Exercise · ZW-LEBESGUE-NUMBER-003 · ★☆☆ Basic

What hypothesis on the metric space \(X\) guarantees that every open cover of \(X\) has a Lebesgue number?

Choose one option.

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  • A. \(X\) is compact

Explanation

This is the Lebesgue lemma. Being bounded, connected or infinite is not enough: \((0,1)\) has all three and the cover \(\{(1/n,1)\}\) has no Lebesgue number.

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Review the concept: Lebesgue number

A Lebesgue number of an open cover \(\mathcal{U}\) of a metric space is a \(\delta>0\) such that every subset \(A\) of diameter less than \(\delta\) fits inside some member of \(\mathcal{U}\).

\[\operatorname{diam}A<\delta\ \Rightarrow\ \exists\,U\in\mathcal{U}:\ A\subseteq U\]

More practice problems: lebesgue number

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