154 Topological Spaces

A topological space is a set equipped with a topology that is used to study continuity of mappings without requiring a metric.

Definition (Topological Space) A topological space is a pair \((X, \mathcal{T})\) on \(X\), where

  • \(X\) is a set
  • \(\mathcal{T}\) is a topology

Definition (Hausdorff Space) A Hausdorff space is a topological space, \(X\), that satisfies the following condition:

  • Disjoint neighborhoods: \(U_1 \cap U_2 = \empty\), for any pair of points \(p_1,p_2 \in X\)

where

  • \(U_1, U_2\) are neighborhoods
  • \(p_1,p_2 \in X\) are distinct points
  • \(X\) is a topological space

Definition (Neighborhood) A property of a subset \(N\) of a topological space \(X\) with respect to a point \(p \in X\), where the following condition applies:

  • There exists an open set \(U\) such that \(p \in U \subseteq N\).

where

  • \(X\) is a topological space.
  • \(p\) is a point in \(X\).
  • \(N\) is a subset of \(X\).
  • \(U\) is an open subset of \(X\).

154.1 Elementary Example

154.1.1 Simple

A topological space is a set with a topology. Here three points and four open sets.

\[ X = \{ 1,\ 2,\ 3 \} \]

\[ \tau = \{ \emptyset,\ \{1\},\ \{1,2\},\ X \} \]

where

  • \((X,\tau)\) is the topological space.

154.1.2 General

Hausdorff separation on a discrete four-point space: distinct points have disjoint open neighborhoods.

\[ X = \{ a,\ b,\ c,\ d \} \]

\[ \tau = \mathcal{P}(X) \]

\[ U_{a} = \{a\},\quad U_{b} = \{b\},\quad U_{a} \cap U_{b} = \emptyset \]

where

  • \(\mathcal{P}(X)\) is the power set, the discrete topology.
  • \(U_{a}, U_{b}\) are disjoint neighborhoods of \(a\) and \(b\).