Matematiikan ja tilastotieteen laitos

Introdu tion to Algebrai Topology

Fall 2011
Exer ise 11
Solutions

1. Let n > 1 and suppose f : S n−1 → S n−1 is a ontinuous mapping. Write

S n = {(x, t) ∈ Rn−1 × R | |x|2 + |t|2 = 1} and dene Σf : S n → S n by the
formula
(|x| · f (x/|x|), t), if x 6= 0,
(
Σf (x, t) =
(x, t), if x = 0.
Prove that Σf is ontinuous.
Solution: Continuity in the open subset S n / \ {en+1 , −en+1 } is lear, so it
enough to show the ontinuity in the points (0, ±1). This follows from the
observation that
|Σf (x, t) − Σf (0, ±1)|2 = |x|2 · |f (x/|x|)|2 + |t − (±1)2 = |x2 | + |t − (±1)|2
learly goes to zero when (x, t) approa hes (0, ±1).

2. Suppose f : S n → S n is even, i.e. f (x) = f (−x) for all x ∈ S n . Prove that

deg f is an even integer and if n is even then deg f = 0. (Hint: f fa tors
through the proje tive spa e RP n).
For every m ∈ Z give an example of an even mapping f : S 1 → S 1 with
deg f = 2m.

Solution: Sin e f (x) = f (−x) for all x ∈ S n , f fa tors through the proje ti-
ve plane RP n, i.e. there exists ontinuous g : RP n → S n su h that f = g ◦ π ,
where π : S n → RP n is a anoni al quotient.
Hen e in parti ular f∗ = π∗ ◦ g∗ : Hn (S n) → Hn (S n ).
If n is even, Hn (RP n) = 0, hen e π∗ = 0 and so f∗ = 0 i.e. deg f = 0.

If n is odd Hn (RP n) ∼ = Hn (S n ) and up to isomorphisms the mapping

=Z∼
π∗ : Hn (S ) → Hn (RP ) is a homomorphism Z → Z , n 7→ 2n. Hen e if e is a
n n

generator of Hn (S n ),
f∗ (e) = π∗ (g∗ (e)) = ±2g∗ (e),
so deg f must be an even number.

Suppose m ∈ N and let p2m : S 1 → S 1 be mapping p(x) = x2n . Then p is

even and deg p2m =n 2m.
3. a) For every x ∈ B , x 6= 0 let
s
1 − |x|
α(x) = 2 .
|x|
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n
Dene h : B → S n by
(α(x)x1 , α(x)x2 , . . . , α(x)xn , 1 − 2|x|), if x 6= 0
(
h(x) =
en+1 = (0, . . . , 1), if x = 0.
Prove that h is a well-dened ontinuous surje tive mapping whi h restri -
tion to B n is a homeomorphism to S n \ {−en+1 } and whi h maps S n−1 onto
n
−en+1 . Dedu e that h indu es a homeomorphism B /S n−1 ∼ = S n.

b) Dene f : S n → S n so that f |B+ = h ◦ g , where g is a standard ho-

n
meomorphism B+ → B , g(x1 , . . . , xn , xn+1 ) = (x1 , . . . , xn ) and f |B− is a
onstant mapping that maps everything to the south pole −en+1 .
Prove that f is a well-dened ontinuous mapping and f (x) 6= −x for all
x ∈ S n . Dedu e that deg f = 1.
Solution: a) First we need to he k that f is well-dened, i.e. that h(x) ∈ S n
n
for all x ∈ B . This is a simple omputation.
|h(x)|2 = α(x)2 |x|2 + (1 − 2|x|)2 = 4(1 − |x|)|x| + (1 − 4|x| + 4|x|2 ) = 1.
To prove ontinuity it is enough to he k that h is ontinuous at 0. We
have
|h(x) − h(0)|2 = |h(x) − en+1 |2 = α(x)2 |x|2 + 4|x|2 = 4((1 − |x|)|x|2 + |x|2 ,
whi h learly goes to zero, when x approa hes 0. n
Suppose z ∈ S n \ {en+1 , −en+1 }, i.e. zn+1 6= ±1. Suppose x ∈ B is su h that
h(x) = z . Then zi = α(x)xi , i = 1, . . . , n and zn+1 = 1 − 2|x|. Then
|x| = (1 − zn+1 )/2 ∈]0, 1[,
in parti ular s s
1 − |x| 1 + zn+1
α(x) = 2 =2 ,
|x| 1 − zn+1
Hen e s s
1 + zn+1 1 + zn+1
x = (z1 /2 , . . . , zn /2 ).
1 − zn+1 1 − zn+1
On the other hand if we dene x by that formula, we easily see that x ∈
B n \ {0} and h(x) = z . Hen e h−1 (z) is a singleton {x}.
Suppose h(x) = en+1 , x 6= 0. Then
1 − 2|x| = 1,
hen e x = 0, whi h is a ontradi tion. Hen e h−1 (en+1 ) is also singleton {0}.
Finally suppose h(x) = −en+1 . Then
1 − 2|x| = −1,
whi h implies that |x| = 1, i.e. x ∈ S n−1 . Conversely it is easy to see that
h(x) = −en+1 for all x ∈ S n−1 . Hen e h−1 (−en+1 ) = S n−1 .

