Infinite sets statements equivalence

In summary: It's still the empty set. It's what we call a "vacuous truth." The exact statements say "for every ##x## in ##A##...":1) If there are no elements in ##A##, then the statement is true for "all" the elements in ##A##.2) For every x in ##A##, there exists a bijective function from ##A## to ##A\{x}.
  • #1
mahler1
222
0
Homework Statement

Let A be a set, prove that the following statements are equivalent:

1) A is infinite
2) For every x in A, there exists a bijective function f from A to A\{x}.
3) For every {x1,...,xn} in A, there exists a bijective function from A to A\{x1,...xn}

Relevant equations

The first and only thing that comes to my mind is that (I've read this in my textbook, but I have to prove it) if A is infinite, then it admits a bijection with a proper subset; but I'm not sure if proving that would help me to automatically say that 1) implies 2) and 3) because A\{x} and A\{x1,...,xn} are proper subsets of A, but how do I know that these are the indicated proper subsets, I mean, the statement says that if a set is infinite, it admits a bijection with A proper subset, not every proper subset.
Now, when it comes to prove that 2) or 3) imply 1) I am totally stuck. So, that's all that I have, if I think of something, I'll post it here.
 
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  • #2
Do the 1 -> 2 proof so long, you seem to have solid ideas about that. When you've done that, you'll likely know more and will find a proof for 2 -> 1.

PS. I say this but the Dedekind-infinite -> infinite direction will be tough, probably you'll need to look it up.
 
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  • #3
mahler1 said:
Homework Statement

Let A be a set, prove that the following statements are equivalent:

1) A is infinite
2) For every x in A, there exists a bijective function f from A to A\{x}.
3) For every {x1,...,xn} in A, there exists a bijective function from A to A\{x1,...xn}

Relevant equations

The first and only thing that comes to my mind is that (I've read this in my textbook, but I have to prove it) if A is infinite, then it admits a bijection with a proper subset; but I'm not sure if proving that would help me to automatically say that 1) implies 2) and 3) because A\{x} and A\{x1,...,xn} are proper subsets of A, but how do I know that these are the indicated proper subsets, I mean, the statement says that if a set is infinite, it admits a bijection with A proper subset, not every proper subset.
Now, when it comes to prove that 2) or 3) imply 1) I am totally stuck. So, that's all that I have, if I think of something, I'll post it here.
These are not necessarily equivalent. For example, let ##A=\emptyset##. If ##A## is empty, the bijection in 2 and 3 is just the empty function given by ##f:\emptyset\to\emptyset##.
 
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  • #4
Mandelbroth said:
These are not necessarily equivalent. For example, let ##A=\emptyset##. If ##A## is empty, the bijection in 2 and 3 is just the empty function given by ##f:\emptyset\to\emptyset##.

Sorry, I forgot I've posted this. Now I am trying to solve the problem again. I think that in the case A is the empty set, 2 and 3 don't make any sense, because what is A-{x} or A-{x1,...,xn} if the empty set doesn't have any elements which belong to it?
 
  • #5
mahler1 said:
Sorry, I forgot I've posted this. Now I am trying to solve the problem again. I think that in the case A is the empty set, 2 and 3 don't make any sense, because what is A-{x} or A-{x1,...,xn} if the empty set doesn't have any elements which belong to it?
It's still the empty set. It's what we call a "vacuous truth." The exact statements say "for every ##x## in ##A##..."

If there are no elements in ##A##, then the statement must be true for "all" the elements in ##A## because there aren't any elements to satisfy it.

Even if we just have the statements without the "for every ##x## in ##A##" requirement, the empty function is trivially a bijection.
 

Related to Infinite sets statements equivalence

1. What is an infinite set?

An infinite set is a set that contains an unlimited or uncountable number of elements. This means that the elements in an infinite set cannot be listed or counted one by one.

2. What is a statement of equivalence for infinite sets?

A statement of equivalence for infinite sets is a mathematical statement that shows the relationship between two or more infinite sets. It states that the sets have the same cardinality, meaning that they have the same number of elements, even though the elements themselves may be different.

3. How do you prove the equivalence of two infinite sets?

To prove the equivalence of two infinite sets, you need to show that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the elements of the two sets. This means that every element in one set can be paired with a unique element in the other set, and vice versa.

4. Can an infinite set be equivalent to a proper subset of itself?

Yes, an infinite set can be equivalent to a proper subset of itself. This is possible because the concept of equivalence for infinite sets is based on cardinality, not the actual elements in the set. As long as the two sets have the same number of elements, they are considered equivalent, even if one set is a proper subset of the other.

5. What is the difference between an infinite set and a finite set in terms of equivalence statements?

The main difference between infinite and finite sets in terms of equivalence statements is that finite sets have a specific and countable number of elements, while infinite sets have an uncountable or unlimited number of elements. Therefore, equivalence statements for finite sets can be proven by listing or counting the elements, while equivalence statements for infinite sets require a one-to-one correspondence between the elements.

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