[Math] dense subset of [0,1] of measure 1/2 whose complement is also dense

examples-counterexamplesmeasure-theory

I want to find a set $A \subset [0,1]$ so that:

  1. $A$ is dense in $[0,1]$
  2. $A^c$ is dense in $[0,1]$
  3. $A$ is Lesbesgue measure $1/2$ (Failing this….I want both sets to be positive measure)

My first thought is to take the set of irrational numbers, and then use some criteria to subdivide them into two sets, so that each set is still dense. The subdivision will be "symmetric" in some way so that each set is still measure 1/2. Alternivly, maybe there is a construction using something from Ergodic theory?

Remark: What I really want is a set $A$ so that:

$$\int_A f(x) d\lambda(x) – \int_{A^c} f(x) d\lambda(x) = 0$$ for every continuous function $f:[0,1]\to\mathbb{R}$. I think the above conditions will be close to doing that.

Best Answer

  • We can find an example of a set which satisfies 1., 2. and 3., for example $$A:=(\Bbb Q^c\cap ([0,1/4)\cup[3/4,1)))\cup (\Bbb Q\cap [1/4,3/4)).$$

  • However, there is no set $A$ which satisfies the latest condition in the OP. Indeed, fix $x\in A$ and $r>0$. We can approximate the characteristic function of $B(x,r)$ pointwise by continuous functions. By dominated convergence theorem, we would have that $2\lambda(A\cap B(x,r))=\lambda(B(x,r))$, and we conclude by a similar argument as here.