In parti ular h is surje tive. Moreover, sin e it is surje tive, ontinuous

mapping between a ompa t spa e and a Hausdor spa e, h is a quotient
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mapping. By general topology (Topology II) h indu es a homeomorphism

n
h : B / ∼h → S n , where ∼f is an equivalen e relation dened by
x ∼h y ⇐⇒ h(x) = h(y).
n n
But the al ulations above show that B / ∼h is exa tly B /S n−1 . Also we
know that h|B n : B n → S n \ {−en+1 } is a ontinuous bije tion. Exer ise 10.4
implies that it is a homeomorphism ( alternatively one an apply an exer ise
6 below to h and open subset S n \ {−en+1 } of S n ).

b) Suppose x ∈ S n is su h that f (x) = −x. Suppose rst x ∈ B+ . Sin e

f (en+1 ) = en+1 6= −en+1 , we may assume xi 6= 0 for some i = 1, . . . , n, so
from α(x)xi = −xi we obtain α(x) = −1, whi h is impossible.

On the other hand if x ∈/ B+ , then xn+1 < 0, while f (x) = −en+1 , whi h
last oordinate is −1, so there annot be f (x) = −x .

By Lemma 3.7.3 f is homotopi to identity mapping, in parti ular deg f =

deg id = 1.

4. Suppose (X, A) is a topologi al pair and A is a losed subset of X . Let

f : A → Y and let p : X ⊔ Y → X ∪f Y be the anoni al quotient proje tion.
Then p|X \ A is an open inje tion and p|Y is a losed inje tion. In parti ular
both restri tion are embeddings, p(X \ A) is open in X ∪f Y and p(Y ) is
losed in X ∪f Y .
Solution: Suppose U is open in X \ A. Then it is open in X (sin e X \ A is
open in X ) and
p−1 (p(U)) ∩ X = U,
p−1 (p(U)) ∩ Y = ∅.
Hen e p(U) is open in X ∪f Y . It follows that the restri tion p|X \A : X \A →
X ∪f Y is an open mapping. It is also inje tive. Hen e it is homeomorphism
to its image, whi h is open in X ∪f Y .

Suppose F is losed in Y . Then

p−1 (p(F )) ∩ X = f −1 (F ),
P −1(p(U)) ∩ Y = F.
Sin e f is ontinuous, f −1 F is losed in A, and sin e A is losed in X , f −1 F
is losed in X . Hen e p(F ) is losed in X ∪f Y . It follows that the restri tion
p|Y : Y toX ∪f Y is a losed mapping. It is also inje tive. Hen e it is homeo-
morphism to its image, whi h is losed in X ∪f Y .

5. Suppose Z is obtained from Y by atta hing n- ells. Show that the set of open
ells depends only on the pair (Z, Y ). Assuming Z is Hausdor show that the
same is true for losed ells.
Solution: The spa e Z \ Y is a disjoint union of open n ells eα , whi h are
open in Z , hen e also in Z \ Y . Hen e Z \ Y is a disjoint union of open sets
eα . Sin e eα is a ontinuous image of an open ball B n , it is onne ted. Hen e
{eα } is exa tly the olle tion of onne ted omponents of Z \ Y , whi h learly
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depends only on the pair (Z, Y ).

From the general properties of ontinuous mappings we obtain

n
f (B ) ⊂ f (B n ) = eα .
n
On the other hand if Z is Hausdor, f (B ) is ompa t, hen e losed, so
ontains losure of eα . Hen e losed ell eα is exa tly the losure of the or-
responding open ell eα . It follows that the olle tion of losed ells oin ides
with the olle tion of topologi al losures of the omponents of Z \ Y , hen e
depends only on the set (Z, Y ).
6. Suppose p : X → Y is a quotient mapping and A ⊂ Y is open or losed. Show
that p|p−1 A : p−1 A → A is a quotient mapping.

Solution: Suppose A is open in Y . Sin e p is surje tive, p|p−1 A is surje tive

- every a ∈ A has at least one inverse image x that maps to a, and then x
belongs to p−1 A by denition.
Suppose U ⊂ A is su h that p|−1 (U) = p−1 U is open in p−1 A. Sin e A is open
in Y , p−1 A is open in X , hen e p−1 (U) is open in X . Sin e p is a quotient
mapping, U is open in Y . In parti ular it is open in A.

The ase A is losed is handled in the same way.

7. a) Suppose Z is obtained Y by atta hing n- ells and C is a ompa t subset

of Z . Then Z interse ts only nitely many open ells of Z .
b) Suppose X is a CW- omplex and C is a ompa t subset of Z . Then there
exists n ∈ N su h that C ⊂ X n .

Solution: a) Choose a point xα ∈ C ∩ eα for every α su h that C ∩ eα 6= ∅.

It is enough to show that the set
A = {xα | C ∩ eα 6= ∅}
is nite.
Let F be any subset of A. Then F interse ts Y in the empty set and the
inverse image fα−1 (F ) is empty or a singleton for every α. Hen e F is losed
in Z . Hen e every subset of A is losed in A, so A is dis rete. On the other
hand A is a losed subset of C , whi h is ompa t, so A is a ompa t dis rete
spa e. Hen e A has to be nite.

b) This is similar to a). Make a ounter-assumption and onstru t an in -

reasing innite sequen e
n0 < n1 < n2 . . . < nk < nk+1
of integers, so that there exists a point xm ∈ C ∩ (X nm \ X nm−1 , m ≥ 1. Then
the set
A = {xm | m ∈ N}
is a subset of C , su h that its every subset F is losed in X . This is be ause
every losed n- ell does not interse t X \ X n, so F interse ts every losed ell
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in a nite, hen e losed subset. Hen e A is a ompa t dis rete spa e. On the
other hand by onstru tion it is innite. We obtain a ontradi tion.

Bonus points for the exer ises: 25% - 1 point, 40% - 2 points, 50% - 3 points,
60% - 4 points, 75% - 5 points.