Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2024 / ib / Paper 4 / 2F / Solution

A subset $A\subseteq X$ is connected if it cannot be written as $A=U\cup V$, where $U,V$ are disjoint, nonempty sets open in the subspace topology on $A$.

If $f(X)$ were disconnected as $U\cup V$, continuity would make $f^{-1}(U)$ and $f^{-1}(V)$ a disconnection of $X$. Thus the continuous image of a connected space is connected.

For $Y=\{0,1\}$ with the discrete topology, a nonconstant continuous $h:X\to Y$ gives the disconnectionConversely, a disconnection $X=U\cup V$ defines a continuous nonconstant function by assigning $0$ on $U$ and $1$ on $V$. Hence $X$ is connected exactly when every such $h$ is constant.

Finally suppose $C$ is connected but $\mathrm{Cl}(C)=U\cup V$ is a disconnection. The intersections $C\cap U$ and $C\cap V$ cannot both be nonempty, so, after interchanging $U,V$, we have $C\subseteq U$. For any $v\in V$, the relatively open neighbourhood $V$ of $v$ in $\mathrm{Cl}(C)$ is disjoint from $C$, contradicting $v\in \mathrm{Cl}(C)$. Therefore the closure of a connected set is connected.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.