Topology, The Limit of a Sequence

The Limit of a Sequence

Let s be a sequence of points in a topological space. The limit point p of the sequence s is quite different from the limit point of the set s. When s is viewed as a sequence, p is the limit if every open set containing p contains almost all of s. In other words, every open set containing p implies an index n, such that the open set contains sj whenever j ≥ n.

It is equivalent to make the same statement about the base open sets containing p, or the base open sets assigned to p, assuming the topology has a base. After all, every open set contains one of these base sets.

Cluster Point

The point p is a cluster point of s if every [base] open set containing p contains infinitely many points of s. Here s may be viewed as a set or a sequence. It doesn't matter.

Clearly a limit point of the sequence s is a cluster point of s. And a cluster point of s is a limit point of the set s.

Let t be a subsequence of s. If p is a limit point or a cluster point of t then p is a cluster point of s.

Unique Limit in a Hausdorff Space

If the space is Hausdorff, the limit of the sequence s is unique. Suppose p and q are both limits, separate them in open sets, place all of s beyond sn in the open set containing p, and the open set containing q cannot contain anything beyond sn.

In contrast, consider the line with two origins. (This space is not hausdorff.) Both p and q are limits of the reciprocal sequence sn = 1/n.

First Countable

Let p be a limit point of the set R in a first countable space. Enumerate the base open sets assigned to p, and select s1 in O1, s2 in O1∩O2, sn in the intersection of the first n open sets, and so on. Of course each point in the sequence s is taken from R, which we can do, since p is a limit point of the set R. Now every open set containing p contains some On, and the entire sequence beyond sn. Thus the set R, wiht limit point p, includes a sequence s whose limit is p.

If the set R takes the form of a sequence, this transformation need not produce a subsequence. Let R3 = p and let all the other points in s be far away from p. yes, p is a limit of the set R, and the new sequence s has p in every position, yet s is not a subsequence of R. However, if p is a cluster point of the sequence R there is a convergent subsequence. Reconstruct s as above. When O is the intersection of the first n base open sets, there are infinitely many terms of R to choose from. Select one that is beyond the last one chosen, thus building a convergent subsequence.

In summary, the following holds in a first countable space.

Weird Example

It takes some work to find a cluster point with no converging subsequence, but it's worth it.

Start with the positive integers and let a set be open if the number of integers in the set below n divided by n approaches 1. It is easy to show the union of open sets is open. Finite intersection is a little tricky, but not too bad. If n is large enough so that two sets include 99% of the numberrs below n, their intersection contains at least 98% of the numbers below n. Apply this reasoning for 1-ε and indeed the finite intersection is another open set.

Add 0 to the space and to each nonempty open set. The topology is still valid.

Let s be the sequence of positive integers. That is, sn = n. The point 0 is in every open set that intersects s; in fact it is in every nonempty open set. Thus 0 is a limit of the set s.

View s as a sequence and let O be an open set containing 0. Clearly O is not finite, hence it contains infinitely many points of s. Thus 0 is a cluster point of s.

Suppose there is a convergent subsequence t taken from s. We will build an open set that excludes infinitely many terms of t. If t has finitely many distinct integers, let an open set be the complement of t. This excludes all of t. Otherwise throw in the integers 1 through 100, and then all subsequent integers until you reach something in t. Leave this integer out. Then throw in the next thousand integers, and all subsequent integers, until you reach another term in t, which we will leave out. Do this for ten thousand, 100 thousand, a million, and so on. The result is an open set that omits infinitely many terms of t. Thus 0 is not the limit of t. similarly, a general point p cannot be the limit of t. Add p to the constructed open set and it is still open, and still misses t infinitely often. Thus the subsequence t has no limit.

The above is a round about way of proving the topology is not first countable. Let's prove it more directly, simply to confirm the fact. Suppose 0 has a countable base. Take the first open set in the base, find n so that 91% of the elements below n are present, make n at least 100 if it isn't already, and fold these first n elements into a set s; but leave one of them out. Now s is at least 90% full. Move to the second open set and advance n to 100 times its previous value, or more, so that the second open set is 99.2% full. Fold the elements beyond the previous value of n, and below the new value of n, into s, leaving one element out. Now s is 99% full. Bring in the third open set, advancing n by a factor of 100, or more, until the open set is 99.92% full. Fold these elements into s, with one missing. Now s is 99.9% full. Repeat for all open sets in the countable base. Now s is open, and cannot be the union of open sets, as it is missing something from every base set.

Hmm - maybe the previous proof was simpler after all. Oh well; it's just a contrived topology that you'll never see again, so don't worry about it.