Consider the set $\;A = \left\{\frac5{x−3}:x>3\right\}$. How to prove that $0$ is the infimum

discrete mathematicselementary-set-theoryproof-explanationreal numberssupremum-and-infimum

Consider the set $\;A=\left\{\dfrac{5}{x-3}:x>3\right\}$.

I want to find the infimum $a$ of $A$ or prove that it doesn't exist.
I have found that $0$ is a lower bound of this function by doing this :

$x > 3$

$x – 3 > 0$

$\dfrac1{x-3}>0$

$\dfrac5{x-3}>0$

Thus, I have rigorously found that $0$ is a lower bound of $A$, but I still haven't proven that it is the greatest lower bound. I tried to do it by contradiction ( assume that there exists a real number $b$ such that $\;0<b<\dfrac5{x-3}\;)$ . However I have no idea what to do after. Can someone please explain how to prove that $0$ is the infimum of $A$.

Best Answer

If you assume that there is $b>0$ such that $0<b<\frac{5}{x-3}$ for all $x>3$, solve $\frac{5}{x-3}=\frac{b}{2}$ and find that $x=\frac{10}{b}+3>3$. Then plugging this $x$ makes a contradiction

Edit.

Assume that there is $b>0$ such that $0<b<\frac{5}{x-3}$ for all $x>3$. Now observe taht $\frac{10}{b}+3>3$. This implies that $$0<b<\frac{5}{\frac{10}{b}+3-3}=\frac{b}{2}$$ and it is a contradiction