Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / ii / Paper 3 / 16F / Solution

The compactness theorem says that a set $T$ of first-order sentences has a model if and only if every finite subset of $T$ has a model. One implication follows by taking the same model. Conversely, if $T$ had no model, then by the Godel completeness theorem it would prove a contradiction. A formal proof uses only finitely many assumptions, so some finite subset of $T$ would already have no model. This contradiction proves compactness.

The Upward Lowenheim-Skolem theorem says that if an $L$-theory $T$ has an infinite model, then it has models of arbitrarily large cardinality; more precisely, it has a model of cardinality at least $\kappa$ for every cardinal $\kappa$. Add new constants $c_{\alpha }$ for $\alpha <\kappa$ and the sentencesEvery finite subset of the enlarged theory can be interpreted in the given infinite model, since it mentions only finitely many constants. Compactness supplies a model of the whole enlarged theory, in which the $c_{\alpha }$ are pairwise distinct. Its reduct to $L$ is a model of $T$ having at least $\kappa$ elements. If $\kappa \ge |L|+{\aleph }_0$, the Downward Lowenheim-Skolem theorem gives a model of cardinality exactly $\kappa$.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.