Bounded Above Subset of Real Numbers/Examples/Open Interval from 0 to 1
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Example of Bounded Above Subset of Real Numbers
Let $I$ be the open real interval defined as:
- $I := \openint 0 1$
Then $I$ is bounded above by, for example, $1$, $2$ and $3$, of which $1$ is the supremum.
However, $I$ does not have a greatest element.
Proof
Aiming for a contradiction, suppose $x \in I$ is the greatest element of $I$.
Then $x < \dfrac {x + 1} 2 < 1$ by Mediant is Between.
Thus $\dfrac {x + 1} 2 \in I$ but $x < \dfrac {x + 1} 2$.
So $x$ is not the greatest element of $I$ after all.
So by Proof by Contradiction it follows that $I$ has no greatest element.
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- 1977: K.G. Binmore: Mathematical Analysis: A Straightforward Approach ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 2$: Continuum Property: Exercise $\S 2.10 \ (3) \ \text{(i)}$