Are Metric Space Infimums Equal for Non-Empty Subsets?

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In summary: To summarize, the question is asking to prove that the infimum of the distance between a non-empty subset Q and a non-empty subset J in a metric space X is equal to the infimum of the distance between J and Q. This can be proven by using the three axioms of metrics and showing that both infima are equal to the distance between Q and J. In summary, the question is asking to prove the equality of two infima in a metric space X. The proof can be done by using the three axioms of metrics and showing that both infima are equal to the distance between two non-empty subsets Q and J in X.
  • #1
choccookies
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HI I've got this question I don't know how to do;

Let X be a metric space, and let Q,J be non-empty subsets of X. prove that

inf{dist(x,J):x is a member of Q}= inf{dist(Q,y):y is a member of J}.


I know that the dist(x,J):= inf{d(x,y)|y is a member of J}, I thought maybe if I tried to show the two infimum weren't equal and prove by contradiction, because if d is a metric then d(x,y)=d(y,x). But I'm not sure how to go about it.
Any help please?
 
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  • #2
Maybe you can prove that both are equal to [tex]inf\{d(x,y)~\vert~x\in J, y\in Q\}[/tex]...
 
  • #3
micromass said:
Maybe you can prove that both are equal to [tex]inf\{d(x,y)~\vert~x\in J, y\in Q\}[/tex]...

but how would i do this? using the three axioms of metrics?
 
  • #4
micromass said:
Maybe you can prove that both are equal to [tex]inf\{d(x,y)~\vert~x\in J, y\in Q\}[/tex]...

could i do this:

inf{dist(x,J): x member of Q}
= inf{inf{d(x,y)|y member of J}:x member of Q}

Since we know inf{d(x,y)|x member of Q, y member of J}= d(Q,J)

Then the above is = inf{d,(Q,J)},

and then the same for the right hand side?
 
  • #5
Yes, I believe that is correct.
 

What is a metric space?

A metric space is a mathematical concept used to describe the distance between points in a set. It consists of a set of objects (usually points) and a distance function that assigns a real number to every pair of objects in the set.

What are some examples of metric spaces?

Some common examples of metric spaces include Euclidean spaces, which are used to describe distances in the physical world; graph spaces, which are used to describe the distance between nodes in a graph; and function spaces, which are used to describe the distance between functions.

What is an infimum in a metric space?

In a metric space, the infimum is the greatest lower bound of a set of numbers. In other words, it is the smallest real number that is greater than or equal to all the numbers in the set.

How is the infimum related to the concept of limit?

The infimum is closely related to the concept of limit in a metric space. In fact, the limit of a sequence of numbers in a metric space is equal to the infimum of the set of all possible distances between the numbers in the sequence.

Why are metric spaces important in mathematics?

Metric spaces are important in mathematics because they provide a rigorous and abstract framework for studying distance and convergence. They are used in various branches of mathematics, including analysis, topology, and geometry, and have many applications in physics, computer science, and other fields.

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