Definition: let (𝑥, 𝜏) and (𝑌, 𝜎) be topological spaces.
A function 𝑓: 𝑥 → 𝑌 is said to
be continuous at a point 𝑥0 ∈ 𝑌 if for every open set 𝐺 in 𝑌 containing (𝑥0 ) ∈ 𝑌 ,
there exists open set 𝐻 in 𝑋 containing 𝑥0 𝜎 ∙ 𝜏.
𝐹 (𝐻 ) ⊂ 𝐺
We say that 𝑓 is continuous on 𝑋 if it is continuous at every point 𝑥 in 𝑋.
Examples:
Example 1.
Let 𝑋 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 } and 𝜏 = {∅, 𝑋, {𝑏}, {𝑐 }, {𝑏, 𝑐 }} and let 𝑌 = {1,2,3} and 𝜎 =
{𝑌, ∅, {1}, {3}, {1,3}}
𝑓 (𝑎) = 𝑓 (𝑏) = 𝑓 (𝑐 ) = 1
Is 𝑓 continuous on 𝑋?
Solution:
𝑎∈𝑋
𝑓 (𝑎) = 1, 𝐺 = {1} containing 1.
𝐻=𝑋 containing 𝑎
𝑓 (𝐻 ) = 𝑓 (𝑋) = {1}
∴ 𝑓 (𝐻 ) ⊂ 𝐺 ({1} ⊂ {1})
∴ 𝑓 is continuous at 𝑎.
𝑏 ∈ 𝑋.
𝑓 (𝑏) = 1, 𝐺 = {1} containing 1.
𝐻 = {𝐵 } containing 𝑏.
𝑓 (𝐻 ) = 𝑓 ({𝑏}) = {1}.
∴ 𝑓 (𝐻 ) ⊂ 𝐺 ({1} ⊂ {1})
∴ 𝑓 is continuous at b.
𝐶 ∈ 𝑋,
𝑓 (𝑐 ) = 1, 𝐺 = {1} Containing 1.
𝐻 = {𝑐 } Containing 𝑐.
∴ 𝑓 (𝐻 ) = 𝑓 ({𝑐 }) = {1}
∴ 𝑓(𝐻 ) ⊂ 𝐺 ({1} ⊂ {1})
So, 𝑓 is containing at 𝐶.
Therefore, 𝑓 is continuous on 𝑋.
Example 2.
Let 𝑋 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 } and 𝜏 = {∅, 𝑥, {𝑏}, {𝑏, 𝑐 }}.
And let 𝑌 = {1,2,3} and 𝜎 = {∅, 𝑌, {2,3}}.
𝑓(𝑎) = 2, 𝑓(𝑏) = 1, 𝑓(𝑐 ) = 3.
Is 𝑓 continuous on 𝑋?
Solution:
𝑎∈𝑋
𝑓 (𝑎) = 2, 𝐺 = {2,3} containing 2.
𝐻 = 𝑋 containing 𝑎.
𝑓(𝐻 ) = 𝑓 (𝑋) = {1,2,3} ⊄ 𝐺
∴ 𝑓 (𝐻 ) ⊄ 𝐺 ({1,2,3} ⊄ {2,3})
∴ 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑎
Therefore, 𝑓 is not continuous on 𝑋.
Example 3. Show that the identity function
𝐼: (𝑥, 𝜏) → (𝑥, 𝜏2) is continuous iff 𝜏2 ⊂ 𝜏1
Solution.
Let 𝐼 be continuous and let 𝐺 ∈ 𝜏2, then 𝐼 −1(𝐺 ) ∈ 𝜏1 ⟹ 𝐺 = 𝐼 −1(𝐺) ∈ 𝜏1
⟹ 𝐺 ∈ 𝜏1 ⟹ 𝜏2 ⊂ 𝜏1
Conversely,
Let 𝐻 be any open set in (𝑥, 𝜏2)
Since 𝐻 ∈ 𝜏2 ⊂ 𝜏1 ⟹ 𝐻 ∈ 𝜏1
⟹ 𝐼 −1(𝐻 ) = 𝐻 ∈ 𝜏1 ⟹ 𝐼 −1(𝐻 ) ∈ 𝜏1
⟹ 𝐼 is continuous. [by theorem]
Example 4. Let 𝑓: (𝑥, 𝜏) → (𝑌, 𝜎𝑖𝑛𝑑 ) be any function, where (𝑥, 𝜏) be any
topological space, then 𝑓 is continuous.
