Exercise · ZW-OPEN-COVER-001 · ★☆☆ Basic

Which of these families of open sets is an open cover of \(\mathbb{R}\)?

Choose one option.

Show answer
  • B. \(\{(-n,n): n\in\mathbb{N},\,n\ge1\}\)

Explanation

Every real \(x\) lies in \((-n,n)\) for \(n>|x|\). The family \(\{(n,n+1)\}\) omits the integers, the closed-interval one consists of non-open sets and \(\{(0,\infty)\}\) omits the reals \(\le0\).

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Review the concept: Open cover

An open cover of a subset \(A\) of a topological space \(X\) is a family \(\mathcal{U}\) of open sets \(U\) of \(X\) whose union contains \(A\).

\[A\subseteq\bigcup_{U\in\mathcal{U}}U\]

More practice problems: open cover

ZW-OPEN-COVER-002 →