[Math] Every sequentially compact space is countably compact

compactnessgeneral-topology

Every sequentially compact space is countably compact.

The most that I can get out of this $(\Rightarrow)$ is that ${x_{n_j}} \subseteq \bigcup_{i=1}^{n_0}O_{x_i}$, where $O_{x_i}$ is open neighborhoods of the finite sequence points and $O_{x_{n_0}}$ is the open set containing the infinitely many points beyond $x_{n_0}.$ I'm a bit stuck beyond this. I tried relating this to: $X$ is countably compact iff the intersection of every sequence of nonempty nested closed proper subsets of $X$ is nonempty, but I couldn't figure out how to show a contradiction.

Anyone have any ideas?

Best Answer

The finite case is trivial. Consider {N(x_1),N(x_2),N(x_3),...} an arbitrary countable open cover. {x_1,x_2,x_3,...} partitions into finitely many subse uences all of which are convergent. Without loss of generality {x_1,x_2,x_3,...} converges to x_infinity. But x_infinity is in N(x_k) for some k. It follows that we have a finite subcover.

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