Math Problem Statement
Give an example of an infinite subset A of the interval (0,1) with the property that for every natural number, n, the intersections of A and (1/n,1) are finite.
Solution
We need to construct an infinite subset such that for every natural number , the intersection is finite.
Example of such a set :
Define the set as follows: This set consists of the reciprocals of natural numbers , meaning:
Verifying the properties of :
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Infinite Set: is clearly infinite, as it contains all for , which is an infinite number of elements.
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Intersection with is finite: For each natural number , consider the interval . This interval contains all numbers between and 1, but in , only a finite number of elements fall within this range. Specifically, the only elements of in are , which is clearly a finite set.
Thus, is finite for each , even though itself is infinite.
Conclusion:
The set satisfies the given condition: it is an infinite subset of , but for every natural number , the intersection is finite.
Would you like further details or have any questions?
Here are 5 related questions to expand on this concept:
- What would happen if we allowed irrational numbers in ? How could we redefine the set?
- Can you find another example of an infinite subset of satisfying the same condition?
- How would the behavior of change if we considered intersections with intervals of the form ?
- How could you generalize this concept for subsets of other intervals, say ?
- What if instead of intervals, we required finite intersections with countable subsets of ?
Tip: Constructing sets with specific properties often involves balancing the size and density of the set elements within different regions of the interval.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Set Theory
Real Analysis
Intervals
Formulas
A = { 1/k | k ∈ ℕ, k ≥ 2 }
A ∩ (1/n, 1)
Theorems
Finite Intersection Property
Density of Rational Numbers
Suitable Grade Level
Undergraduate Mathematics