Metric and Hilbert Spaces

Arun Ram
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University of Melbourne
Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
aram@unimelb.edu.au

Last updated: 4 November 2014

Lecture 46: Convergence

§1 Limit points and cluster points.

§1.1 Filters, nets and sequences.

A directed set is a set P with a relation ≤ such that

(a) If i∈P then i≤i,
(b) If i,j,k∈P and i≤j and j≤k then i≤k,
(c) If i,j∈P then there exists k∈P such that i≤k and j≤k.
The favourite example of a directed set if ℤ>0 with i≤j if there exists n∈ℤ≥0 with i+n=j.

Let X be a set.

• A filter on X is a collection ℱ of subsets of X such that
(a) (upper ideal) if N∈ℱ and E is a subset of X with N⊆E then E∈ℱ,
(b) (closed under finite intersection) If ℓ∈ℤ>0 and N1,N2,…,Nℓ in ℱ then N1∩N2∩⋯∩ Nℓ∈ℱ,
(c) ∅∉ℱ.
• An ultrafilter is a maximal filter ℱ on X (with respect to inclusion).
• A net in X is a function x⇀: P ⟶ X n ⟼ xn where P is a directed set.
• A sequence in X is a function x⇀: ℤ>0 ⟶ X n ⟼ xn .
We often write x⇀=(x1,x2,…) for a sequence in X.

Let P be a directed set. The tail filter is the filter on P given by {P≥N | N∈P}, where P≥N={j∈P | j≥N}.

Let Y be a topological space and let y∈Y. The neighbourhood filter of y is the filter on Y generated by the open sets containing y.

Let Y be a topological space and let y∈Y.

• A neighbourhood of y is a subset N⊆Y such that there exists an open set U⊆Y with y∈U⊆N.
• The neighbourhood filter of y is 𝒩(y)= {neighbourhoods of y}.

Let Y be a topological space and let 𝒢 be a filter on Y.

• A limit point of 𝒢 is a point y∈Y such that 𝒢⊇𝒩(y).
• A cluster point of 𝒢 is a point y∈Y such that if N∈𝒢 then y∈N‾, where N‾ is the closure of N.

Let Y be a topological space. Let X be a set and f:X→Y be a function. Let ℱ be a filter on X.

• A limit point of f with respect to ℱ is a limit point of the filter on Y generated by {f(N) | N∈ℱ}.
• A cluster point of f with respect to ℱ is a cluster point of the filter on Y generated by {f(N) | N∈ℱ}.
Write y=limℱf if y is a limit point of f with respect to ℱ.

Let X and Y be topological spaces and let f:X→Y be a function. Let a∈X. Write y=limx→af(x) if y is a limit point of f with respect to the neighbourhood filter of a.

Let x⇀: P ⟶ X n ⟼ xn be a net in X. Write y=limn→∞xn if y is a limit point of x⇀ with respect to the tail filter on P.

Let x⇀=(x1,x2,…) be a sequence in X. Write y=limn→∞xn, if y is a limit point of x⇀: ℤ>0 ⟶ X n ⟼ xn with respect to the tail filter on ℤ>0.

A cluster point of a sequence x⇀=(x1,x2,…) in X is a cluster point of x⇀: ℤ>0 ⟶ X n ⟼ xn with respect to the tail filter on ℤ>0.

Let X be a topological space.

(a) Let A⊆X. Then A‾ = { z∈X |  there exists a filter ℱ  on X with  A∈ℱ and  limℱ=z } = { z∈X |  there exists a net a⇀: P→A with  limn→∞ an=z } .
(b) Let Y be a topological space and let f:X→Y be a function. The following are equivalent.
(1) f:X→Y is continuous.
(2) If ℱ is a filter on X and limℱ exists then f(limℱ)= limℱf.
(3) If a∈X then limx→af(x)=f(a).
(4) If x⇀: P ⟶ X n ⟼ xn is a net in X and limn→∞xn exists then limn→∞f(xn) =f(limn→∞xn).
Notes and References: See [Clark, Cor. 5.9 and Prop. 5.14].

A topological space X is first countable if X satisfies: if a∈X then there exists a countable collection of neighbourhoods of x which generates 𝒩(a).

Let X be a first countable topological space.

(a) Let A⊆X. Then A‾= { z∈X | there exists a sequence  (a1,a2,…)  in A with  limn→∞αn=z } .
(b) Let Y be a topological space and let f:X→Y be a function. The following are equivalent
(1) f is continuous.
(2) If x⇀=(x1,x2,…) is a sequence in X and limn→∞xn exists then limn→∞f(xn)= f(limn→∞xn).

Let X be a topological space and let (x1,x2,…) be a sequence in X.

(a) If (xn1,xn2,…) is a subsequence of (x1,x2,…) and y=limx→∞xnk exists then y is a cluster point of (x1,x2,…).
(b) If X is first countable and y is a cluster point of (x1,x2,…) then there exists a subsequence (xn1,xn2,…) of (x1,x2,…) such that y=limk→∞xnk.

Let X be an uncountable set and let 𝒯={A⊆X | Ac is countable}. Show that

(a) X is a topological space.
(b) X is not first countable.
(c) X is not Hausdorff.
(d) X is not discrete.
(e) If (x1,x2,…) is a sequence in X and y=limn→∞xn exists then there exists N∈ℤ>0 such that if n∈ℤ≥N then xn=y i.e., (x1,x2,…) is eventually constant at y.
(f) If A⊆X and A is uncountable then A‾=X.
(g) If A⊆X then { z∈X | there exists a sequence  (a1,a2,…)  in A with z= limn→∞an } =A.
(h) If A⊆X is uncountable and A≠X then A‾≠ { z∈X | there exists a sequence  (a1,a2,…)  in A with z= limn→∞an } .
Notes and References: [Clark Example 2.1.5]

Notes and References

These are a typed copy of Lecture 46 from a series of handwritten lecture notes for the class Metric and Hilbert Spaces given on October 19, 2014.

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