Solution.
Since ∅ and 𝑌 are the only open sets in (𝑌, 𝜎𝑖𝑛𝑑 ) and
𝑓 −1(∅) = ∅ ∈ 𝜏
So, 𝑓 is continuous.
Example 5. Let 𝐹: (ℝ, 𝜏𝑢𝑠𝑢 ) → (ℝ, 𝜏𝑢𝑠𝑢 ) 𝑆 ∙ 𝑡.
1 , 𝑥∈𝑄
𝑓(𝑥 ) = {
−1 , 𝑥 ∈ 𝐼𝑟𝑟.
∴ 𝑓 is not continuous every where.
Solution. Let 𝜀 > 0, 𝛿 > 0
Let 𝑥 ∈ ℝ ∙ If 𝑥 ∈ 𝑄
𝑓(𝑥 ) = 1, 𝐺 = (1 − 𝜀, 1 + 𝜀) containing 1.
𝐻 (𝑥 − 𝛿, 𝑥 + 𝛿 ) containing 𝑥.
𝑓 (𝐻 ) = 𝑓((𝑥 − 𝛿, 𝑥 + 𝛿 )) = {−1,1} ⊄ (1 − 𝜀, 1 + 𝜀)
∴ 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑥.
If 𝑥 ∈ 𝐼𝑟𝑟.
𝑓 (𝑥 ) = −1, 𝐺 = (−1 − 𝜀, −1 + 𝜀) containing − 1.
𝐻 = (𝑥 − 𝛿, 𝑥 + 𝛿 ) containing 𝑥.
𝑓 (𝐻 ) = 𝑓((𝑥 − 𝛿, 𝑥 + 𝛿 )) = {−1,1} ⊄ (−1 − 𝜀, −1 + 𝜀)
∴ 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑥.
Therefore, 𝑓 is not continuous every where.
Example 6. Let 𝑓: (ℝ, 𝜏𝑢𝑠𝑢 ) → (ℝ, 𝜏𝑑𝑖𝑠 ) 𝑆 ∙ 𝑡.
𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑥 ∙ ∀𝑥 ∈ ℝ
Is 𝑓 continuous?
Solution: let 𝜀 > 0, 𝛿 > 0; 0 ∈ ℝ
𝑓 (0) = 0, 𝐺 = {0} containing 0.
𝐻 = (−𝛿, 𝛿 ) containing 0.
𝑓 (𝐻 ) = 𝑓((−𝛿, 𝛿 )) = (−𝛿, 𝛿 ) = H
∴ 𝑓 (𝐻 ) ⊄ 𝐺 {(−𝛿, 𝛿 ) ⊄ {0}}
∴ 𝑓 is not continuous at 0.
Theorem:- a function 𝑓: (𝑥, 𝜏1) → (𝑌, 𝜏2) is continuous iff the inverse image of
every open set in 𝑌 is an open set in 𝑋.
Proof:- assume that 𝑓 continuous function.
Let 𝐺 be any open set in 𝑌, we have to prove that 𝑓 −1(𝐺) is open set in 𝑋.
Let 𝑥 ∈ 𝑓 −1(𝐺 ) ⟹ 𝑓 (𝑥 ) ∈ 𝐺, since 𝑓 is continuous, then ∃ an open set 𝐻 in 𝑥 𝑆 ∙ 𝑡
𝑥 ∈ 𝐻 and
𝑓 (𝐻 ) ⊂ 𝐺
∴ 𝑥 ∈ 𝐻 ⊂ 𝑓 −1(𝐺)
∴ 𝑓 −1(𝐺 ) is open set in 𝑥.
