This is Problem 4-29 from John Lee's Introduction to Topological Manifolds.
Let $X$ be a locally compact Hausdorff or a complete metric space. Show that every nonempty countable closed subset of $X$ contains at least one isolated point.
I think I need to use the Baire Category Theorem, which states that for such $X$, every countable collection of dense open subsets has a dense intersection. But I am not sure how to use this to prove the statement. I would greatly appreciate any help.
Best Answer
Note that the countable closed set (call it $C$, say), also is complete metric or locally compact Hausdorff (whatever $C$ was too). Both properties inherit to closed sets. So Baire category theorem applies to $C$ as well.
Note $x$ is not isolated in $C$ iff $U_x = C\setminus \{x\}$ is dense in $C$. And in both cases $X$ and $C$ have closed singletons, so $U_x$ is open. So if no point is isolated, $$\emptyset = \bigcap_{x \in C} U_x$$ contradicts Baire’s theorem for $C$.