Integers with Metric Induced by P-adic Valuation
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Theorem
Let $p \in \N$ be a prime.
Let $d: \Z^2 \to \R_{\ge 0}$ be the mapping defined as:
- $\forall x, y \in \Z: \map d {x, y} = \begin {cases} 0 & : x = y \\ \dfrac 1 r & : x - y = p^{r - 1} k: r \in \N_{>0}, k \in \Z, p \nmid k \end {cases}$
Then $d$ is a metric on $\Z$.
Proof
From Characterization of P-adic Valuation on Integers:
- $d$ is well-defined.
We prove the metric space axioms.
Metric Space Axiom $\text M 1$
This follows immediately from the definition of $d$.
$\Box$
Metric Space Axiom $\text M 2$
Let $x, y, z \in \Z$.
From Characterization of P-adic Valuation on Integers:
- $\exists r, s, t \in \N_{>0}, k, l, m \in \Z, p \nmid k, l , m:$
- $x - y = p^{r - 1} k$
- $y - z = p^{s - 1} l$
- $x - z = p^{t - 1} m$
Let $t' = \min \set{r, s}$.
Then:
\(\ds x - z\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \paren{x - y} + \paren{y - z}\) | Add $-y + y$ | |||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds p^{r - 1} k + p^{s - 1} l\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds p^{t' - 1} \paren{p^{r - t'} k + p^{s - t'} l}\) |
Hence:
- $p^{t' - 1} \divides p^{t - 1} m$
Then:
- $t' \le t$
Hence:
\(\ds \map d {x, z}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac 1 t\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(\le\) | \(\ds \dfrac 1 {t'}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac 1 {\min \set{r, s} }\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \max \set{ \dfrac 1 r, \dfrac 1 s}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(\le\) | \(\ds \dfrac 1 r + \dfrac 1 s\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \map d {x, y} + \map d {y, z}\) |
$\Box$
Metric Space Axiom $\text M 3$
Let $x, y \in \Z$.
Case 1: $x = y$
Let $x = y$.
By definition of $d$:
- $\map d {x, y} = 0 = \map d {y, x}$
$\Box$
Case: $x \ne y$
Let $x \neq y$.
Then
\(\ds x - y\) | \(=\) | \(\ds p^{r - 1} k:\) | \(\ds : r \in \N_{>0}, k \in \Z, p \nmid k\) | Characterization of P-adic Valuation on Integers | ||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds p^{r - 1} \paren{-k'}\) | \(\ds : r \in \N_{>0}, k' \in \Z, p \nmid k'\) | Replacing $k$ with $k' = -k$ | ||||||||||
\(\ds \leadstoandfrom \ \ \) | \(\ds y - x\) | \(=\) | \(\ds p^{r - 1} k'\) | \(\ds : r \in \N_{>0}, k' \in \Z, p \nmid k'\) |
Hence:
- $\map d {x, y} = \dfrac 1 r = \map d {y, x}$
$\Box$
Metric Space Axiom $\text M 4$
Let $x, y \in \Z$ such that:
- $x \ne y$
Let $x - y = p^{r - 1} k: r \in \N_{>0}, k \in \Z, p \nmid k$.
We have:
\(\ds \map d {x, y}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac 1 r\) | Definition of $d$ | |||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(>\) | \(\ds 0\) | as $r > 0$ |
$\blacksquare$
Sources
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- 1975: W.A. Sutherland: Introduction to Metric and Topological Spaces ... (previous) ... (next): $2$: Continuity generalized: metric spaces: Exercise $2.6: 23$