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Exercise 1564Logic, sets and proofs › Countability and cardinalityL1Added 3 Nov 2026

$\mathbb{R}$ is uncountable

#reals#uncountable#Cantor diagonal

Statement

Prove that R\mathbb{R} is uncountable.

Hint

Cantor's diagonal argument on (0,1)(0,1).

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Solution

Setup. Suppose (0,1)(0,1) is countable, with enumeration x1,x2,…x_1,x_2,\ldots.

Diagonal. Write each xnx_n as a decimal expansion avoiding trailing 99's. Define y=0.d1d2…y=0.d_1d_2\ldots by dn=1d_n=1 if the nn-th digit of xn≠1x_n\neq1, and dn=2d_n=2 otherwise.

Contradiction. y∈(0,1)y\in(0,1) but y≠xny\neq x_n for all nn (differ in nn-th place). Contradicts enumeration.

Conclusion. R\mathbb{R} is uncountable.