This problem is from Rudin. I am trying to Prove that the closure of a connected set is always connected. Here is my proof.
Let $E$ be a connected set in a space $X$. Suppose to the contrary that the closure of $E$, $\overline{E}$ is not connected. Then there exist two sets $A$ and $B$ such that $\overline{E}=A \cup B$ and $\overline{A}\cap B= \emptyset=A\cap\overline{B}$. $E$ being connected, we know that $A\cup B \neq E$ so there exist $p \in \overline{E} \backslash E$. We also know that $\overline{E}=E\cup E'$ (where $E'$ is the set of the limit points of $E$) so $p$ must be a limit point of $E$ (but not in $E$). Taking the set of all such $p$ we obtain the set $E''=\{p|p\in E', p\not \in E\}$. We find then that $E'' \subset A$ or $E'' \subset B$. Say $E'' \subset A$. Then $E \subset B$ and we see that $A\cap\overline{B}\neq \emptyset$ which is a contradiction. So $\overline{E}$ must be connected.
Can anyone help me critique this proof? I feel uneasy about it but I don't know exactly what is wrong with it.
Thank-you
Best Answer
Suppose that $E$ is connected. Let $A,B\subseteq X$ be separated sets (that is, $\overline{A}\cap B=A\cap\overline{B}=\varnothing$) such that $\overline{E}=A\cup B$, and suppose that $A\neq\varnothing$. Let us prove that $B=\varnothing$.
Let $a\in A$. Since $A\cap \overline{B}=\varnothing$, there exists a neighborhood $U$ of $a$ such that $U\cap B=\varnothing$. Since $a\in\overline{E}$, then there exists some point $x\in E\cap U$, so $x\not\in B$, hence $x\in E\cap A$. Therefore, $E\cap A\neq\varnothing$.
Notice that $E=(A\cap E)\cup (B\cap E)$, and $A\cap E$ and $B\cap E$ are obviously separated. As $A\cap E\neq\varnothing$, from the previous paragraph, and $E$ is connected, then $B\cap E=\varnothing$.
(See PS below for an alternative end to the proof without the argument by contradiction)
Finally, suppose, in order to obtain a contradiction, that $B\neq\varnothing$, and take $b\in B$. By the same arguments as those used in the second paragraph above, switching $A$ and $B$ and $a$ by $b$, we would conclude that $B\cap E\neq\varnothing$, contradicting what we have just proved.
Therefore, $B=\varnothing$. This proves that $\overline{E}$ is connected.
PS: As $E\subseteq A\cup B$ and $E\cap B=\varnothing$, then $E\subseteq A$, so $\overline{E}\subseteq\overline{A}$. It follows that $$B=B\cap\overline{E}\subseteq B\cap\overline{A}=\varnothing.$$