Assignment-1
Algebraic Topology-MTH649
1. Construct an explicit deformation retraction of the torus with one point deleted onto a graph
consisting of two circles intersecting in a point, namely, longitude and meridian circles of the
torus.
Soln. Torus is the quotient of a square. Remove the center of the square. The boundary of
the square is deformation retract of the punctured square, namely the (radial) straight line
homotopy. This homotopy induces a homotopy in the punctured torus.
2. Construct an explicit deformation retraction of Rn 0 onto S n1 .
Soln. (Radial) Straight line homotopy.
3. (a) Show that the composition of homotopy equivalences X Y and Y Z is a homotopy
equivalence X Z. Deduce that homotopy equivalence is an equivalence relation.
(b) Show that the relation of homotopy among maps X Y is an equivalence relation.
(c) Show that a map homotopic to a homotopy equivalence is a homotopy equivalence.
Soln. Straight Forward
4. A deformation retraction in the weak sense of a space X to a subspace A is a homotopy
ft : X X such that f0 = 1, f1 (X) A, and ft (A) A for all t . Show that if X
deformation retracts to A in this weak sense, then the inclusion A , X is a homotopy
equivalence.
Soln. f1 : X A is homotopy inverse of A , X.
5. Show that if a space X strongly deformation retracts to a point x X , then for each
neighborhood U of x in X there exists a neighborhood V U of x such that the inclusion
map V , U nullhomotopic.
Soln. H : X I X be the homotopy such that H(p, 0) = p, H(p, 1) = x, H(x, t) = x. For
all t I, there exists t > 0 and an open nbhd. Vx of x such that H(Vx (t t , t + t )) U .
I compact implies there exists finitely many open intervals (ti ti , ti + ti ) covering I and
open sets Vxi containing x, i = 1, 2, ...n. Let V = (1in Vxi ) U , then H(V I) U and
H|V I is the required homotopy.
6. Show that a retract of a contractible space is contractible.
Soln. Straightforward.
7. Show that a space X is contractible iff every map f : X Y , for arbitrary Y , is nullhomotopic. Similarly, show X is contactible iff every map f : Y X is nullhomotopic.
Soln. First part easy. Suppose X is contactible and f : Y X is a map. Let H be the homotopy for the contraction. Then the map G(y, t) := H(f (y), t) gives the homotopy between
f and a constant map.
8. Show that f : X Y is a homotopy equivalence if there exist maps g, h : Y X such that
f g ' I and hf ' I. More generally, show that f is a homotopy equivalence if f g and hf are
homotopy equivalences.
Soln. Easy.
9. Show that a homotopy equivalence f : X Y induces a bijection between the set of pathcomponents of X and the set of path-components of Y , and that f restricts to a homotopy
1
equivalence from each path-component of X to the corresponding path-component of Y .
Prove also the corresponding statements with components instead of path-components. Deduce from this that if the components and path components of a space coincide , then the
same is true for any homotopy equivalent space.
Soln. x y in a space, if there is a path between x and y. If is a path between x, y
then f () is a path between f (x), f (y). Thus, f induces a map f : X/ Y / . Let g be
homotopic inverse of f . Similarly, g induces a map g : Y / X/ . Prove that g f and
f g are identity maps.
10. Show that any two deformation retractions rt0 and rt1 of a space X onto a subspace A can be
joined by a continuous family of deformation retractions rts , 0 s 1, of X onto A , where
continuity means that the map X I I X sending (x, s, t) to rts (x) is continuous.
1
0
Soln. Define rts = rt0 r2st
for 0 s 21 and rts = r2t(1s)
rt1 for 12 s 1.
11. Given positive integers v, e , and f satisfying v e + f = 2 , construct a cell structure on S 2
having v 0 -cells, e 1- cells, and f 2 -cells.
Soln. (v, e, f ) = (v, v + f 2, f ) = (v, (v 1) + (f 1), (f 1) + 1). Let v = n + 1, f = k + 1
then e = n + k.
Case(i) Suppose n = 0, k = 0, attach the boundary of the closed single 2-cell to a single
0-cell,
Case(ii) Suppose k = 0, then (v, e, f ) = (n + 1, n, 1)
Case (iii) Suppose (v, e, f ) = (n + 1, n + k, k + 1)
12. Enumerate all the sub complexes of S , with the cell structure described in this section,
having two cells in each dimension.
Soln. Done in class
13. Show that S is contractible.
Soln. R is the set of points x = x1 , x2 , ..., xn , ...) such that all but finitely many x0i s are
0. ||x|| = max{|xi | : i = 1, 2, ..., n, ..} is a norm. S = {x R : ||x|| = 1}. Let
2
x = (x1 , x2 , ..., xn , ...) S .
(1t)(x1 ,x2 ,...,xn ,...)+t(0,x1 ,x2 ,...,xn ,...)
Define H(x, t) = ||(1t)(x
.
1 ,x2 ,...,xn ,...)+t(0,x1 ,x2 ,...,xn ,...)||
Define G((0, x1 , x2 , ..., xn , ...), t) =
(1t)(0,x1 ,x2 ,...,xn ,...)+t(1,0,0,0,...)
||(1t)(0,x1 ,x2 ,...,xn ,...)+t(1,0,0,0,...)||
Next define F (x, t) = H(x, 2t) if 0 t
1
2
and F (x, t) = G(H(x, 1), 1 2t) if
1
2
t1
14. Construct a 2 dimensional CW complex that contains both an annulus S 1 I and a Mobius
band as deformation retracts. Soln. Let M be Mobius band. Prove that S1 is deformation
retract of M . Therefore,S1 I is also deformation retact of M I. Also, M is deformation
retact of M I. Give CW complex structure on M I
15. Show that S 1 S 1 = S 3 , and more generally S m S n = S m+n+1 . Soln. Construct the map
F : S m S n I S m+n+1 as follows:
(1t)y
tx
m
, y S n , t I.
F (x, y, t) = ( t2 +(1t)
2 , t2 +(1t)2 ), where x S
Note that F (x, y, 0) = (0, y) and F (x, y, 1) = (x, 0). So, F induces a map F : S m S n
S m+n+1 . Check that F is a homeomorphism.
16. Show that the space obtained from S 2 by attaching n 2-cells along any collection of n circles
in S 2 is homotopy equivalent to the wedge sum of n + 1 2-spheres.
Soln. Apply the proposition: If (X, A) has HEP and A is contractible, then the quotient
map q : X X/A is homotopically equivalent.
