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Topology

Section 5.1 Definition of \(\pi_1\)

Definition 5.1.1.

Let \(X\) be a topological space and let \(x_0 \in X\text{.}\) A loop in \(X at x_0 \)is a continuous function \(f:I \to X\) with \(f(0) = f(1) = x_0\text{.}\)

Definition 5.1.2.

Two paths \(f,g:I \to X\) in a space \(X\) are path homotopic, written \(f \simeq_p g\text{,}\) if there is a continuous function \(H: I \times I \to X\) such that \(H(s,0) = f(s)\) and \(H(s,1) = g(s)\) for all \(s \in I\text{,}\) and \(H(0,t) = f(0)\) and\(H(1,t) = f(1)\) for all \(t \in I\text{.}\) The map \(H\) is called a path homotopy.

Definition 5.1.4.

Let \(f,g:I \to X\) be paths in a space \(X\text{.}\)
  1. If \(f(1) = g(0)\text{,}\) then their product, written \(f∗g\text{,}\) is the path in \(X\) from \(f(0)\) to \(g(1)\) defined by \((f∗g)(s) := f(2s)\) for all \(s \in [0,1/2]\) and \((f∗g)(s) := g(2s-1)\) for all \(s \in [1/2,1]\text{.}\)
  2. The constant path at \(x_0\text{,}\) written \(c_{x_0}\text{,}\) is the path (loop) in X defined by c_{x_0} := x_0 for all s \in I.
  3. The reverse of the path f is the path frev:I \to X defined by frev(s) := f(1-s) for all s \in I.

Definition 5.1.6.

Let \(X\) be a topological space and let \(x_0 \in X\text{.}\) The fundamental group of \(X\) at the basepoint \(x_0\text{,}\) written \(\pi_1(X,x_0)\text{,}\) is the set of path homotopy equivalence classes of loops in \(X\) at \(x_0\text{,}\) with group operation defined by \([f][g] := [f∗g]\) for all \([f],[g] \in \pi_1(X,x_0).\)

Example 5.1.8.

Examples