[Math] Subset of separable metric space can have at most a countable amount of isolated points

general-topologymetric-spacesreal-analysisseparable-spaces

Let $(X,d)$ be a separable metric space. Prove that every subset $Y \subset X$ can have at most a countable amount of isolated points.

Attempt at proof: Let $Y$ be an arbitrary (non-empty) subset of $X$. Since $(X,d)$ is separable, there exists a countable dense subset $A \subset X$ such that $\overline{A} = X$. Since $A$ is dense in $X$, we have that $A \cap Y \neq \emptyset.$ For every isolated point $x \in A \cap Y$ there exists then a $\delta_x > 0$ such that $B(x,\delta_x) \cap Y = \left\{x\right\}$.

Now I don't know how to prove the isolated points are countable. Any help?

Best Answer

Let $C$ be the set of isolated points of $Y$. We will define an injective map, from $C$ to $A$, the countable dense set in $X$. The existence of such a map implies that $C$ is countable.

In order to do so, recall that for all $x\in C$ there is an $r_x>0$ s.t. $B_{r_x}(x)\cap Y=\{x\}$. Now let $f(x)$ be any point in $B_{r_x/2}(x)\cap A$, which is non empty by the density of $A$.

Now we are left to show the injectivity of $f$, let $x,y\in C$ s.t. $f(x)=f(y)$. Without loss of generality $r_x\geq r_y$. Then $f(y)\in B_{r_x/2}(x)$ and at the same time $f(y)\in B_{r_y/2}(y)$, hence $y\in B_{r_x}(x)\cap Y=\{x\}$. This is $x=y$. Hence $f$ is injective.

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