Extension of order-preserving bijection from rationals to reals.

order-theoryreal-analysis

If $f:\mathbb{Q}\rightarrow\mathbb{Q}$ is order-preserving bijection. Prove that $f$ can be extended to an order-preserving homeomorphism $F:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$.

Attempt for Proof:The inverse of the given function is also order preserving and bijective. Lets define the extension first. Given a real number $x$, pick a sequence of rationals converging to $x$ from below, call them $a(n)$. Similarly, pick $b(n)$ that converges from above. Then we look at the images of these points. Now we use the fact that $f$ preserves order and conclude (how?) that there is a unique number between all $f[a(n)]$ and $f[b(n)]$. Define it to be the image of x.

Next we would need to prove such an extension is continuous and continuous inverse?

Best Answer

My first idea was to prove that $f$ is locally uniformly continuous to extend it by completeness of $\mathbb{R}$ (using this). But even though is easy to prove that $f$ is continuous I didn't figure out how to prove that it is uniformly continuous.

Here is another approach using Lord Shark the Unknown natural idea.

Given $x\in \mathbb{R}$ define $F:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ by $$F(x):=\sup \left ( f((-\infty,x) \cap \mathbb{Q})\right )$$ Then

  • $F\mid_\mathbb{Q}=f$: This is just the identity $f(-\infty,a)=(-\infty,f(a))$ for $a\in \mathbb{Q}$.
  • $F$ is monotone: This came from $x<y \implies f((-\infty,x) \cap \mathbb{Q})\subseteq f((-\infty,y) \cap \mathbb{Q})$
  • $F$ is continuous: Take $x\in \mathbb{R}$ and $\varepsilon>0$. Take $a\in (f(x),f(x)+\varepsilon)\cap \mathbb{Q}$ an define $b=f^{-1}(a)$. Then $\delta=b-x$ is such that $f(x,x+\delta)\subseteq (f(x),f(x)+\varepsilon)$. This prove upper semicontinuity at $x$, similarly we can prove the lower semicontinuity at $x$ and so $f$ is continuous.

Now we can define in a similar way for $g:=f^{-1}$ the function $$G(x):=\sup \left ( g((-\infty,x) \cap \mathbb{Q})\right )$$ and prove the three properties above.

As $F\circ G\mid_\mathbb{Q}=G\circ F\mid_\mathbb{Q}=\text{Id}_\mathbb{Q}$ we deduce that $G=F^{-1}$ by continuity and so $F$ is a monotone homeomorphism.