How Do Right-Side Homotopies Affect Homotopy Equivalence?

In summary, the article explores the impact of right-side homotopies on the concept of homotopy equivalence in topology. It examines how these specific types of homotopies influence the relationships between topological spaces and their mappings, emphasizing that right-side homotopies can lead to different equivalences than left-side homotopies. The discussion includes examples and theorems that illustrate the significance of right-side homotopies in preserving or altering homotopy equivalences, ultimately contributing to a deeper understanding of the structure and properties of topological spaces.
  • #1
Ben2
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Homework Statement
"Show that the composition of homotopy equivalences X-->Y and Y-->Z is a homotopy equivalence X-->Z..."
Relevant Equations
F(x,t) = f_t(x)
"[A] map f: X-->Y is called a \mathbf{homotopy~equivalence} if there is a map g: Y-->X such that fg\cong\mathbb{1} and gf\cong\mathbb{1}," where "cong" means "is homotopic." "The spaces X and Y are said to be \mathbf{homotopy~equivalent}..." Additional definitions are in Hatcher, "Algebraic Topology", of which this is part of Exercise 3(a), p. 18. My difficulty is proving that if f\cong\mathbb{1} and h is another homotopy, then f = f\mathbb{1}h\congh. That is, how do we handle an arbitrary homotopy on the RIGHT? Does this involve "associativity" of homotopies? Thanks!
 
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  • #2
Apologies for posting! With the conditions given, (hf)(gk) = h(fg)k\congh(\mathbb{1})k = hk\cong\mathbb{1} and (fh)(kg) = f(hk)g\congf\mathbb{1}g = fg\cong\mathbb{1}. This handles transitivity, while the reflexive and symmetric properties are routine. Thanks to everyone who read this!
 
  • #3
Ben2 said:
Apologies for posting! With the conditions given, (hf)(gk) = h(fg)k\congh(\mathbb{1})k = hk\cong\mathbb{1} and (fh)(kg) = f(hk)g\congf\mathbb{1}g = fg\cong\mathbb{1}. This handles transitivity, while the reflexive and symmetric properties are routine. Thanks to everyone who read this!
Please wrap your Latex with ## or otherwise for easier reading.
 
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  • #4
Ben2 said:
Apologies for posting! With the conditions given, ##(hf)(gk) = h(fg)k\cong h(\mathbb{1})k = hk\cong\mathbb{1}## and## (fh)(kg) = f(hk)g\cong f\mathbb{1}g = fg\cong\mathbb{1}##. This handles transitivity, while the reflexive and symmetric properties are routine. Thanks to everyone who read this!
 

FAQ: How Do Right-Side Homotopies Affect Homotopy Equivalence?

What is a right-side homotopy in the context of homotopy theory?

A right-side homotopy refers to a homotopy where the homotopy equivalence condition is applied to the right side of a composition of maps. Specifically, if \(f: X \to Y\) and \(g: Y \to X\) are continuous maps, a right-side homotopy would examine the condition \(f \circ g \sim \text{id}_Y\), meaning the composition of \(f\) followed by \(g\) is homotopic to the identity map on \(Y\).

How does a right-side homotopy affect the notion of homotopy equivalence?

In homotopy theory, two spaces \(X\) and \(Y\) are homotopy equivalent if there exist continuous maps \(f: X \to Y\) and \(g: Y \to X\) such that both \(g \circ f \sim \text{id}_X\) and \(f \circ g \sim \text{id}_Y\). A right-side homotopy specifically ensures that \(f \circ g \sim \text{id}_Y\), which is one of the two required conditions for homotopy equivalence. Therefore, right-side homotopies are essential for verifying homotopy equivalence.

Can a right-side homotopy alone guarantee homotopy equivalence?

No, a right-side homotopy alone cannot guarantee homotopy equivalence. For two spaces to be homotopy equivalent, both the right-side homotopy \(f \circ g \sim \text{id}_Y\) and the left-side homotopy \(g \circ f \sim \text{id}_X\) must hold. Both conditions are necessary to establish that the spaces are homotopy equivalent.

What is the role of right-side homotopies in constructing homotopy equivalences?

Right-side homotopies play a crucial role in constructing homotopy equivalences because they verify one of the two necessary conditions. When constructing a homotopy equivalence, one typically needs to find continuous maps \(f\) and \(g\) and then demonstrate both the right-side homotopy \(f \circ g \sim \text{id}_Y\) and the left-side homotopy \(g \circ f \sim \text{id}_X\). Right-side homotopies are thus integral to this process.

Are there any specific examples where right-side homotopies are particularly important?

Right-side homotopies are particularly important in the study of retracts and deformation retracts. For instance, if \(A\) is a retract of \(X\

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