q in R, lacks no representative of any equivalence classes on R, and therefore
must be mapped to the whole quotient space.
Let
f : R R/
x 7 [x]
be the canonical projection. Since U is open, non-empty and since f is continuous, f 1 (U )
is open and non-empty in R. Clearly it must contain some open interval I of R. Let x
be any real number. Since Q is dense in R, we can find some q Q such that x q = x0
for some x0 I. Since (x x0 ) Q, f (x) = [x] = [x0 ] = f (x0 ) f (I) f (f 1 (U )) U .
Therefore R/ = f (R) U , and so U = R/ .

Example 1.12, lecture note

Problem: Prove that:

(a) S n
= Dn /S n1
(b) (S n I)/(S n {0})
= Dn+1
Solutions:
4

(a) Let : Dn Dn /S n1 be the canonical projection. For a moment, suppose we

have a surjective (continuous) map f : Dn S n such that it maps all of S n1 to some
p S n and is bijective on Dn \ S n1 (mapped to S n \ {p}). Next, define the following
map:
h : Dn /S n1 S n
x 7 f ( 1 (x))
. h then is clearly bijective. Since is an identification map and f = h is continuous,
h is continuous by proposition 1.6 (l.n.). Since Dn is compact and S n is Hausdorff, by
corollary 1.9 (l.n.), h is a homeomorphism.
We construct the map f as follows. Since (Dn \ S n1 )
= (S n {p}), we
= En
have a homeomorphism k : Dn \ S n1 S n {p}. Then we can define f (x) = k(x) for
x Dn \S n1 and f (x) = p for x S n1 . The continuity of f can be shown as follows. Let
U be an open proper subset of S n containing p. Then U \{p}
= En \Dn
= (Dn \S n1 )\C,
where C Dn \ S n1 is closed. Noting that any open neighborhood of S n1 must be of
the form Dn \ C, it is easy to see that f 1 (U ) is of such form and open. Then f is the
desired map.
(b) We can use the same technique in part (a), since (S n I), being a closed and
bounded subset of En+2 , is compact and Dn+1 is Hausdorff. Note that Dn+1 \ {0}
=
S n I \ S n {0} (by identifying points on Dn+1 = S n with (t, 1) S n {1}, and
all points, say p, on int(Dn+1 \ O) with (t, s) S n (I \ {1}), where s is the smallest
Euclidean distance from p to points on Dn+1 ); let such a homeomorphism be k. The
needed map from S n I to Dn+1 can be constructed as f (x) = k(x) for x S n (I \ {0})
and f (x) = {0} for x S n {0}. The rest of the proof is exactly the same as in part (a).