1.2 The Order Properties 19
(c) (a, b] = {x E F: a< x:::; b};
(d) [a, b) = {x E F: a:::; x < b};
(e) (- oo,b) = {x E F: x < b};
(f) (-oo,b] = {x E F: x:::; b};
(g) (a,+oo) = {x E F: x >a};
(h) [a,+oo) = {x E F: x 2: a};
(i) (-oo, +oo) = F.
(This could be 0.)
( This could be 0 .)
(Intervals of the form (b), (e), (g), and (i) are called open intervals.)
Proof. See Exercise 4. •
EXERCISE SET 1.2-B
l. Prove Theorem 1.2.13 (a), (d), and (e).
- Prove Theorem 1.2.14 (a) and (c).
- Prove Theorem 1.2.15 (c) and (d).
- Prove that the sets described in Theorem 1.2.17 (c) and (g) are intervals.
- Intervals: Let I denote an interval, and x EI. Prove that
I = LJ { [y, z] : y , z E I}. - Prove that Vx,y E ordered field F, max{x,y} x + Y + Ix - YI and
2
. x +y-Ix -yl
mm{x,y} =
2
.
- Prove that Vx,y E ordered field F , min{x,y} = -max{- x,-y}.
- Prove that in any ordered field, 0 < x < y =? x < Y.
- l+x l+y
- Prove t hat. many ordered field, Ix +YI I I :::; --lx l IYI
1- 1
+ --
1
- 1
.
l+x+y l+x l+y
10. (Project)
(a) Three elements a, b, c of a field form an arithmetic progression
if their successive differences are equal: b - a = c - b. Prove that
b = a; c. [bis called the arithmetic mean of a and c.]