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Neighbourhood system

Neighbourhood system is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Neighbourhood system rather than just read about it. In short: In topology and related areas of mathematics, the neighbourhood system, complete system of neighbourhoods, or neighbourhood filter N ( x ) {\displaystyle {\mathcal {N}}(x)} for a point x {\displaystyle x} in a topological space is the collection of all neighbourhoods of x . {\displaystyle x.} Definitions Neighbourhood of a point or set An open neighbourhood of a point (or subset) x {\displaystyle x} in a topological…

Key takeaways

  • Neighbourhood system belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Neighbourhood system to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Neighbourhood system from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In topology and related areas of mathematics, the neighbourhood system, complete system of neighbourhoods, or neighbourhood filter N ( x ) {\displaystyle {\mathcal {N}}(x)} for a point x {\displaystyle x} in a topological space is the collection of all neighbourhoods of x . {\displaystyle x.}

Definitions Neighbourhood of a point or set An open neighbourhood of a point (or subset) x {\displaystyle x} in a topological space X {\displaystyle X} is any open subset U {\displaystyle U} of X {\displaystyle X} that contains x . {\displaystyle x.}

A neighbourhood of x {\displaystyle x} in X {\displaystyle X} is any subset N ⊆ X {\displaystyle N\subseteq X} that contains some open neighbourhood of x {\displaystyle x} ; explicitly, N {\displaystyle N} is a neighbourhood of x {\displaystyle x} in X {\displaystyle X} if and only if there exists some open subset U {\displaystyle U} with x ∈ U ⊆ N {\displaystyle x\in U\subseteq N} . Equivalently, a neighborhood of x {\displaystyle x} is any set that contains x {\displaystyle x} in its topological interior. Importantly, a "neighbourhood" does not have to be an open set; those neighbourhoods that also happen to be open sets are known as "open neighbourhoods." Similarly, a neighbourhood that is also a closed (respectively, compact, connected, etc.) set is called a closed neighbourhood (respectively, compact neighbourhood, connected neighbourhood, etc.). There are many other types of neighbourhoods that are used in topology and related fields like functional analysis. The family of all neighbourhoods having a certain "useful" property often forms a neighbourhood basis, although many times, these neighbourhoods are not necessarily open. Locally compact spaces, for example, are those spaces that, at every point, have a neighbourhood basis consisting entirely of compact sets. Neighbourhood filter The neighbourhood system for a point (or non-empty subset) x {\displaystyle x} is a filter called the neighbourhood filter for x . {\displaystyle x.} The neighbourhood filter for a point x ∈ X {\displaystyle x\in X} is the same as the neighbourhood filter of the singleton set { x } . {\displaystyle \{x\}.}

Neighbourhood basis A neighbourhood basis or local basis (or neighbourhood base or local base) for a point x {\displaystyle x} is a filter base of the neighbourhood filter; this means that it is a subset

B ⊆ N ( x ) {\displaystyle {\mathcal {B}}\subseteq {\mathcal {N}}(x)} such that for all V ∈ N ( x ) , {\displaystyle V\in {\mathcal {N}}(x),} there exists some B ∈ B {\displaystyle B\in {\mathcal {B}}} such that B ⊆ V . {\displaystyle B\subseteq V.} Here, N ( x ) {\displaystyle {\mathcal {N}}(x)} denotes the set of all neighbourhoods of x {\displaystyle x} . That is, for any neighbourhood V {\displaystyle V} we can find a neighbourhood B {\displaystyle B} in the neighbourhood basis that is contained in V . {\displaystyle V.}

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Neighbourhood system

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Neighbourhood system claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Neighbourhood system before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Neighbourhood system ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Neighbourhood system

In research
Neighbourhood system appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Neighbourhood system in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Neighbourhood system is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics General topology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Neighbourhood system outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Neighbourhood system in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Neighbourhood system means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Neighbourhood system out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Neighbourhood system in simple terms?

In topology and related areas of mathematics, the neighbourhood system, complete system of neighbourhoods, or neighbourhood filter N ( x ) {\displaystyle {\mathcal {N}}(x)} for a point x {\displaystyle x} in a topological space is the collection of all neighbourhoods of x . {\displaystyle x.} Defin…

Why does Neighbourhood system matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Neighbourhood system?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Neighbourhood system.

Tags

  • General topology

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