Cantor's intersection theorem: Difference between revisions

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'''Cantor's{{short intersection theorem''' refers to two closely related theorems in [[general topology]] and [[real analysis]], named after [[Georg Cantor]], about intersections ofdescription|On decreasing nested [[sequence|sequences]] of non-empty compact sets.}}

'''Cantor's intersection theorem''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weisstein |first=Eric W. |title=Cantor's Intersection Theorem |url=https://mathworld.wolfram.com/CantorsIntersectionTheorem.html |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=mathworld.wolfram.com |language=en}}</ref> also called '''Cantor's nested intervals theorem''',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Segura |first=Julio |url=https://www.google.com.br/books/edition/An_Eponymous_Dictionary_of_Economics/Z6Oy4L-6LSwC |title=An Eponymous Dictionary of Economics: A Guide to Laws and Theorems Named After Economists |last2=Braun |first2=Carlos Rodríguez |date=2004-01-01 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |isbn=978-1-84542-360-5 |pages=38 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Denlinger |first=Charles G. |url=https://www.google.com.br/books/edition/Elements_of_Real_Analysis/CeTkVSXlj4cC |title=Elements of Real Analysis |date=2010-05-08 |publisher=Jones & Bartlett Publishers |isbn=978-1-4496-5993-6 |pages=103 |language=en}}</ref> refers to two closely related theorems in [[general topology]] and [[real analysis]], named after [[Georg Cantor]], about intersections of decreasing nested [[sequence]]s of non-empty compact sets.

==Topological Statementstatement==

'''Theorem.''' ''Let'' ''<math> S'' ''</math> be a [[Topological Space|topological space]]. A decreasing nested sequence of non-empty compact,'' ''closed subsets of <math>S</math> has a non-empty intersection. In other words, supposing'' <math>(C_k)_{k \geq 0}</math> ''is a sequence of non-empty compact, closed subsets of'' ''S'' ''satisfying''

:<math>C_0 \supset C_1 \supset \cdots \supset C_n \supset C_{n+1} \supset \cdots, </math>

''it follows that''

:<math>\left(\bigcap_{k = 0}^\infty C_k\right) \neq \emptyset. </math>

'''Note:'''The Weclosedness condition may leavebe out the closedness conditionomitted in situations where every compact subset of ''<math>S''</math> is closed, for example when ''<math>S''</math> is [[Hausdorff space|Hausdorff]].

=== Proof ===

Assume, by way of contradiction, that <math>\bigcap C_k=\emptyset</math>. For each ''k'', let <math>U_k=C_0\setminus C_k</math>. Since <math>\bigcup U_k=C_0\setminus\left(\bigcap C_k\right)</math> and <math>\bigcap C_k=\emptyset</math>, we have <math>\bigcup U_k=C_0</math>. Note that, since the <math>C_k</math> are closed relative to ''S'' and therefore, also closed relative to <math>C_0</math>, the <math>U_k</math>, their set complements in <math>C_0</math>, are open relative to <math>C_0</math>.

Since'''Proof.''' <math>C_0\subsetAssume, S</math>by isway compactof andcontradiction, that <math>(U_k){\textstyle \bigcap_{k = 0}^\infty C_k}=\emptyset</math>. isFor an open cover (oneach <math>C_0k</math>), oflet <math>U_k=C_0\setminus C_k</math>,. we can extract a finite coverSince <math>{\textstyle \bigcup_{U_{k_1k = 0},^\infty U_{k_2U_k},=C_0\setminus {\ldots,textstyle U_\bigcap_{k_mk = 0}^\infty C_k}</math>. Letand <math>M=\max_{1\leqtextstyle i\leqbigcap_{k = m0}^\infty {k_iC_k}=\emptyset</math>., we Thenhave <math>{\bigcuptextstyle U_\bigcup_{k_ik = 0}^\infty U_k}=U_MC_0</math>. becauseSince the <math>U_1\subsetC_k</math> U_2\subset\cdots\subsetare U_n\subsetclosed relative to U_{n+1}\cdots<math>S</math> and therefore, byalso theclosed nestingrelative hypothesisto for<math>C_0</math>, the collection <math> (C_k).U_k</math>, their Consequently,set complements in <math>C_0=\bigcup U_{k_i} = U_M</math>., Butare thenopen relative to <math>C_M=C_0\setminus U_M=\emptyset</math>, a contradiction.

