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Topology

Section 4.1 Overview of Algebraic Topology

Motivation: Homeomorphism invariants in Chapter 3 are not enough to answer the Homeomorphism Problem, and in particular they cannot show that a sphere is not homeomorphic to a torus.
Motivation: Homotopy equivalence (written \simeq ) is an equivalence relation that allows deforming/retracting spaces.

Definition 4.1.1.

The Homotopy Equivalence Problem asks: Is there a computer algorithm that, upon input of two topological spaces \(X\) and \(Y\text{,}\) can determine whether or not \(X \simeq Y\text{?}\)

Definition 4.1.2.

The Classification Problem asks: Is there a computer algorithm that can list all topological spaces up to homeomorphism, or up to homotopy equivalence?

Remark 4.1.3.

Use homeomorphism invariants to prove \(X ≇ Y\text{,}\) and use homotopy invariants to prove \(X ≄ Y\text{.}\)

Remark 4.1.4.

Motivation: Construct groups associated to topological spaces that, up to isomorphism, are homotopy invariants: Homotopy groups of spaces - all groups Homology groups of spaces - abelian groups Categories and functors