Paper 4, Section II, 21F

Algebraic Topology
Part II, 2021

(a) Define the Euler characteristic of a triangulable space XX.

(b) Let Σg\Sigma_{g} be an orientable surface of genus gg. A mapπ:ΣgS2\operatorname{map} \pi: \Sigma_{g} \rightarrow S^{2} is a doublebranched cover if there is a set Q={p1,,pn}S2Q=\left\{p_{1}, \ldots, p_{n}\right\} \subseteq S^{2} of branch points, such that the restriction π:Σg\π1(Q)S2\Q\pi: \Sigma_{g} \backslash \pi^{-1}(Q) \rightarrow S^{2} \backslash Q is a covering map of degree 2 , but for each pQp \in Q, π1(p)\pi^{-1}(p) consists of one point. By carefully choosing a triangulation of S2S^{2}, use the Euler characteristic to find a formula relating gg and nn.