Since <math>C_0\subset S</math> is compact and <math>\{U_k \vert k \geq 0\}</math> is an open cover (on <math>C_0</math>) of <math>C_0</math>, a finite cover <math>\{U_{k_1}, U_{k_2}, \ldots, U_{k_m}\}</math> can be extracted. Let <math>M=\max_{1\leq i\leq m} {k_i}</math>. Then <math>{\textstyle \bigcup_{i = 1}^m U_{k_i}}=U_M</math> because <math>U_1\subset U_2\subset\cdots\subset U_n\subset U_{n+1}\cdots</math>, by the nesting hypothesis for the collection <math>(C_k)_{k \geq 0}</math>. Consequently, <math>C_0={\textstyle \bigcup_{i = 1}^m U_{k_i}} = U_M</math>. But then <math>C_M=C_0\setminus U_M=\emptyset</math>, a contradiction. [[Q.E.D.|∎]]

==Statement for Real Numbers==

The theorem in real analysis draws the same conclusion for [[closed set|closed]] and [[bounded set|bounded]] subsets of the set of [[real number]]s '''R'''. It states that a decreasing nested sequence (''C''_''k'') of non-empty, closed and bounded subsets of '''R''' has a non-empty intersection.

==Statement for Realreal Numbersnumbers==

The theorem in real analysis draws the same conclusion for [[closed set|closed]] and [[bounded set|bounded]] subsets of the set of [[real number]]s '''<math>\mathbb{R'''}</math>. It states that a decreasing nested sequence (''C''<submath>''(C_k)_{k'' \geq 0}</submath>) of non-empty, closed and bounded subsets of '''<math>\mathbb{R'''}</math> has a non-empty intersection.

This version follows from the general topological statement in light of the [[Heine&ndash;Borel theorem]], which states that sets of real numbers are compact if and only if they are closed and bounded. However, it is typically used as a lemma in proving said theorem, and therefore warrants a separate proof.

As an example, if ''C''<submath>''k''</sub> C_k=&nbsp;[0,&nbsp;1/''k'']</math>, the intersection over {''C''<submath>''(C_k)_{k'' \geq 0}</submath>} is&nbsp;<math>\{0\}</math>. On the other hand, both the sequence of open bounded sets ''C''<submath>''k''</sub> C_k=&nbsp;(0,&nbsp;1/''k'')</math> and the sequence of unbounded closed sets ''C''<submath>''k''</sub> C_k=&nbsp;[''k'',&nbsp;∞\infty)</math> have empty intersection. All these sequences are properly nested.

This version of the theorem generalizes to '''R'''<supmath>''\mathbf{R}^n''</supmath>, the set of ''<math>n''</math>-element vectors of real numbers, but does not generalize to arbitrary [[metric space]]s. For example, in the space of [[rational number]]s, the sets

: <math>C_k = [\sqrt{2}, \sqrt{2}+1/k] = (\sqrt{2}, \sqrt{2}+1/k)</math>

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are closed and bounded, but their intersection is empty.

Note that this contradicts neither the topological statement, as the sets ''C''<submath>''k''C_k</submath> are not compact, nor the variant below, as the rational numbers are not complete with respect to the usual metric.

A simple corollary of the theorem is that the [[Cantor set]] is nonempty, since it is defined as the intersection of a decreasing nested sequence of sets, each of which is defined as the union of a finite number of closed intervals; hence each of these sets is non-empty, closed, and bounded. In fact, the Cantor set contains uncountably many points.

'''Theorem.''' ''Let'' <math>(C_k)_{k \geq 0}</math> ''be a familysequence of non-empty, closed, and bounded subsets of'' <math>\mathbfmathbb{R}</math> ''satisfying''

:<math>C_0 \supset C_1 \supset \cdots C_n \supset C_{n+1} \cdots. </math>

''Then,''

:<math>\left(\bigcap_{k = 0}^\infty C_k\right) \neq \emptyset. </math>

:

''Proof.'' Each nonempty, closed, and bounded subset <math>C_k\subset\mathbfmathbb{R}</math> admits a minimal element <math>x_k</math>. Since for each ''<math>k''</math>, we have

=== Proof ===

:<math>x_{k+1} \in C_{k+1} \subseteqsubset C_k</math>,

Each nonempty, closed, and bounded subset <math>C_k\subset\mathbf{R}</math> admits a minimal element <math>x_k</math>. Since for each ''k'', we have

:<math>x_{k+1} \in C_{k+1} \subseteq C_k</math>,

it follows that

:<math>x_k \le x_{k+1}</math>,

so <math>(x_k)_{k \geq 0}</math> is an increasing sequence contained in the bounded set <math>C_0</math>. The [[monotone convergence theorem]] for bounded sequences of real numbers now guarantees the existence of a [[Limit of a sequence|limit point]]

:<math>x=\lim_{k\to \infty} x_k.</math>

For fixed ''<math>k''</math>, <math>x_j\in C_k</math> for all <math>j\geq k</math>, and since <math>C_k</math> wasis closed and ''<math>x''</math> is a [[limit point]], it follows that <math>x\in C_k</math>. Our choice of ''<math>k''</math> wasis arbitrary, hence ''<math>x''</math> belongs to ''<math>{\textstyle \bigcap_{k = 0}^\bigcap_kinfty C_k}</math>'' and the proof is complete. ∎

== Variant in complete metric spaces ==

In a [[complete metric space]], the following variant of Cantor's intersection theorem holds.

