[Math] How many ‘supremum(s)’ and ‘infimum(s)’ can a set have

calculusdefinitionreal-analysis

I am learning calculus/real analysis with Apostol's Calculus (2nd Edition). I have a doubt about the grammer of this book. Apostol, everywhere, uses a supremum (or a least upper bound) and an infimum (or a greatest lower bound) for some set $S$.

How many suprema and infima can a set have that he has used determinents like a and an instead of the.

As far as my learning is concerned, I was sure about the fact that supremum and infimum are unique for a given set.

Best Answer

Let $(X,\leq)$ be a partially ordered set. That means that for all $x,y,z\in X$:

1) $x\leq x$ (reflexivity)

2) $x\leq y$ and $y\leq x$ imply $x=y$ (anti-symmetry)

3) $x\leq y$ and $y\leq z$ imply $x\leq z$ (transitivity)

An element $x\in X$ is a lower bound of a subset $S\subseteq X$ if $x\leq S$ for all $s\in S$. An element $x$ is the greatest element in a subset $T\subseteq X$ if $x\in T$ and $t\leq x$ for all $t\in T$. An infimum of a set $S$ is a greatest element in the set of lower bounds of $S$. We will show that there can be at most one greatest element in every set, so there can be at most one infimum for every set.

There can be at most one greatest element in a subset $T\subseteq X$.

Proof: Let $x,x'$ be both greatest elements in $T$. Then $x\in T$ and $x'\in T$ and since $x$ is a greatest element in $T$, we have $x'\leq x$. Similarly, $x\leq x'$. By anti-symmetry, $x=x'$.