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Exercise 1063Topology › Metric and normed spacesL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Compact sets are closed and bounded

#compact#closed#bounded#metric

Statement

Show that in a metric space, every compact set is closed and bounded.

Hint

Sequential argument: a limit point outside would contradict compactness; a sequence with no convergent subsequence gives unboundedness.

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Solution

Closed. If xn∈Kx_n\in K converges to xx, sequential compactness gives a convergent subsequence in KK, so x∈Kx\in K; hence KK is closed.

Bounded. If KK were unbounded, there would exist (xn)(x_n) in KK with d(x0,xn)→+∞d(x_0,x_n)\to+\infty; such a sequence has no convergent subsequence, contradiction.

Conclusion. In metric spaces, compact ⇒\Rightarrow closed and bounded.

Note. The converse holds in Rn\mathbb{R}^n (Heine–Borel) but not in general metric spaces.