Is it possible to prove that any metric topology is Hausdorff?

  • Thread starter Thread starter sutupidmath
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Point Sequence
Click For Summary
In the discussion, participants clarify the conditions under which a metric topology is Hausdorff, specifically in the context of a set A defined by sequences of real numbers. It is emphasized that when proving Hausdorffness, one must consider points as sequences rather than individual real numbers. The general consensus is that all metric topologies are inherently Hausdorff due to the properties of the metric, particularly the triangle inequality. A participant successfully demonstrates this by showing that distinct sequences can be separated by open neighborhoods. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the nature of the elements in set A when discussing topological properties.
sutupidmath
Messages
1,629
Reaction score
4
Suppose we define a set A to consist of all sequences x=<x_i> of real numbers, for which some condition holds, define a metric on it, and show that it generates a topology T on A.

What i am a little unclear about is when we try to show if (A,T) is Hausdorff or not, do we pick now two points(single real numbers) x,y from A, and show that there are(are not) neighgorhoods U,V or x and y respectively that are disjoint, or do we pick sequences x and y of real numbers, instead?

My intuition says they should be sequences, but not quite sure about it.

Thanks for your help?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
What i am a little unclear about is when we try to show if (A,T) is Hausdorff or not, do we pick now two points(single real numbers) x,y from A, and show that there are(are not) neighgorhoods U,V or x and y respectively that are disjoint, or do we pick sequences x and y of real numbers, instead?
When you're working with (A,T), then a point is not a real number, but a sequence of real numbers (i.e. an element of A). So you take two points and see if you can separate them by open neighborhoods, but a point is a sequence. Thus you pick two sequences satisfying your given condition and try to find open neighborhoods of them in T that separates them (or alternatively prove that this is impossible).

How would you suggest to pick a real number x from A anyway? There are no real numbers in A.
 
rasmhop said:
When you're working with (A,T), then a point is not a real number, but a sequence of real numbers (i.e. an element of A). So you take two points and see if you can separate them by open neighborhoods, but a point is a sequence. Thus you pick two sequences satisfying your given condition and try to find open neighborhoods of them in T that separates them (or alternatively prove that this is impossible)..

This is what i went ahead and did. I proved, for my particular space, that it is Hausdorff.

rasmhop said:
How would you suggest to pick a real number x from A anyway? There are no real numbers in A.

What i think i confused it with, is that, i was thinking of A as if it were defined to consist of the terms of such sequences, instead of the sequences themselves.

Thanks for clarifying it further.
 
Suppose we define a set A to consist of all sequences x=<x_i> of real numbers, for which some condition holds, define a metric on it, and show that it generates a topology T on A.

If you already defined a metric, say d, and T is the topology generated by it, then it's immediately Hausdorff. All metric topologies are Hausdorff, you don't have to consider the particulars of the space involved.

This is a consequence of the triangle inequality: if you have two distinct elements x,y of A, no matter what they are, then d(x,y) = r > 0. Consider the open balls of radius r'<r/2, centred at x and y, respectively, and apply the triangle inequality to prove that these balls are disjoint.
 
JSuarez said:
This is a consequence of the triangle inequality: if you have two distinct elements x,y of A, no matter what they are, then d(x,y) = r > 0. Consider the open balls of radius r'<r/2, centred at x and y, respectively, and apply the triangle inequality to prove that these balls are disjoint.

This is precisely what i did.

But now when you bring it up, i realize that i have, indeed, proved the general case (that any metric topology is Hausdorff) rather than for my particular topology... since i never really made explicitly specific reference to my particular sequences, rather than just saying let x,y be any two such points(sequences in my case).
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
1K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
986
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
6K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
2K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
6K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K