Basis and Sub-basis

Tika Ram Pokhrel

 Basis
• Let X be a topological space and  be a
topology of X. A sub-collection  of  is called
a base (or basis) if each member of  is the
union of members of .
Note:
• The members of  are called basic open sets
and  is the topology generated by .
 Basic: Example
1) Let X= {a, b, c} and  = {Ø, {a}, {c}, {a, c}, X}.
Then  = { {a}, {c}, X} is the basis for .
2) Let X= {a, b, c} and = {Ø, {a}, {b}, {c}, {a, b},
{a, c}, {b, c}, X}. The = {{a}, {b}, {c}} is the
basis for topology .
3) Let X= {a, b, c, d} and  = { Ø, {a}, {b}, {a, b},
{c, d}, {a, c, d}, {b, c, d}, X}. Then  = {{a}, {b},
{c, d} } is the base for the topology .
 Example: Discrete Space
• Let X= {a, b, c} and = {Ø, {a}, {b}, {c}, {a, b}, {a,
c}, {b, c}, X}. The = {{a}, {b}, {c}} is the basis
for topology .
• Let X be a set and  be the discrete topology.
Then the collection  = { {x}: xX} consisting of
all singleton sets of X is the base for .
 Example: Usual Topology
• Let X= R be the usual topology. Then the
collection  of all open intervals is the basis
for the usual topology R.
 Non-example: Base
• Let X={a, b, c} and  = {{a, b}, {b, c}, X} then 
can not be a base for any topology of X.
• For, if  is the base for some topology of X,
then {a, b} and {b, c} are open and their
intersection {a, b} {b, c} = {b} is also open.
Since {b} is not obtained by union of
member(s) of , {b} is not open. Hence  is
not a base for topology of X.
Theorem
• Let  and ’ be topologies for X which have
common base . Then  = ’.
First we show   ’
• Let A . Since A is open set and  is the base
for  so that A is the union of members of .
That is A =  Bx, each Bx. Since  is the sub-
collection of ’ we have each Bx’. Since ’ is
topology Bx is in ’ and so A’. Hence T’.
Similarly we have ’
• Hence = ’.
Equivalent Bases

• Let  and ’ be bases for topologies  and ’

for a set X. Then  and ’ are equivalent bases
provided that the topologies and ’ are
identical.
Theorem
• Bases and ’ for a topologies on a set X are
equivalent iff both of the conditions hold:
a) For each B and xB, there is a member
B’’ such that xB’B.
b) For each B’’ and xB’, there is a member
B such that xBB’.
Theorem
• A family  of subsets of a set X is a basis for
some topology of X iff the following conditions
hold:
a) The union of members of  is X (i.e. X= B)
b) For each B1 and B2 in  and xB1B2, there
exists a member Bx of  such that
xBxB1B2.
First Part:
a) Suppose  is basis for topology  of X.
ÞX [ By definition of  ]
Þ X =  Bx for Bx [ is basis for ]
Therefore the union of members of  is X.
b) Let B1, B2 and xB1B2.
ÞB1B2 [ ]
ÞB1B2= Bx for Bx  [ Definition of ] …….(i)
Next xB1B2 implies xBx and xBx for some Bx
. Then we have there is some Bx such that
xBxB1B2. [ (i)]
Second Part

• Suppose (a) and (b) holds. Then we have to show

the family  of subsets of X is the basis for some
topology of X.
• Let  be the collection of all unions of members of
, then we have to show  is topology for X.
• (i) Ø is the union of empty collection of members
of  and is in  Thus Ø. Next, X by (a).
• (ii) Since  is the collection of all union of
members of  and , we have any members of
 is union of members of  and of .
• To show the intersection of any finite members of  is in  we show the
intersection of any two members of  is in .
• Let O1 and O2 then we have to show O1O2.

• Let O1 and O2

ÞO1= Bx and O2=By where Bx, By …….. (ii)
ÞThere exists Bx, By such that BxO1 and ByO2.
Let aBxBy. Then by (b) there exists a members Ba of 
such that aBaBxBy. ………………..(iii)
From (ii) we have BxO1 and ByO2 and from (iii) we have
aBaBxByO1O2.
Thus there is Ba such that BaO1O2 implies that O1O2
is the union members of .
Hence O1O2 [ is the collection of union members of ]
Basis
• Let X be a non-empty set and  be the
collection of subsets of X. We say that  is a
basis (for topology on X) if the following
statements hold:
• a) For each xX, there is a B in  such that
xB.
• b) If B1 and B2 are in  and xB1B2, there
exists B3 in  such that xB3 B1B2.
 Basis: Half Open Interval Topology
• Let  be the family of all intervals in R of the form [a, b), a<b.
Then  is the basis for half open interval topology  of R
• For, let xR, there exists half open interval [x, x+), >0 in .
• Let B1, B2 and xB1B2. Then B1 and B2 are half open
intervals of the form [a, b) with a<b.
• Let B1= [a1, b1), a1<b1 and B2=[a2, b2), a2<b2. Then xB1B2
x[a1,b1)[a2, b2) x[a3, b3), where a3= max{a1, a2} and b3=
min{b1, b2}, with a3<b3. Thus there is an half open interval B3 =
[a3, b3) with a3<b3 in  such that xB3 B1B2. This shows that
 is the basis for half open interval topology.
• The real line with half open interval topology is sometimes called the
sorgenfrey line.
 Basis: Metric Topology
• For any metric space (X, d); the collection  of
all open balls B(a, r), aX, r>0 is the basis for
topology generated by d.
 Theorem
• Let  be a basis and B1, B2, …, Bn and x
Bi, for i=1, 2, …, n. Then show that there exists
B’ such that x B’ Bi.
 Sub-basis
• Let (X, ) be a topological space. A sub-
collection  of  is a sub-basis (or subbase) for
 if the family  of all finite intersections of
members of  is a basis for .
• Let X= {a, b, c, d} and = {Ø, {a}, {a, c}, {a, d},
{a, c, d}, X}. Then = {{a, d}, {a, c}} is sub-basis
for  because by finite intersection of
members of  we obtain  = {{a}, {a, c}, {a, d},
X}, the basis for .
 Example: Sub-basis
• Let S={{a, b},{a, c}}. Topology generated by S is
={∅,{a},{a, b},{a, c},{a, b, c}}
• Is S a basis? No, because you cannot
write {0} as a union of any elements in S.
 Local Basis (or base)
• Let (X, ) be a topological space and aX. A local
base at a is the subcollection a of  such that
a) a belongs to each member of a.
b) each open set containing a contains a member
of a.
Example: Let X= {a, b, c} and  = { Ø, {a}, {a, b}, {b,
c}, {a, c}, X}. Then
i) a= {{a}, {a, b}, X}
First Countable Space
• A topological space (X, ) is said to satisfy the first
axiom of countability if X possesses a countable local
base.
• Example: The discrete space (X, D) is first countable
because x={{x}} as a local base at x and is countable.
Exercise:
Show that the topological space (R, U), with usual
topology of R, is first countable.
• Hint: Show x= {(x- 1/n, x+1/n): nN} is countable
basis at xR.
Second Countable Space
• Let (X, ) be a topological space. The space is
said to be second countable if there exists a
countable basis for .
Example
• The usual topological space (R, U) is second
countable because the basis  is the collection
of all open intervals (a, b) where a and b are
rational numbers is countable.
Problem 2: Journey into Space with Basis and
subbasis
• Describe your journey of exploring different
topological spaces with detail explanation. In
describing your journey you need to include
those spaces discussed in the classroom
including base and subase for topology of X.