Paper 3, Section II, F

Analysis and Topology
Part IB, 2021

Define the terms connected and path-connected for a topological space. Prove that the interval [0,1][0,1] is connected and that if a topological space is path-connected, then it is connected.

Let XX be an open subset of Euclidean space Rn\mathbb{R}^{n}. Show that XX is connected if and only if XX is path-connected.

Let XX be a topological space with the property that every point has a neighbourhood homeomorphic to an open set in Rn\mathbb{R}^{n}. Assume XX is connected; must XX be also pathconnected? Briefly justify your answer.

Consider the following subsets of R2\mathbb{R}^{2} :

A={(x,0):x(0,1]},B={(0,y):y[1/2,1]}, and Cn={(1/n,y):y[0,1]} for n1\begin{gathered} A=\{(x, 0): x \in(0,1]\}, \quad B=\{(0, y): y \in[1 / 2,1]\}, \text { and } \\ C_{n}=\{(1 / n, y): y \in[0,1]\} \text { for } n \geqslant 1 \end{gathered}

Let

X=ABn1CnX=A \cup B \cup \bigcup_{n \geqslant 1} C_{n}

with the subspace topology. Is XX path-connected? Is XX connected? Justify your answers.