'''Theorem.''' ''Suppose that ''<math>X''</math> is a complete metric space, and ''C''<submath>''n''(C_k)_{k \geq 1}</submath> is a sequence of non-empty closed nested subsets of ''<math>X''</math> whose [[diameter]]s tend to zero:''

:<math>\lim_{nk\to\infty} \operatorname{diam}(C_nC_k) = 0,</math>

where diam(''C''_''n'') is defined by

:<math>\operatorname{diam}(C_n) = \sup\{d(x,y) | x,y\in C_n\}.</math>

''where <math>\operatorname{diam}(C_k)</math> is defined by''

Then the intersection of the ''C''_''n'' contains exactly one point:

:<math>\bigcap_{n=1}^\infty C_n = \{x\}</math>

:<math>\operatorname{diam}(C_nC_k) = \sup\{d(x,y) |\mid x,y\in C_nC_k\}.</math>

for some ''x'' in ''X''.

''Then the intersection of the ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath> contains exactly one point:''

:<math>\bigcap_{nk=1}^\infty C_nC_k = \{x\}</math>

''for some ''<math>x'' \in ''X</math>.''.

A''Proof proof goes as follows(sketch). '' Since the diameters tend to zero, the diameter of the intersection of the ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath> is zero, so it is either empty or consists of a single point. So it is sufficient to show that it is not empty. Pick an element ''x''<submath>''n''x_k\in C_k</submath> offor each ''C''<submath>''n''k</submath> for each ''n''. Since the diameter of ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath> tends to zero and the ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath> are nested, the ''x''<submath>''n''x_k</submath> form a Cauchy sequence. Since the metric space is complete this Cauchy sequence converges to some point ''<math>x''</math>. Since each ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath> is closed, and ''<math>x''</math> is a limit of a sequence in ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath>, ''<math>x''</math> must lie in ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath>. This is true for every ''n''<math>k</math>, and therefore the intersection of the ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath> must contain ''<math>x''</math>. ∎

A converse to this theorem is also true: if ''<math>X''</math> is a metric space with the property that the intersection of any nested family of non-empty closed subsets whose diameters tend to zero is non-empty, then ''<math>X''</math> is a complete metric space. (To prove this, let ''x''<submath>''n''(x_k)_{k \geq 1}</submath> be a Cauchy sequence in ''<math>X''</math>, and let ''C''<submath>''n''C_k</submath> be the closure of the tail <math>(x_j)_{j \geq k}</math> of this sequence.)

=== Proof ===

== See also ==

A proof goes as follows. Since the diameters tend to zero, the diameter of the intersection of the ''C''_''n'' is zero, so it is either empty or consists of a single point. So it is sufficient to show that it is not empty. Pick an element ''x''_''n'' of ''C''_''n'' for each ''n''. Since the diameter of ''C''_''n'' tends to zero and the ''C''_''n'' are nested, the ''x''_''n'' form a Cauchy sequence. Since the metric space is complete this Cauchy sequence converges to some point ''x''. Since each ''C''_''n'' is closed, and ''x'' is a limit of a sequence in ''C''_''n'', ''x'' must lie in ''C''_''n''. This is true for every ''n'', and therefore the intersection of the ''C''_''n'' must contain ''x''.

* [[Kuratowski's intersection theorem]]

A converse to this theorem is also true: if ''X'' is a metric space with the property that the intersection of any nested family of non-empty closed subsets whose diameters tend to zero is non-empty, then ''X'' is a complete metric space. (To prove this, let ''x''_''n'' be a Cauchy sequence in ''X'', and let ''C''_''n'' be the closure of the tail of this sequence.)

* [[Helly's theorem]] - another theorem on intersection of sets.

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

* {{MathWorld | urlname=CantorsIntersectionTheorem | title=Cantor's Intersection Theorem}}

* Jonathan Lewin. An interactive introduction to mathematical analysis. Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-01718-1}}. Section 7.8.