Paper 3, Section II, H

Algebraic Topology
Part II, 2011

Let KK and LL be (finite) simplicial complexes. Explain carefully what is meant by a simplicial approximation to a continuous map f:KLf:|K| \rightarrow|L|. Indicate briefly how the cartesian product K×L|K| \times|L| may be triangulated.

Two simplicial maps g,h:KLg, h: K \rightarrow L are said to be contiguous if, for each simplex σ\sigma of KK, there exists a simplex σ\sigma * of LL such that both g(σ)g(\sigma) and h(σ)h(\sigma) are faces of σ\sigma *. Show that:

(i) any two simplicial approximations to a given map f:KLf:|K| \rightarrow|L| are contiguous;

(ii) if gg and hh are contiguous, then they induce homotopic maps KL|K| \rightarrow|L|;

(iii) if ff and gg are homotopic maps KL|K| \rightarrow|L|, then for some subdivision K(n)K^{(n)} of KK there exists a sequence (h1,h2,,hm)\left(h_{1}, h_{2}, \ldots, h_{m}\right) of simplicial maps K(n)LK^{(n)} \rightarrow L such that h1h_{1} is a simplicial approximation to f,hmf, h_{m} is a simplicial approximation to gg and each pair (hi,hi+1)\left(h_{i}, h_{i+1}\right) is contiguous.