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Exercise 1895Topology › Topology of ℝⁿM1Added 3 Nov 2026

Heine–Cantor in $\mathbb{R}^n$

#uniform continuity#Heine-Cantor#compactness

Statement

State Heine–Cantor theorem for Rn\mathbb{R}^n and outline its proof.

Hint

Argue by contradiction using sequential compactness.

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Solution

Theorem. A continuous f:K→Rmf:K\to\mathbb{R}^m on a compact K⊆RnK\subseteq\mathbb{R}^n is uniformly continuous.

Proof. Assume not: ∃ε>0\exists\varepsilon>0 with ∥xk−yk∥→0\|x_k-y_k\|\to0 but ∥f(xk)−f(yk)∥≥ε\|f(x_k)-f(y_k)\|\ge\varepsilon. Compactness gives a subsequence xkj→xx_{k_j}\to x. Then ykj→xy_{k_j}\to x too. Continuity: f(xkj)→f(x)f(x_{k_j})\to f(x) and f(ykj)→f(x)f(y_{k_j})\to f(x), contradiction.

Conclusion. Heine–Cantor holds in Rn\mathbb{R}^n.