[Math] Part of proof of homeomorphism from Cantor set ot infinite product of {0,1}

analysiscantor setreal-analysis

From The Cantor set is homeomorphic to infinite product of $\{0,1\}$ with itself – cylinder basis – and it topology
and the excerpt: For the continuity you may want to use the fact that the product topology of $\{0,1\}^\mathbb{N}$ is generated by the sets of the form $U(N,a)=\{(a_n)_{n=1}^\infty\in\{0,1\}^\mathbb{N}:a_N=a\}$ where $N\in\mathbb{N}$ and $a\in\{0,1\}$, and hence it suffices to show that the preimages of these sets $U(N,a)$ are open in the Cantor set.
I don't know how it suffices to show the preimage is open, what is a more precise proof of this part?

Best Answer

For any $x$ in the Cantor set $C$ there is a unique $f(x)= (x_n)_{n\in N}\in \{0,1\}^N$ such that $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} 2 x_n 3^{-n}=x.$ For $j\in N$ let $H(j)$ be the set of functions from $\{1,...,j\}$ to $\{0,1\}$. For $a\in \{0,1\}$ and $j\in N$ let $H(j,a)=\{h\in H(j):h(j)=a\}$. We have $$f^{-1}U(j,a)=\{x\in C: x_j=a\}=\cup_{h\in H(j,a)}\{x\in C: \forall i\leq j (x_i=h(i))\}.$$ Observe that for $a=0$ and $j\in N$ and $h\in H(j,0)$ we have $$\{x\in C:\forall i\leq j\, (\,x_i=h(i)\,)\}= C\cap [h^*,h^*+2.3^{-j})$$ $$\text {where } h^*=\sum_{i=1}^{i=j} 2 h(i) 3^{-i}.$$ Now either $h^*=0$ or $h^*$ is the upper endpoint of the open interval $(h^*-3^{-(j-1)},h^*)$ that was removed in the construction of $C$. Therefore, when $a=0$, $$\{x\in C:\forall i\leq j (x=h(i)\}=C\cap (h^*-3^{j-1},h^*+2.3^{-j})$$ which is open in $C$. The case $a=1$ is handled similarly.