Conversely, suppose that inverse image of every open set in 𝑌 be an open set in 𝑋.
To prove that 𝑓 is cont.
Let 𝑥 ∈ 𝑋 and let 𝐺 be any open set in 𝑌 containing 𝑓(𝑥).
i.e 𝑓(𝑥) ∈ 𝐺 ⟹ 𝑋 ∈ 𝑓 −1(𝑓 (𝑥 )) ∈ 𝑓 −1 (𝐺) 𝑥 ∈ 𝑓 −1(𝐺)
by hypothesis, 𝑓 −1(𝐺) is open in 𝑥.
(𝑓(𝐺 ))
∴ 𝑓 −1 ⊂𝐺
𝐻
Therefpre, 𝑓 is continuous.
Theorem:- let 𝑓: (𝑥1 𝜏1) → (𝑌, 𝜏2) be a function. Then the following statements are
equivalent:-
1. 𝑓 is continuous,
2. The inverse image of every open set in 𝑌 is open in 𝑋,
3. The inverse image of every closed set in 𝑌 is colsed in 𝑋,
4. 𝑓(𝐶𝑙(𝐴)) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)), ∀ 𝐴 ⊂ 𝑋,
5. 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1(𝐵 )) ⊂ 𝑓 −1(𝐶𝑙 (𝐵 )), ∀ 𝐵 ⊂ 𝑌,
6. 𝑓 −1(𝐼𝑛𝑡 (𝐵 )) ⊂ 𝐼𝑛𝑡 (𝑓 −1(𝐵 )), ∀ 𝐵 ⊂ 𝑌,
7. 𝐼𝑛𝑡(𝑓 (𝐴)) ⊂ 𝑓(𝐼𝑛𝑡 (𝐴)), ∀ 𝐴 ⊂ 𝑋,
Theorem:- a function 𝑓: (𝑥1𝜏1) → (𝑌, 𝜏2 ) is continuous iff 𝑓(𝐶𝑙(𝐴)) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)),
∀𝐴⊂𝑋
Proof:- suppose that 𝑓 is continuous. Let 𝐴 ⊂ 𝑋. then 𝑓 (𝐴) ⊂ 𝑌.
𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)) is closed set in 𝑌.
Since 𝑓 is continuous, then by the above theorem,
𝑓 −1(𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)) is closed in 𝑋.
i.e 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴))) = 𝑓 −1 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)))
now, 𝑓(𝐴) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1(𝐴))
𝐴 ⊂ 𝑓 −1 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)))
∴ 𝐶𝑙 (𝐴) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙 (𝑓 −1 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)))) = 𝑓 −1 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)))
𝐶𝑙(𝐴) ⊂ 𝑓 −1 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)))
𝑓(𝐶𝑙 (𝐴)) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)) ∀ 𝐴 ⊂ 𝑋
Conversely, let 𝑓(𝐶𝑙 (𝐴))𝐶𝑙(𝑓 (𝐴)), ∀ 𝐴 ⊂ 𝑋. To prove that 𝑓 is continuous.
Let 𝐹 be any closed set in 𝑌.
To prove that 𝑓 −1(𝐹) is a closed set in 𝑋.
∴ 𝐹 ⊂ 𝑌 ⟹ 𝑓 −1(𝐹) ⊂ 𝑋
So, by hypothesis, we get
𝑓 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1(𝐹))) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙 (𝑓(𝑓 −1(𝐹)))
𝑓 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1(𝐹))) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙(𝐹) = 𝐹
𝑓 (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1(𝐹))) ⊂ 𝐹
∴ (𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1 (𝐹)) ⊂ 𝑓 −1 (𝐹)
But ingeneral, 𝑓 −1(𝐹) ⊂ 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1(𝐹))
∴ 𝑓 −1(𝐹) = 𝐶𝑙(𝑓 −1(𝐹))
∴ 𝑓 −1(𝐹) is closed in 𝑋.
Hence, 𝑓 is continuous.
