Exercise · ZW-OPEN-SET-IN-A-METRIC-SPACE-009 · ★★★ Advanced

Is \(\mathbb{Q}\) an open subset of usual \(\mathbb{R}\)?

Choose one option.

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  • C. No, because every ball contains irrational numbers

Explanation

Every interval \((q-r,q+r)\) contains irrationals, so no ball centered at a rational fits inside \(\mathbb{Q}\). Being dense or countable does not make it open.

Study General topology in ZWMath →

Review the concept: Open set in a metric space

A subset \(U\) of a metric space \((X,d)\) is open if every point \(x\in U\) is the center of some open ball \(B(x,r)\) contained in \(U\).

\[\forall x\in U\ \ \exists r>0:\ B(x,r)\subseteq U\]

More practice problems: open set in a metric space

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