Prove that the closure is the following set.

In summary, we are asked to prove that the closure of a non-empty set S in a metric space (X,d) is equal to the set of points p in S for which the distance between p and S is 0. This can be shown by using the definition of closure, which states that the closure of S is equal to the union of S and its limit points. Since d(p,S) is the infimum of the distances between p and all the points in S, it follows that p is a limit point of S if and only if d(p,S) = 0.
  • #1
rumjum
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Homework Statement



Suppose (X,d) is a metric space. For a point in X and a non empty set S (as a subset of X), define d(p,S) = inf({(d(p,x):x belongs to S}). Prove that the closure of S is equal to the set {p belongs to S : d(p,S) =0}

Homework Equations



Closure of S = S U S' , where S' is the set of limit points of S.

The Attempt at a Solution



Any hint would be useful. My line of reasoning is the following.
I started with a picture of all the metric space. I took cases like p being part of S and then p not being part of S. But, if p is not part of S, then the intersection of Neighborhood of p with some small radius , r with the set S could be null as d(p,x) > 0. Where as the least distance of any such point "p" and x is zero. Also, d(p,S) belongs to R. Hence, there shall be a real number between any nonzero d(p,S) and zero. As a result, all elements of inf{d(p,S)} = 0.
 
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  • #2
p is a limit point of S if and only if there is a sequence s_i in S tending to p. Just writing the definition pretty much solves the problem.
 
  • #3
Does not make any sense to me

Edit: Yup, it makes sense now. For some reason, the class on sequence is chapter 3 in Rudin but the homework problem given to me is after Chapter 2. so, it was not not easy understanding the subsequence part. However, I solved it in a different way.
 
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1. What is the closure of a set?

The closure of a set is the smallest closed set that contains all the elements of the original set. It is also known as the topological closure or the Zariski closure.

2. How is the closure of a set mathematically defined?

The closure of a set A is denoted by ∴A and is defined as the intersection of all closed sets that contain A. It can also be defined as the set of all limit points of A.

3. What is the relationship between the closure and the interior of a set?

The closure and the interior of a set are complementary concepts. The closure includes all the boundary points of a set, while the interior only includes the points that are completely contained within the set.

4. How do you prove that a set is the closure of a given set?

To prove that a set is the closure of a given set, you must show that it satisfies the definition of the closure. This means that the set must contain all the elements of the original set and also be the intersection of all closed sets that contain the original set.

5. Why is the concept of closure important in mathematics?

The concept of closure is important in mathematics because it allows us to define and study topological and algebraic structures. It also helps us understand the properties of a set, such as compactness and connectedness, and provides a way to extend a given set to a larger set with desirable properties.

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