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Exercise 582Topology › Topology of ℝL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Closed intervals are closed

#closed sets#closed intervals#complement

Statement

Show that [a,b][a,b] is closed in R\mathbb{R}.

Hint

Its complement ]−∞,a[∪]b,+∞[]-\infty,a[\cup]b,+\infty[ is a union of open sets.

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Solution

Complement. R∖[a,b]=]−∞,a[∪]b,+∞[\mathbb{R}\setminus[a,b]=]-\infty,a[\cup]b,+\infty[, a union of open sets, hence open.

Conclusion. [a,b][a,b] is closed.