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CorollaryStatement: AI-adaptedProof: AI-generatedprecheck passjudge pass (z-ai/glm-5.2)verified 2026-07-29 (claude-fable-5)
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Under dependent choice, a continuous real-valued map on a closed subspace of a normal space extends to the whole space, and a map into an open interval extends into that same open interval

Statement

Assume the Axiom of Dependent Choice (The axiom of dependent choice: a relation in which every element is related to something admits an N-indexed chain). Let (X,T) be normal (Normal spaces and T4 spaces, with the source disagreement over whether normality includes T1 stated explicitly) and let A⊆X be closed (Subspace topology: the traces of the open sets, its closed sets and its bases, the continuity of the inclusion, and the characteristic property of a map into a subspace).

  1. Every continuous f:A→R extends to a continuous F:X→R with F∣A=f.
  2. For reals a<b, every continuous f:A→(a,b) extends to a continuous F:X→(a,b) with F∣A=f.

Scope. The two one-sided open interval forms of Intervals of R: the nine order-convex forms, nondegeneracy, and length, (a,∞) and (−∞,b), are not treated by clause 2 above; extending it to them would need an explicit order-homeomorphism between a ray and R, which is not built here.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: Dependent choice, a normal (X,T), a closed A⊆X; for clause 1, continuous f:A→R; for clause 2, reals a<b and continuous f:A→(a,b).

[L1]

Tietze's extension theorem, clause 1: assuming DC, if X is normal, A closed and p≤q reals, every continuous h:A→[p,q] extends to continuous H:X→[p,q] with H∣A=h (Tietze's extension theorem, under dependent choice: a continuous map from a closed subspace of a normal space into [a,b] extends continuously to the whole space, and this property characterises normality).

[L2]

Urysohn's lemma, clause 1: assuming DC, disjoint closed P,Q⊆X admit continuous φ:X→[0,1] with P⊆φ−1({0}), Q⊆φ−1({1}) (Urysohn's lemma, under the axiom of dependent choice: in a normal space two disjoint closed sets are separated by a continuous function into [0,1], and conversely such a space is normal).

[L3]

Product of two continuous real-valued maps on X is continuous: for continuous g,h:X→R and x0∈X, fix (continuity of g) open U0∋x0 with ∣g(x)−g(x0)∣<1 on U0, so ∣g(x)∣<∣g(x0)∣+1=:B there; for real ε>0 fix open U1∋x0 with ∣g(x)−g(x0)∣<ε/(2(∣h(x0)∣+1)) and open U2∋x0 with ∣h(x)−h(x0)∣<ε/(2B); on U0∩U1∩U2, ∣g(x)h(x)−g(x0)h(x0)∣≤∣g(x)∣∣h(x)−h(x0)∣+∣h(x0)∣∣g(x)−g(x0)∣<B⋅ε/(2B)+∣h(x0)∣⋅ε/(2(∣h(x0)∣+1))<ε, so gh is continuous at x0 (Continuity of a map of topological spaces at a point and globally, Basic properties of the absolute value).

Proof

technique · constructive
1.1

Fix reals a<b. Define α:(a,b)→(−1,1) by α(t):=(2t−a−b)/(b−a) and β:(−1,1)→(a,b) by β(s):=((b−a)s+a+b)/2; both are continuous real functions by [L4], the denominators b−a and 2 being nonzero. Direct substitution gives β(α(t))=t for t∈(a,b) and α(β(s))=s for s∈(−1,1).

givenL4algebraconstruct
1.2

Let g:A→(−1,1) be continuous, regarded as a map A→[−1,1]; by [L1] with p=−1,q=1 fix continuous G:X→[−1,1] with G∣A=g.

givenL1chooseconstruct
1.3

Define ψ:(−1,1)→R by ψ(t):=t/(1−∣t∣) and χ:R→(−1,1) by χ(s):=s/(1+∣s∣); both are continuous real functions by [L4], the denominators 1−∣t∣ (on (−1,1)) and 1+∣s∣ (everywhere) being positive. For t≥0 in (−1,1): ψ(t)=t/(1−t)≥0 and χ(ψ(t))=t/(1−t)1+t/(1−t)=t/(1−t)1/(1−t)=t; for t<0 the same computation with ∣t∣=−t gives χ(ψ(t))=t. Likewise ψ(χ(s))=s for every real s, splitting on the sign of s.

givenL4algebraconstruct
2.1

By [L5], α and β of step 1.1 are continuous as maps of topological spaces (a,b)→(−1,1) and (−1,1)→(a,b).

step 1.1L5
2.2

Put D:=G−1({−1,1}), closed by [L6]; D∩A=∅, since G∣A=g takes values in (−1,1). By [L2], fix continuous φ:X→[0,1] with D⊆φ−1({0}) and A⊆φ−1({1}).

step 1.2L2L6choose
2.3

By [L5], ψ and χ of step 1.3 are continuous as maps of topological spaces (−1,1)→R and R→(−1,1).

step 1.3L5
3.1

Define G~:X→R by G~(x):=φ(x)G(x), continuous by [L3]. For x∈A: φ(x)=1, so G~(x)=G(x)=g(x). For x∉D: ∣G(x)∣<1 and φ(x)∈[0,1], so ∣G~(x)∣=φ(x)∣G(x)∣≤∣G(x)∣<1. For x∈D: φ(x)=0, so G~(x)=0. So G~:X→(−1,1) and G~∣A=g.

step 2.2step 1.2L3construct
4.1

[Clause 2.] With α,β as in steps 1.1–2.1: g:=α∘f:A→(−1,1) is continuous by [L7]; by step 3.1 fix continuous G~:X→(−1,1) with G~∣A=g; define F:=β∘G~:X→(a,b), continuous by [L7]. For x∈A: F(x)=β(G~(x))=β(g(x))=β(α(f(x)))=f(x) by step 1.1. So F extends f into (a,b).

step 2.1step 3.1step 1.1L7algebraconstruct
4.2

[Clause 1.] Let f:A→R be continuous. With ψ,χ as in steps 1.3 and 2.3: g:=χ∘f:A→(−1,1) is continuous by [L7]; by step 3.1 fix continuous G~:X→(−1,1) with G~∣A=g; define F:=ψ∘G~:X→R, continuous by [L7]. For x∈A: F(x)=ψ(G~(x))=ψ(g(x))=ψ(χ(f(x)))=f(x) by step 1.3. So F extends f into R.

step 2.3step 3.1step 1.3L7algebraconstruct
5.1

Steps 4.1 and 4.2 establish clauses 2 and 1 respectively.

step 4.1step 4.2discharge-construct∎

Remarks

  • The affine maps of step 1.1 and the rational maps of step 1.3 play the same role: each turns a target interval into (−1,1) or back, so that the single boundary-avoidance construction of steps 1.2, 2.2 and 3.1 need be proved once and reused for both clauses. Neither clause repeats that construction.

  • The product fact [L3] is the only piece of "algebra of continuous functions" this page needs for a map out of a general topological space; the sum and scalar-multiple facts used elsewhere on this page are proved where they are first needed, by the same style of argument.

  • Choice is spent only through [L1] and [L2], that is, only through the two cited results; nothing in steps 1.1–5.1 performs a further selection from an infinite family.

Depends on

Used by

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Sources