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Why Read This Book? - Index of

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The Real Numbers<br />

5<br />

Let’s look at some defining characteristics <strong>of</strong> the area <strong>of</strong> mathematics we call<br />

analysis. Given a set S, its elements might be endowed with a measure <strong>of</strong> size.<br />

The size, or norm, <strong>of</strong> an element x is typically denoted |x|, like absolute value<br />

on the real numbers, or perhaps �x�. The norm <strong>of</strong> an element will always be a<br />

nonnegative real number, so that a norm is really just a function from S into the<br />

real numbers that has three defining characteristics. You have already run into<br />

these in Section 2.3. They are properties N1–N2 on page 54 and property N3 on<br />

page 55.<br />

Measuring the sizes <strong>of</strong> elements is only one type <strong>of</strong> structure that can be placed<br />

on a set that puts it squarely in the field <strong>of</strong> analysis, but some notion <strong>of</strong> measure<br />

with nonnegative real numbers is characteristic <strong>of</strong> structures in analysis. For example,<br />

some structures do not have a norm but have a way <strong>of</strong> measuring some idea <strong>of</strong><br />

distance between elements. Such a measure <strong>of</strong> distance is called a metric. Whether<br />

S is endowed with a norm or a metric, the measure it represents is inextricably<br />

tied to the real numbers. So the set <strong>of</strong> real numbers is at the heart <strong>of</strong> analysis,<br />

and one could argue that no analysis into any structure except the real numbers<br />

should be undertaken until one understands the axioms and fundamental results<br />

<strong>of</strong> the theory <strong>of</strong> real numbers.<br />

Be that as it may, a norm or metric on S, if one exists, lends itself to much<br />

fruitful study: Sequences and their convergence, continuity, and calculus are but<br />

a few. In this chapter, we address more advanced properties <strong>of</strong> the real numbers<br />

that arise out <strong>of</strong> the assumptions from Chapter 0, in particular A20. All these<br />

properties are important not only because they apply to the real numbers, but<br />

also because they are typical <strong>of</strong> properties <strong>of</strong> many other structures in analysis. In<br />

this chapter and the one to follow, all sets are assumed to be subsets <strong>of</strong> the real<br />

numbers unless specified otherwise.<br />

5.1 The Least Upper Bound Axiom<br />

The least upper bound (LUB) axiom is a standard axiom <strong>of</strong> the real numbers,<br />

endowing it with some <strong>of</strong> its familiar features. For example, the way we visualize<br />

165

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