Understanding Sup&Inf: "For any two sets of real numbers

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies the mathematical concepts of supremum and infimum for two sets of real numbers, specifically addressing the equations \(\sup(x-y) = \sup x - \inf y\) and \(\inf(x-y) = \inf x - \sup y\). The confusion arises from the notation used for the operation \(x-y\), which does not represent the set difference but rather the set of all possible differences between elements of sets X and Y. The example provided demonstrates that when X is \(\mathbb{R}\) and Y is \([10;+\infty)\), the supremum of the difference is indeed 10, but the calculation of \(\sup x - \inf y\) does not yield the same result due to the misunderstanding of the notation.

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Kamataat
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Quote from my textbook:

"For any two sets of real numbers, [itex]X=\{x\}[/itex] and [itex]Y=\{y\}[/itex], the following hold:

[tex]\sup(x-y)=\sup x-\inf y[/tex] (1),
[tex]\inf(x-y)=\inf x-\sup y[/tex] (2),

where [itex]x\in X[/itex] and [itex]y\in Y[/itex]."

It is also said, that if some set [itex]A[/itex] consists of some elements [itex]a[/itex], we may write it as [itex]A=\{a\}[/itex], and [itex]\sup a[/itex] is another way of writing [itex]\sup A[/itex].

Now the above quote is confusing. If I take [itex]X=\mathbb{R}[/itex] and [itex]Y=[10;+\infty)[/itex], then [itex]X-Y=(-\infty;10)[/itex]. Then the supremum of the difference of the sets is 10, but the infimum subtracted from the supremum is not 10, like it should be according to (1).

Can anybody clear that quote up for me?

PS: It is assumed in this textbook that the supremum (infimum) of the set of all real numbers is [itex]+\infty[/itex] ([itex]-\infty[/itex]).

- Kamataat
 
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x-y in (1) and (2)
does not mean X-Y the set difference
the largest subset of X which has an empty intersection with Y
x-y mean the set of all numbers that can be written element of x-element of y
So if X=[0,2] Y=[-1,1]
X-Y=(0,2]
x-y=[-1,3]
A few confusions result when a symbol such as "-" is used to mean so many different things.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, the notation was confusing me. BTW, I think you mean X-Y=(1,2].

Thanks!

- Kamataat
 

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