Open/closed set and interior point problem

In summary, the conversation discusses the notation for the boundary of a subset A in a given metric space (X,d). The notation is denoted by \partial A and is defined as the intersection of the closure of A and the closure of the complement of A. It is shown that if A is open or closed, then the interior of the boundary of A is empty. The conversation also raises the question of whether this is still true if A is neither open nor closed, and provides a proof for this case. Finally, an example is given to further illustrate the concept of boundary.
  • #1
complexnumber
62
0

Homework Statement



Let [tex](X,d)[/tex] be a metric space and let [tex]A \subseteq X[/tex]. Denote the interior of [tex]A[/tex] by [tex]A^o[/tex].

Homework Equations



Prove that if [tex]A[/tex] is open or closed, then [tex](\partial A)^o = \varnothing[/tex]. (Is this still true if [tex]A[/tex] is not open or closed?)

The Attempt at a Solution



I don't even know what [tex]\partial A[/tex] means. Can anyone tell me what this represents?
 
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  • #3
VeeEight said:
That notation denotes the boundary of A.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_(topology)

[tex]
\begin{align*}
\partial A = \overline{A} \cap \overline{X - A} = \{ x \in
X | \forall \varepsilon > 0 (O_\varepsilon(x) \cap A \ne \varnothing
\wedge O_\varepsilon(x) \cap (X-A) \ne \varnothing \}
\end{align*}
[/tex]

If [tex]A[/tex] is closed, then [tex]\partial A \subseteq A[/tex]. However, [tex]\forall x
\in \partial A \forall \varepsilon > 0 ( O_\varepsilon(x) \cap (X -
A) \ne \varnothing)[/tex], hence [tex]\forall x \in
\partial A \nexists \varepsilon > 0 (O_\varepsilon(x) \subseteq
\partial A)[/tex]. There are no interior points.

If [tex]A[/tex] is open, then [tex]\partial A \subseteq X - A[/tex]. However, [tex]\forall
x \in \partial A \forall \varepsilon > 0 ( O_\varepsilon(x) \cap A
\ne \varnothing)[/tex], hence [tex]\forall x \in
\partial A \nexists \varepsilon > 0 (O_\varepsilon(x) \subseteq
\partial A)[/tex]. There are no interior points.

Is this correct? Is it still true if [tex]A[/tex] is not open or closed? How can I prove that?
 
  • #4
complexnumber said:
Is it still true if [tex]A[/tex] is not open or closed? How can I prove that?

Consider [itex]A = \mathbb{Q}[/itex], [itex]X = \mathbb{R}[/itex]. What is the boundary of [itex]\mathbb{Q}[/itex]?
 

1. What is an open set?

An open set is a set in which all of its points are interior points, meaning that every point in the set has a neighborhood that is also contained within the set. In other words, there are no boundary points in an open set.

2. What is a closed set?

A closed set is a set that contains all of its boundary points. In other words, every point in a closed set is either an interior point or a boundary point.

3. What is the interior point problem?

The interior point problem is a mathematical optimization problem that seeks to find the optimal solution within the interior of a given set. This means that the solution must be a point that is contained within the set, rather than on the boundary.

4. How is the interior point problem solved?

The interior point problem is usually solved using algorithms that iteratively search for solutions within the interior of a set. These algorithms take into account the constraints of the problem and aim to find the optimal solution by moving towards the interior of the set.

5. What are the real-world applications of open/closed set and interior point problem?

The concepts of open/closed set and interior point problem have various applications in fields such as engineering, economics, and computer science. They are used to solve optimization problems, as well as to model and analyze systems with constraints, such as production processes, traffic flow, and supply chains.

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