[Math] Difference in the definitions of glb and lub in real analysis and abstract algebra

abstract-algebrareal-analysis

The following text is from the book Abstract Algebra by T. W. Judson :

Let $X = {\{1,2,3,4,6,8,12,24}\}$ be the set of divisors of $24$ with the partial order defined by $a\preceq b$ if $a | b$. … Let $Y = {\{2, 3, 4, 6}\}$ be contained in the set $X$. Then $Y$ has upper bounds $12$ and $24$, with $12$ as a least upper bound. The only lower bound is $1$; hence, it must be a greatest lower bound.

In real analysis greatest lower bound and lowest upper bound of ${\{2, 3, 4, 6}\}$ is $2$ and $6$, respectively. Why they can't be elements of the set itself in abstract algebra?

Best Answer

The g.l.b. and l.u.b. from analysis that you mention are with respect to the usual partial order (in fact, total order) $\leq$. Indeed, we have $2 \leq 3 \leq 4 \leq 6$, so the g.l.b. w.r.t. $\leq$ is $2$ and the l.u.b. is $6$.

The problem at hand specifies a different partial order, namely $\preceq$ (or $\mid$). In this case, we have, for example, neither $3 \preceq 4$ nor $4 \preceq 3$. The only elements $x \in X$ such that $2 \preceq x$, $3 \preceq x$, $4 \preceq x$, and $6 \preceq x$ are $12$ and $24$, and $12 \preceq 24$, so $12$ is a l.u.b. for $\{2, 3, 4, 6\}$. (Like you note, $12$ is not an element of that subset!)

On the set $\Bbb Z_+$ of positive integers, again endowed with the divisibility partial order, the g.l.b. of a finite set of integers $A \subset \Bbb Z_+$ is, by definition, the greatest common divisor of the elements of $A$, and likewise the l.u.b. of $A$ is the least common multiple.