Math 361 Real Analysis 1

(Fall, 2020)
Midterm Exam Solutions (September 21, 2020)

Since each of you has a different problem set, I provide the solutions of representatives
of each of questions given in the exam.

Question 1. Is Q ∩ (3, 5) closed or open? Neither closed nor open? Both closed and open?
Prove your claim.

Solution. It is not open because each neighborhood of a rational number contains irrational
numbers. So, the elements of Q ∩ (3, 5) are not interior points. Each irrational number in
(3, 5) is a limit point of Q ∩ (3, 5) because of the density of Q. But, these irrational numbers
are not the elements of Q ∩ (3, 5), hence, Q ∩ (3, 5) is not closed by Corollary 1.3.6.

Question 2. Let S be a nonempty subset of R with inf S = a ∈ R. Let t < 0 and define a
set
tS = {ts : s ∈ S}.
Do sup tS and inf tS necessarily exist (in R)? If so, what are they? Prove your claim.

Solution. Since inf S = a ∈ R, a ≤ s for all s ∈ S. Multiplying t < 0 on both sides,

we have ta ≥ ts. This means that ta is an upper bound of tS. We claim that ta is the
least upper bound of tS. Let us prove it. If ta is not the “least” upper bound of tS, there
is an upper bound ta − ε of tS for some ε > 0, which means that ta − ε ≥ ts for all
s. Dividing by t both sides, we have a − ε/t ≤ s for all s. This means that a − ε/t is a
lower bound of S. But, a−ε/t > a. This contracts to that a is the greatest lower bound of S.

inf tS may not exist in R. For example, let S = {1, 2, · · · } and t = −1.

Question 3. Let (
−x if x is a rational number
f (x) =
0 if x is an irrational number.
Prove lim f (x) = 0 (using ε, δ).
x→0

1
Solution. (You have to show the existence of a single δ) Let ε > 0. Choose δ = ε. Then, if
0 < |x − 0| < δ = ε, then
(
| − x − 0| < ε if x is rational
|f (x) − 0| =
|0 − 0| < ε if x is irrational

Question 4. Give an example of an open cover which has a finite subcover of

S = · · · ∪ [−3, −2] ∪ [−1, 0] ∪ [1, 2].

Is S a compact set or not? Justify your answer.

Solution. Let H = {(−∞, ∞)}. Then H is an open cover of S because S ⊂ (−∞, ∞), and
it is obvious that H has a finite subcover - itself. But, S is not compact because it is not
bounded.
 
Question 5. What is the boundary of Qc ∩ (1, 3) ∪ {7}? Prove your claim using the
definition of the boundary points.
 
Solution. The boundary of S = Qc ∩ (1, 3) ∪ {7} is [1, 3] ∪ {7}: First, each point x ∈ [1, 3]
is a boundary point of S because each neighborhood of x contains a rational number and
an irrational number in [1, 3]. 7 is a boundary point of S because each neighborhood of 7
contains 7 itself and an element not belonging to S.
1
Question 6. Find all isolated points of the set {1} ∪ {1 − n
: n = 1, 2, · · · }. (Justify your
claim.)

Solution. Isolated points are {1 − n1 : n = 1, 2, · · · } (You can find a neighborhood of each

point that contains no other point of the set: check by yourself.) But, 1 is not an isolated
point of the set because for each neighborhood of 1, there is an element of the form 1 − 1/n
(check by yourself.)
∞ h
[ i
1
Question 7. Is , n
n n+1
open? closed? neither open nor closed? both open and closed?
n=2

∞ h
[ i
1
Solution. We claim that , n
n n+1
= (0, 1) so it is open: We need to show that
n=2

∞ h
[ i
1
, n
n n+1
⊂ (0, 1)
n=2

2
and ∞ h
[ i
1
, n
n n+1
⊃ (0, 1).
n=2
∞ h
[ i h i h i
1
First, let x ∈ , n
n n+1
. Then, x ∈ 1
, n
for some n. It is obvious that n1 , n+1
n n+1
n
⊂ (0, 1)
n=2 h i
1 n
so x ∈ (0, 1). Second, let x ∈ (0, 1). Then, x ∈ n , n+1 for some n (Archemedian property),
∞ h
[ i
1 n
hence x ∈ ,
n n+1
.
n=2

Question 8. Prove that

1
6= − 21 .


lim+ cos x
x→0

1
Solution. Let ε = 1/2. For each δ > 0, there is x = 1 π+2nπ for some integer n such that
2
|x − 0| < δ. For this x,
| cos x1 + 12 | = 21 ≥ 12 .

Question 9. Let < be the order on the extended real number systems. Let A $ B ⊂ R.
The following statements are false. Give a counterexample.

(a) sup A < sup B

(b) inf A < inf B

(c) inf A < sup B

Solution. For (a), let A = {1} and B = {−1, 1}. Then, sup A = 1 = sup B = 1. For (b)
and (c), let A = ∅ and B = R. Then, sup A = −∞, inf A = ∞, sup B = ∞ and inf B = −∞.

Question 10. Using the ε, δ definition of the limit, prove lim sin x = 0.
x→−4π

(Hint: You can use a fact | sin x| ≤ |x| without its proof.)

Solution. Let ε > 0. Choose δ = ε. If |x + 4π| < δ = ε, then

| sin x − 0| = | sin x| = | sin(x + 4π)| ≤ |x + 4π| < ε.

Question 11. Prove that

lim ln x.
x→0+

does not exist.

3
Solution. Let us show that
lim ln x 6= L
x→0+

for any real number L: (Case 1: L = 0) Let ε = 1. For any δ > 0, let δ0 = min{δ, e−1 }.
Choose x with 0 < x < δ0 . Then, ln x < −1, and hence | ln x| > 1.

(Case 2: L < 0) Let ε = |L|. For any δ > 0, let δ0 = min{δ, e−2|L| }. Choose x with
0 < x < δ0 . Then, ln x < −2|L| and ln x−L < −2|L|−L = −|L|, and hence | ln x−L| > |L|.

(Case 3: L > 0) Let ε = L. For any δ > 0, let δ0 = min{δ, 1}. Choose x with 0 < x < δ0 .
Then, ln x < 0 and ln x − L < −L and hence | ln x − L| > |L|.